Poking Ponies

The monthly acupuncture that I'm trading lessons for is FANTASTIC. We had another acupuncture clinic yesterday and I was just so happy. We started in December and did TC, Rico, and Sundance. Then we did January and I just had TC done because I'm trying to get a solid group of people interested. Then this time around, I got to do TC, Rico, and Sundance again. It was good timing as it was my mom's birthday last week! Poor mom is going to be getting acupuncture for Sundance for her birthday, Christmas, mother's day, maybe labor day? All the presents. 

It's great though, because my mom isn't a fan of chiropractic (she had a bad experience with a horse once) so having a dedicated acupuncturist is really great, it means my mom's horses actually get body work! 

Such a happy pone

First TC though. She brought extra long needles for him this time and wow that made a huge change. As we know, TC is a clown and his first priority is to make people laugh and then to eat snacks and then to play with other horses and then to pay any kind of attention to himself. The last two times he's had acupuncture, he's been very externally focused. He wants to help during the evaluation phase, wants his butt crack itched whenever she'd come by his butt with the massager, and is always pawing or trying to lip one of us. 

This time, the longer needles basically forced him to think about what was happening to him and he seemed really disturbed at first. Like oh no I'm experiencing feelings. He stood stock still with his ears back and his eyes a little concerned, but then slowly, over the course of the rest of the time, he began to realize that feeling things is not always a bad thing, and actually this feels good. First, his nose started to twitch, then his eyes started to soften, his ears flopped to the side, and finally, FINALLY, we got a yawn out of him. The only time he ever yawns is after his bridle comes off. Go TC!

Generally, she said that he feels great! His back is much improved, his sacrum is much improved, his shoulders are EVEN!! All the shoulder lifts have been helping apparently! Now to even them out, because I've been doing more on the right side than the left, so I should probably do them both evenly now. 

The other thing she found was that now that his back feels better, he's holding his butt tuck for longer! I didn't know that was a thing. She tucked his butt and then he held it for the rest of the session. So we're going to add that to our belly lifts and shoulder lifts that we do a few times a week. I'm so glad to see that it's working!

Another thing that she found was much improved was his stifle! If you recall, he was VERY reactive the first time, he wouldn't let her put a needle in it at all. The second time we did it, in January, he was a little reactive but okay with the needle, but then very reactive to the electrode. This time, he was much better about it! Clearly he's feeling better in that weak stifle and he's feeling very strong with all that trail riding. 

ACTUALLY RELAXING

Next, we headed over to the ranch and did Sundance and Rico! I was kind of embarrassed to say that neither of them had had much work since their December appointments. I was wondering whether it was going to be worth it or not, but wow it definitely was!

Sundance felt much better in his back since last time! My mom had been struggling to find him a saddle that was short enough for him, he's got a very short back. Unfortunately the one she was riding in during the fall (she doesn't ride a ton, don't worry) was a little too long for him and so his lumbar area was a bit sore. This time, his back felt great! My mom has found a smaller, lighter western saddle that she loves riding in so we brought that out and looked at it and it doesn't go past his 18th rib, awesome! 

He was also more level behind and felt good in his neck, which is weak due to his silicosis. He's been feeling better in the bridle when I ride him too. I don't really ask him to go on the bit but I certainly don't prevent it and lately, he's been offering me a somewhat decent connection. 

He's getting so light, boo

Rico also felt way better than last time too! I was so happy. I've noticed him changing a bit in the way he carries himself in pasture, he's way more coordinated and equally as likely to pick up trot or canter, vs previously he seemed less coordinated and wanted to stay in trot mostly. I don't know, I don't see him a ton so I don't have many data points, but he does seem better. 

Immediately she said that his back looked better, much less swayed and we kicked ourselves for not taking a "before" picture. He wasn't as bad in the belly lifts too, last time he had almost no mobility back there. 

This time, his right SI seemed a bit restricted, so she focused her energy on that. He also had his normal neck arthritis on the right side of his neck, which she worked on but I think that'll always plague him a bit. I mean, it's arthritis. By the end, he seemed very relaxed and was standing happily, plus his back was up even more than it had been when she first started! 

I'm glad he's finally enjoying his body work

I got the report from my mom that afternoon that both Rico and Sundance were galloping around and rearing at each other, celebrating how good they felt I guess! 

I'm so glad that I have the ability to give Rico things like this in retirement. He may not be in any kind of work right now (I've been busy and mostly riding Sundance with my niece when I have extra time), but I still want him comfortable in his retirement. He turned 25 this year and is pretty damn sound, my goal is to keep him this happy and health into his 30s if I can! And I think the acupuncture is helping him out quite a bit. 

I'm also glad I can help my mom out with Sundance. He's been a really good pony for my niece, who is 13 months, to start learning to ride on (he may low key hate me and consider bucking me off every time I ride him alone, but when she's double with me, he lets us trot and canter, yes, canter, around on him!).

Eventually I'll get her out to do Riot as well, but Riot isn't being ridden much right now and doesn't have the history of silicosis like Sunny and he's not my perfect Rico, so he's been punted to the back of the line. Poor Riot! Soon, Riot, don't worry.