Cob Jockey

My vet came out yesterday and did a three week re-check on Connor's back.  Last time, I watched as his back sank and flinched away from her fingers.  This time, I told her I was 100% confident she would tell me he's better, but I wanted to hear it from her anyway just because.

I am so happy to report his recheck couldn't have gone better.  She couldn't get him to react to the palpation in the slightest - not even an ear flick!  She was amazed and delighted, and said we had done a fantastic job rehabbing him, that his topline was already changing, and just the way he stood in general looked totally different and more relaxed.  She did a tiny little mini adjustment, and his body was soft like putty when she was done.

And has a new Micklem!  Thanks, Carly.

Over those three weeks, I rode only in my CWD and he also got lunged a few times.  I used the band system for every ride/lunge, and also put Connor through a series of stretches recommended by my vet and CGP before most rides.  So I guess the moral of this story is that you really do need to keep riding when you have a back sore horse - as long as you've removed the cause of the soreness.

And that brings me to the flapless.  ESS had one more thing we could try, but with as close to show season as we are, unless they were 100% sure it would work, I wasn't willing to gamble on another round of back soreness.  I said if Carmi ever comes to this part of the country on one of her fitting tours, I'd be willing to have her fit him in person, but for now, I'm sending the trial back and not moving forward with it.


(If anyone in this part of the country would like to try the flapless at a fitting tour, let me know in the comments - critical mass is important to getting her out this way).

It's a bummer.  I still love that saddle, and I think it's a great saddle for a lot of people/horses, but like any saddle, both horse AND rider have to love it, and Connor let me know he didn't like it.  And that's okay.  We made it through this back soreness episode, and I'm DELIGHTED at the work he's been giving me lately, so no permanent harm done.

Look at those symmetry scores!

This may surprise you all, but the Patrick is also out for me.  I did like it, and we had a good year at work so I can afford it, but it literally costs more than I paid for my had-never-had-a-horse-in-it-before trailer, and I just can't square my brain with dropping that much money on something as temporary as a saddle (all saddles are temporary, as JenJ reminds me regularly).

So I'm going to continue riding in the CWD, and in the meantime, there's a plan C in the works, and a plan D on deck, just in case I need it...

As always (will this ever end?) to be continued...