Soggy Groundwork

 We managed to get in a pretty decent lunge work out today. Despite the day starting late thanks to me sleeping in and then not knowing when I was supposed to meet friends to ride. But, it all worked out. Yay! Although I didn't get to groom Lyric, so it was a very dirty girl for lunging. ;)

 

I met her up near the arena so we just went to work. We started with walking uphill over the two ground poles 6 times. Then we went in and did some pillar work and our positioning straightness walk. II did some wither rocks and noticed (again) that she sort of rotates her left front in her wiggle. Like, she doesn't move the leg off the ground, but she doesn't want to seem to put weight on it and it has a weird roll to it compared to the right front. I finally got her relaxed enough that she would be more symmetrical looking in her rocks, but it took her having the right front slightly forward. We did some tummy tucks, which are slowly getting better, and cookie stretches and then I did two cat stretches, which are also getting better. Then because I was afraid I was short on time, we jogged. I probably should have warmed her up longer. 

 

We jogged in hand a lap or two around the arena each way. And she seemed pretty happy. And then, because I still hadn't heard from my friends about leaving to go ride, I went ahead and lunged her some. I'm not sure what the answer is... should I be lunging? Should I not be lunging? Are the small circles bad? Is the lack of exercise bad? Should I bet lunging her long and low? Double lunging? With the equicore? I don't know. But we lunged both ways. I did try to put the lunge line on her right side so that I could always be pulling her nose slightly right. But not sure it worked how I thought. Maybe... We did have some nice moments both directions. I did notice that tracking right, she's pretty straight back feet to front feet. She's still not tracking up in the trot, yet overtracking in the walk, but at least she's straight. Tracking left, she seems to be falling in with her haunches. Like her hind feet were more medial than her front feet. Which I guess makes sense if she's drifting to the right with her front end... So I tried to push her haunches out and pull her nose out to push her shoulders in, but... not sure I was effective. This is kind of why I wonder if I should go back to riding her? But I also feel like she needs to stretch her back more first. 

 

We did trot the alternating raised trot poles 6 or 7 times. And we played in the puddles. ;) She's so silly. She kept wanting to stop and investigate and even drink. She makes me smile. So.. we quit after that because I definitely didn't want to ask her to canter today since she's had a few days off. Although maybe I need to play with that and see... does she canter on the lunge when she's had time off or does she only canter on the lunge the third day in? 

 

Later when I went out to catch Dan, she was sitting on the water trough again. Arghhh!!! It makes me so sad. If it's back pain, then why did the shockwave and osphos and rehab not do anything?? Maybe it's gut? Sigh... I don't know whether to just order succeed.... pay the nutritionist... try relyne instead??? 

 

At least she nickered at me tonight at bed check. I opted to go out and put a sheet on since it was a hair chilly. Mostly because I was cold. ;) But, also, if she does have a myopathy, she needs to be kept more warm, so... It warmed my heart though. Even though I know she's just nickered for her hay.