Changing It Up

I have been using the same Chiro/accu doc for six years. I hadn’t ever really thought about switching to someone else until a month ago, when I went for a second opinion on his left stifle. Since then, I wondered what else might be different. I watched the Chiro vet that was working on the horses at Morelli, while we were getting Ashke’s hocks injected. She was doing things that the doc I have been using didn’t, which I had seen other Chiro people doing as well. Plus, there is a bit of a bonus in not having to haul out to get him worked on. This particular woman, Dr K, comes to Morelli and does a bunch of horses all at the same time, which lowers costs. I had talked to Dr K while waiting for Ashke to waken from his sleepies, and really liked her. The people at the barn had good things to say about their horses, and she comes out monthly. Seemed like a win all around.

Dr K examined Ashke on Friday afternoon. She asked me what I thought was going on with him and I told her that both Amanda and myself thought he had a rib or two out, plus his SI area was always an issue. She had me walk and trot him out, then started her exam. 

He had six ribs out. Dr K was amazed at how clearly Ashke communicated with her (expressive horse) and how he would turn around and look at her when she wasn’t getting something correct. After working on his ribs, she worked on the lumbar region and his SI. She had the styrofoam bales to stand on, elevating her above his back, where she used her hands and body weight to adjust his vertebrae. For the first time, the two bumps he had at the top of his butt disappeared after her adjustment. I could hear and see the joint being moved and the twin bumps he’s had are gone. Ashke did get a little agitated with her working on the right side, and kicked out one time. I kept asking him to keep all four of his feet on the ground. We could tell that it hurt, but he seemed happier afterwards.

Then she worked on his right hip. That was new. The only time his right hip has been looked at was when he rotated the femur back in 2015. She said the femur head is stuck in the cuff, not rotating or moving at all. She adjusted it in three different directions, trying to get it to move, at least a little bit. After working on it for a few minutes, Dr K was able to get the joint to move a little bit. She said that with that joint locked up, he wasn’t able to swing through his hip properly, which is causing his hamstring and SI to stay locked up. She showed me a stretch to use on him, to help stretch out the hamstring. 

Next, Dr K checked his TMJ, adjusting it on one side, then laughing at Ashke asking her to do the second side. She adjusted the other side, then reached up between his jaws to adjust the hyoid. I didn’t even know that was a thing. Then she moved to adjust his poll, laying his head over her shoulder and stretching out his neck. Something must have happened because when she pulled back, he hooked his chin over her shoulder and pulled her back in. She laughed and placed his head over her other shoulder to adjust the other side. She then worked on his withers on both sides, adjusted the fetlock on the right front. When she got to the left front it took some work and pulling his leg out in front of him to adjust his knee, then his elbow and his shoulder. 

All of the things.

Then we did needles.

Lots of needles. 

We have another appointment in ten days. We want to make sure the adjustment to the SI sticks, and the right femur needs more attention.

We shall see what Ashke thinks of the adjustments tomorrow. I didn’t ride today, since there was so much to address yesterday. Tomorrow, I am hoping to do a trail ride. It might be good to keep him going forward and not in circles for the first ride.