# Cinny's 2013 Journal



## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

Today was our first lesson of the year and at our new stable. It was wonderful. Jane (my trainer) opted for ground work today as Cinny hasn't really been worked since October. After assessing him for about half an hour she decided that we need to start with the shoulders.

Jane says he is locking up through the shoulders and chest and bracing against himself in his front end so we are going to concentrate on freeing the shoulders and chest sot hat he can then move forward and fluidly through the shoulders. Then we will work on further encouraging the hind end to follow suit. Her theory is that he can't move more forward in the hind if he's is not moving forward i the fore and locking it up and bracing at the fore instead. 

I leaned some new exercises that include free lunging with his lead line tied at his girth. It's hard to explain but his head is every so slightly bent to the side and down to encourage proper shoulder engagement and movement. Once he relaxes in to it he moves so much better than I have EVER seen him move in my life!!!

I have plenty of homework and look very forward to my next lesson. I'll try to remember the video camera next time :O


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

I had another great lesson today. Cinny is starting to learn that indeed he CAN move his shoulders and they aren't fused!

Today we moved on with BENDING. Not a foreign concept to us at all but we spent the whole lesson trying to get Cinny to bend. I know he can do this, he can be quite bendy at times, but not during our lesson. BUT as soon as Jane left, he became a Gumby horse (whacks forehead with palm). I put out cones and obstacles and we bent around them and did bendy figure eights and serpentines. He was foaming and drooling and relaxing into it. I wish I had my video camera with me so Jane could see what he did after she left. Oh well.


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

We haven't had a lesson for a few weeks due to the Weather. I am gearing up for another lesson Wednesday morning. I've mainly been working on freeing the shoulders and bending. I have discovered that if Cinny rufuses to bend, or forgets he can do so, all I have to do is set up something to bend around and he suddenly becomes Mr Flexibility. I have written this in my notebook of "Cinny Remedies" that I have started and have stashed into my tack box. Every time I figure out a way around a road block with him, I'm going to write down what I did so I will eventually have a notebook full of fixes to take with me to shows and clinics. 

I've never thought of doing this before for him, or any other horse but it's worth a try.


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

We didn't have a very good lesson. I believe Cinny is having an ulcer/tummy flare up. All week he's been flightier than usual and then as I brought him into the arena to warm up he went berserk! He yanked from me so hard I thought he was going to break my hand so I let go thinking he got caught on something and spooked or just spooked in general. Hubby was walking behind and said NOTHING happened that he could see. Cinny then started crowhopping with his back arched and bucking like a bronc...just spinning, hopping and bucking for 15 minutes straight as I prayed he didn't get hung up on his reins and break a leg. He finally came to me with a sad little look on his face.

I checked him all over and could not find a culprit so I mounted and tentatively walked around. He seemed fine. Then Jane came and we started our lesson and he was fine at first but slowly became more and more crabby and irritated with us. We virtually accomplished nothing. I walked him around and closed my eyes and concentrated on the swing of his legs, his muscles and then I realized he wasn't swinging his belly as he normally does. I dismounted and his tummy was hard, especially by the flanks. BIG GUILT TRIP.

I brought him in, gave him some UGuard that I had on hand and called my vet for some more. I'm feeling pretty proud of myself for bumping him up to SmartGut Ultra which arrived the day after our lesson. I am also giving him ground pumpkin Seed, cabbage, oat flour, and ground flax as our vet says they have natural healing powers and he has seen horses bounce back more quickly when given with the traditional Ulcer remedies.

Yesterday Cinny had a very relaxed and serene look about his face. He was playing gently in the turnout with baby Winston. His tummy was flaccid and I am able to sleep again. I think the pain part is somewhat over for him. He will remain on UGuard for a couple of weeks, plus his smartgut and pumpkin seed/cabbage stuff. I feel so bad for my baby


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

Oh, poor Cinny-but you caught it right away and treated it,& now he's sounding much happier.


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

Even more improvement today. Cinny's flanks are loose and completely flaccid. He's eating well, and even playing. 

After his lunch I turned him back out with Winston (the yearling) and Cash. Cinny immediately rolled which made Winston hop, run and buck. Then while Cinny was on his back, Winston tried to JUMP over him!! Unfortunately he didn't make it and landed on top of Cinny's stomach (Cinny's feet were still straight up in the air). He then vaulted off of Cinny and proceeded to pronk around the turnout while Cinny remained on the ground looking very stunned. I don't think it phased him too much though because after getting up, he got back down and rolled on the other side, again with baby pronking and playing around him.

Winston's owner told me that Winston isn't used to seeing horses roll because his mother couldn't due to bad back legs. Boy do I wish I could get to my vid camera on my phone faster!


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

Yesterday, Cinny was back to his old self. We took a few turns around the arena at a walk/trot to stretch his legs a bit and he was just magnificent. Relaxed, attempting once again to round his back and use his hind and pulling his hind legs under him. I ever so softly asked for a leg yield and instead of acting bitchy about it he lowered his head and moved his rib cage for me. That tells me so much about how much better he is feeling. We have a clinic ride today that I signed up for months ago and we are going to give it a go. It' at our own barn so there is no trailering or anything stressful and if he starts to act remotely ouchy I will yank him out.


