Throwing Money at It

Yesterday, TC got a massage! Like an official one from someone who actually learned to do this and does this for a living rather than from me reading a book and poking a him.

This is all part of my "throw money at the horse until he is the soundest thing in the world" since TC's left butt cheek is still not 100% normal after he came up kind of funky at my last lesson. He also could be totally sound, but that I am making him lame with my constant evaluation of whether he's lame or not but is he lame?. Either way, he's at the very least got a weakness on that side and I want to give him all my money to make him normal again. Or to make me feel like he's normal again. Since he's totally sound. Except maybe he isn't.

He's also seeing the saddle fitter, getting some adequan, getting blood pulled for an EPSM test, and various other things (like he's now on magnesium and vitamin E). He's just not lame enough to call the vet since he's not *actually* lame, and the more he gets worked, the sounder he is. So I'm running with the idea that he is just weak on that side and needs more work and needs me to spend more money on him. Rico always was way sounder the higher the percentage of my paycheck went to him.

He was so cute napping in his paddock but by the
time I got my phone out, he had noticed me 

It was incredibly windy the day of his massage, so I opted not to ride him and instead took him on a hand walk in the morning. He was predictably terrible on his hand walk and so I put him back and then went back home to work a bit before coming back down.

The massage therapist was great! She wrote down everything she did and I promptly left that in my tack locker and even though I live right here and I could legit go get it now, I am not going to do that. I'll just write about this from memory.

Pushed this barrel around a bit

The left side of his neck is tighter than his right, and he also uses his shoulders differently. She confirmed that it was likely what I'm feeling in the connection - he is slightly less likely to step into the right rein.

She also noted that there would be several muscles that were always going to be tight due to his conformation. They're the same ones I found in the book! And one that I had no idea about. The one at the base of the neck under the scapula because he's got a big fat baroque neck, his pectoral muscle under his sternum because he's base narrow, and this other one sort of running along the jugular groove again because of his neck conformation.

His back was a bit tight and she said that it for sure could be saddle fit. She thinks his saddle doesn't fit badly but that he could "have a bit more room" and that would allow him to use his back more. I have a text into the saddle fitter to have her come out to reflock.

What was really out of whack was his left butt cheek. His lumbar area on the left side is VERY tight, like crazy crazy tight. She said that it was like a rock. On the right side, it was very tight, but only just up by his spine rather than all the way down to his hip. His left hamstring and medial glute muscle were way tighter than on the right too. She said this for sure could explain why he doesn't feel like putting his left hind under his body.

When your human doesn't appreciate your wind
dancing and makes you stop

I'm really excited that it worked out to have her out. And major shout out to Peony for orchestrating the entire thing. It makes me feel better that what she felt could 110% explain what I am feeling undersaddle. It just feels like he doesn't want to stay as active or connected with the left hind as with the right.

After having massage therapy done on me to fix my wrist issue, I'm now totally committed to this pathway with TC. She said that she typically recommends once a month to maintain, but I want to do every two weeks for a while I think. Then back off to every three weeks and then end up with every month.

Congratulations, TC, you are slowly becoming the high maintenance horse that I deliberately did NOT purchase. Remember when I was all I want a barefoot horse who can live in pasture and doesn't need supplements, MildNeglect TM! Have fun with all of your shoes and your Adequan and your special fencing requirements and all your goddamn supplements and your stupid monthly massages, TC.

No but seriously this horse is my jam and what else do you want, TC? My check book is ready and waiting for your demands.