Although, I think the original injury was on June 25th, during the infamous mattress incident. When I came off Ashke I landed on the edge of the boxspring on my butt and the metal edging cut across my right buttock cheek at an angle. I think it compressed/pinched the sacral tuberous ligament into the SI joint on the right side. It has been bothering me ever since, especially when driving, and has been getting progressively worse as we've gone along. On Wednesday, in our lesson, that tendon finally released (I heard a pop) and the tension/pain radiated down my bicep femoris and into my calf muscle. I thought I had ruptured my hamstring (bicep femoris) and had tears in my eyes at the pain. You will see at the end of the Serpentine video the moment it happened.
With that said, here is the lesson recap.
We started with shoulder in to loosen up his hind end. Then we started working on the canter to the right.
We are still figuring out the bit situation. He does gape his mouth a few times in the video, but Amanda said it was happening when he was leaning on my hands.
It got better as he started holding up his end of the deal.
Canter to the left.
Serpentines at the trot and then canter
We moved to serpentines at the canter, just getting him to wait on my request and to not anticipate the canter. You can see me grab my ass at the end of these. (We did the tun on the haunches to go to the right because spooky corner.
The pain was pretty much an 8 out of 10 and Amanda suggested I get off and walk it out a little bit. I did so and could feel where the muscles were screaming at me from my lower back to my heel. I went to get back on with a muttered "if I can ride with a kidney stone . . . " while Amanda just shook her head at me.
We worked on haunches in, wanting to give my butt a break from having to control Ashke at the canter and to assess how I was going to do. We followed that with leg yields at the trot and some shoulder in at the trot.
Then we did slow trot - fast trot - slow trot exercise to help me gain some control when we do speed in WE without cranking on his mouth. Then we did that exercise at the canter and Ashke went "Wheee". I swear he just wants to be a race horse.
Then we went back to riding quietly - which is much harder than it might seem, given the nature of my boy.
That was the end, pretty much. My buttock and leg was hot and swollen. I unsaddled, rinsed Ashke off and headed home.
My leg is doing much better by Friday. I have an appointment for next week to have it looked at and in the meantime I am doing gentle stretches and taking lots of ibuphrophen.
I so did not appreciate my twenty-year old body when I had it.
I dislocated my sacroiliac joint during a wild ride earlier this year. I know your pain and I have to say you're hard core because I was laid up for 3 weeks. In physical therapy I learned a great technique for resetting my joint when it bothered me. I wish I could share but that's such a touchy area of the body, I'll leave it to your professionals!
ReplyDeleteHope you recover quickly.
That sounds painful. I wish you could show me the technique, but it is probably safer to wait for the professionals.
DeleteAnd it's a fine line between hard core and flat out stupid.
I am seeing amazing differences in the way he carries himself these days! You've clearly worked hard. I hope Eddy and I look that much better, too, these days.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry that you hurt yourself so badly at that show and are still paying for it. Crossing my fingers that the professionals can really help you out.
SI pain is no joke. I can't believe you got back on and continued riding!
ReplyDelete