Monday, September 30, 2019

Fragile

You can tell I'm at the end of the show season.  The weather is perfect but I can't go out and play yet.  Not until October 7th can I call my season done and do my usual fall slacker routine.  Until then, nose to the grindstone and all that.  I'm starting to get grumpy about it.

Saturday I busted out the western tack to make sure I actually remember how to ride in it before my show on Sunday.  I've had the WORST luck with western dressage shows this year.  A whack to the head, lyme, it all took me out of my western dressage shows.  I only managed to make it to two of them this year.

At least I'm finally content with my western setup

The ride went well other than Theo being an idjit because I forgot his ear plugs and having no interest in getting off my left leg.  With the new indoor, I can hear things with this metallic echo.  Very minor for me but I'm half deaf anyway, it's apparently a very big deal for Theo.  I pop in some ear plugs and all of a sudden he can focus and we've had some really good rides this week.

Theo's magic pink pills of sanity

I gave him a real bath, held him for his massage (still has tight hammies, poor jumping pony), and headed home to pack and prep my trailer.  It might have been when I swung my 35 pound saddle into the back of my truck.  It might have been when I realized my debit card was missing and ended up dumping out everything in my car, mostly all over the driveway.  I'm not sure exactly what I did but my back was giving me a big FU after packing the trailer.  I went in to sit down with some Advil, no big deal.

I went to get back out of said chair after my break and yes, it was a very big deal.  Remember last year when my SI went out completely?  Yeah, that.  No nerve pain running down my leg this time but it took some careful planning and gritted teeth to get me out of that chair and to the freezer for my ice pack.  Show was suddenly looking unlikely.

Fortunately I knew what it was this time so I didn't treat it like a tweaked muscle.  That seems to have made a big difference.  I hit it with ice, Advil, a lidocaine patch, and scheduled walking every hour.  I've avoided the nerve pain part and have remained mobile the whole time.  I did miss my show, however, since I suspect trying to sit trot through two tests would have taken me out completely and I'd be missing GMHA.  Um, no, not missing that show if I can manage it.  So I, yet again, scratched a western dressage show due to injury.  Mine, not Theo's.

 Chilling in the round pen between his bath and massage, he has a tough life

Today Theo has his chiro appointment which will hopefully straighten out his tendency to look right.  That usually means his poll is out.  We'll see what the chiro wants for a work schedule.  I'm going to pack my lunging equipment because I'm not risking riding just yet.  He'll probably lunge until his trainer ride on Wednesday.  I'll plan to hop on Thursday and see how things are.  With any luck, we ship out Friday.

Not being twenty anymore sucks.

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