He Doesn't Make This Any Easier.

Apparently I can't even lunge my horse or practice showmanship without hurting my back.  There are certain movements I do that are causing compression in my disks and/or moving my pelvis out of alignment enough to create more pressure on the affected nerves.  And I can do this without noticing/feeling it at the time, only later do I feel the effects and there's nothing to be done but take the pain meds and start over.  This is not helping my progress and it's very frustrating.  I have not been physically normal since May 7th.  But in addition to the fact that I simply want to spend time with my horse even if I can't ride, it's also out of guilt that I lunge my horse and work on showmanship.  It's winter and turnout isn't as extended as it is in the warmer months and I feel bad that he has fallen out of shape as much as I have. He doesn't seem to care, he's rather lazy, but he does like to be messed with.

So I am going to get more aggressive with my treatment and try really hard not to screw it up any more.  

In the mean time I went just to check on him yesterday.  I brought him in from the paddock, just to groom him.  And then I noticed his Left Stifle was banged up.  Not severely, but maybe like he ran into something and scraped off some patches of hair and maybe a slight abrasion.  Then, working down the leg noticed the lower leg and fetlock were swollen and there was a scrape/puncture on the cannon bone. He trotted off fine (I had the BO do the trotting... see, I'm TRYING not to hurt myself) but I gave him some bute and cold hosed the leg.  He didn't appreciate me poking the stifle but he never really does.  I'll go out today but then I'm benched for the weekend after I'm going to have a needle inserted into my spine.  Ugh.

So I recruited the BM to keep a closer eye on him over the weekend.  I might be able to go out, but I really need to be careful.  

Of course he mildly injures himself when I can't monitor it.  Sometimes I think he plans things like this.  

I'll keep you posted.  In the meantime, imagine me lounging on the sofa with ice packs, pain meds, and Netflix.  Then maybe sooner rather than later you will be able to imagine me actually riding my stinkin' pony and having something interesting to blog about.  Fingers crossed.