Summer Shocker

 When we last left off over a month ago, whoops, Cinder was just back from getting her hocks and stifles done. She was feeling great, we had a plan for summer shows, and she had just gotten moved to a bigger paddock with more grass and was loving it.

I then got a call from Trainer M that Cinder was off. The vet was there for another horse and did a quick look at her and said she could come back two days later so I could be there for the exam. In that day between vet visits, Cinder got her feet done and by the time the vet looked at her she was 95% sound. Her feet had kinda exploded from the new grassier paddock and she probably should have been done on a 4-5 week schedule instead of a 6 week schedule. 

Her paddock is actually the one on the right in this pic

Cinder did get a chiro adjustment at that vet visit, and Doc wasn't super happy with how tight her whole topline felt. I don't know if I've mentioned it, but about two years ago Cinder started cribbing after being stalled across the aisle at our old barn from a horse who did it. Doc thinks the cribbing was causing her neck and back muscles to be super tight leading to her being out of alignment, and why she had a hard time really dropping down into the contact under saddle. 

Chestnut mare wonder twins, Cinder and Libra. Libra is the smaller, jumper version of Cinder. 

To try and break the cribbing cycle, Doc put Cinder in a grazing muzzle 24/7. We got a Flexible Filly one and cut the center hole a little bit bigger so she can eat her grain while in it. The first week or so Cinder was definitely going through withdrawals and was big mad. She has however gotten short periods without wearing the muzzle and hasn't cribbed, so it seems to be working. 

post shockwave drunk

To combat the tightness across Cin's topline, Doc wanted to try shockwave. She just got a new, top of the line machine that's the quietest shockwave I've ever heard. I was shocked (pun intended) at how powerful but quiet this thing is. For the first treatment we did Cinder's neck, back, and hips and then did two more treatments just on her neck. This was a total game changer. After the first treatment she was almost more lame than she was before, but once she was in front of your leg and moving correctly she felt good. Doc described it as breaking up scar tissue and having to work through the discomfort of going how she's used to going and fighting moving correctly. 

After the second treatment, she was moving absolutely wonderfully. Really dropping down and stretching in the trot, with a bigger more fluid canter. It felt awesome. Trainer M had been out of town for her best friend's wedding and hadn't seen Cinder go until after her third treatment and I got a phone call with how amazed she was with the transformation when she got back. I'm incredibly happy Doc suggested shockwave and with how well it worked. 10/10 would do again.