Dressage Clinic with Reese Koffler/Things are looking up!

Sorry for the silence, I just needed some time to emotionally "recover" after the dressage clinic. The first video I posted is of Limerick refusing the log that I talked about on Saturday. The other is 13 minutes of Collyn riding him in the clinic. You don't have to watch all of it, but if you do you'll understand pretty quickly that he was a total dick. I hate that word, but it's really the best way to describe his behavior as of late :( He jigged, pranced, ran around like a giraffe, and even cow kicked at one point, which is basically the equivalent of rearing in Limerick language. All in all, he was pissed off, but we couldn't discern why... his tail started swishing upon arrival and didn't stop until we left.

I refrained from posting until now because I didn't want to be a total Debbie Downer, and today was the first time that I've felt any better than hopeless. I'm done talking/worrying about it, but Reese, the clinician, echoed and added to my B.O.'s opinions. However, some part of me prayed that our problem was being caused by physical pain somewhere, anywhere, in his body. Today, my prayers were answered. The chiropractor came out despite my B.O.'s protestations that he's not in hard enough work to be sore, and proved my suspicions right. She described him as "very tender and extremely sore," with a tilt in his pelvis that was causing a lot of pressure to be put on his S.I. region. He also had quite a bit of tenseness in his neck and was resistant to the chiro's efforts to stretch it. Once she started to massage his back and pop his joints back into place, the relief was immediate. He leaned into her and kept sighing and stretching his head down, like he couldn't believe that it didn't hurt anymore. I also asked her what that type of discomfort could cause and she suggested refusals, run outs, jumping funny (ROOTING), swapping leads at the canter or just cantering strangely, reluctance to go forward, etc. She also said that jumping, and especially landing, was painful for him, which also explains throwing his head up over jumps and throwing his body over so that he could try to land on all four feet. She also mentioned general unwillingness and pissiness, like tail swishing, ear pinning, etc. He did ALL of these things... now we just have to wait and see if the adjustment took care of all or just part of the problem.

Needless to say, despite the fact that I now know Limerick was probably in moderate to intense pain, I am beyond relieved. I don't want to get my hopes up, but we had this exact same problem at the old farm, and the day the chiropractor came out to adjust him was the day he returned to the horse I know and love, not the bratty monster who had temporarily taken his place... I can't ride until Friday at the earliest, and even then I'm only supposed to do light work. Limerick, Kimmie, Jazz and I are heading to my home barn this weekend and I'm so excited!! I get to have a lesson with my home trainer, and most importantly see Hillary and Huey :) Kimmie and Jazz are XC schooling and competing on Saturday/Sunday, and I'll get to take pictures of them as well as of Hillary and Hue. More happy updates to come, it's only going to get better from here! As a backup, I do have a more experienced ammie, G, coming out to ride the Lims once a week and I'm also going to start lessoning with her in addition to my once weekly lesson with S. I'll keep you posted :)