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

Yesterday, Cinny was still feeling great so I rode him in a short clinic that I signed him up for with a local USDF Medalist. We had a great lesson and learned so very much. She is involved in both Western Dressage as well as traditional so I asked her which direction she thought was best for Cinny and her answer actually surprised me. She said that he was more suited to traditional dressage and NOT western dressage at all because of his movement. She told me he only needs to develop his top line and get round in the back and then he will bloom before my eyes. Time and patience is what he needs.

I am feeling so hopeful. It is nice to hear a positive opinion from someone I see as actually "knowing" something about Dressage versus all of the negative I have been hearing from trainers who ended up being a 4H trainer, or not really knowing Piaffe from Passage.

Oh, and Cinny enjoyed himself too. He discovered his hidden balance and rhythm and I am sure he was quite pleased with himself over it.


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

Great lesson on Cinny today. The goal was to get him to bend and move his inside shoulder properly while relaxing and GIVING to me. It started out to be extremely frustrated because every time I put my inside leg on him he would just go faster. 

But by the end of the hour we had him bending, moving his shoulder correctly and relaxing his head down and drooling a bit. It was just amazing! My homework is to work him until he gives and relaxes. I can't wait for my next lesson.


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

I"m gearing up for my vacation to CA (starting tomorrow, yay.) Of course we have to pretty much have a blizzard today, my last day to get everything done. Cinny is all tucked in to his stall with his cozy SmartBlue Thinsulate turnout. Grain and SmartPaks have been checked to make sure he has enough for the week. Gear left on the hooks of his stall for easy access to be lunged while I'm gone. 

I'm gonna miss the big black guy!!!


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

It has been a big week here. Cinny of course had a break while I went to visit Sunny CA for a week. I came back and we got right back to work. Our lesson Wednesday gave us yet another BIG turning point. 

We achieved ROUNDNESS accompanied by suppleness. Well for about 4-5 strides at a time anyway. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my new trainer, we have accomplished so much in such a short time. I now know HOW to ask Cinny to go round and the more we do it, the more he is relaxing into my legs and the bridle. 

So now that he is responding to my ask, my job is to ask ask ask ask ask, and then ask some more so that we can develop the muscles he is now working and get it to be a habit to use his back this way. 

And on rare occasion, when he is rounding he will give some great pushes from his hind, which causes him to grunt with each stride. We are even giving some of this new found roundness in the canter but if I'm not paying attention to my outside leg pressure we end up cantering leg yields which I don't think we are quite ready for. Plus he grounds very loudly when we do so making me think he isn't developed enough for this yet.

I can't wait for this show year. I have so many new people on my side rooting for Cinny and me, most of whom I have met while doing volunteer work for Nebraska Dressage Association. Where I felt like everyone was against us and were telling me what a loser my horse was last year, this year I feel like we are becoming celebrity favorites for Training Level. I've even been encouraged to work hard and try to qualify for the schooling show championships. sigh.... I will work, I will try, but not sure my horse can pull THAT off ......yet.


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

Not a good day today. Warmup went really great. I hop on Cin and we start working the shoulders, working the bend, asking to round down when BAM, an idiot at my stable, who shall remain nameless turns their horse out into the indoor WITHOUT making sure nobody else was in it. Sadly, this horse does not get along with ANY other horse and promptly came after Cinny with ears pinned and teeth bared. Next thing I know I hit the arena wall with my shoulder/ribs and am on the ground while Cinny is running, bucking, kicking and biting for his life. I started screaming obscenities (couldn't help myself) because the dork actually walked away after shutting the gate. They came back when they heard me screaming then tried to defend themselves by saying it was a weekday morning and they didn't expect anyone to be in the arena (snort.)

Needless to say, Cinny could NOT relax after that. He did his work, he did move his shoulders and round properly the way Jane wants us to work for now, but he just couldn't relax poor guy. So my shoulder and ribs are bruised, but I'm okay. The wall luckily kept me upright so I pretty much landed on my feet first, then my butt. It still wasn't very fun. And yes, I DID check Cinny all over and couldn't find a thing wrong with him except his overly nervous nerves being more unnerved than usual.

Then I get home and track Cin's registration transfer. I mailed it a week ago PRIORITY with Sig confirmation. Tracking still only says it left Omaha on the 19th and then nothing. I guess it got abducted by aliens. I called USPS and they show it as officially being documented as missing  That leaves me with a LOT of hoops to jump through because the lady I bought him from never transferred him to her name, all I had was his registration certificate and the breeders signature with a 2003 date as it was. So I get to track down his breeder and hope they will sign an affidavit so I can get his APHA papers transferred to my name.

Problem...through the grape vine I have heard that his "breeder" is none too happy that their reining bred "jae bar horse" is doing Dressage so I am gearing up to get some sort of flack or verbal irritation from them. 

Today it would seem that if I didn't have bad luck, I would have no luck at all.


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

It has been a very interesting week. No lesson this week because Cinny was a bit, um..hard to handle to say the least. He has not been himself but I think the culprit has been pinpointed. When he had an ulcer flare up we naturally upped his calcium as it's a natural acid reducer. What I didn't know is that when you up the calcium, you also have to up magnesium or you could end up with a magnesium deficiency. That is what the vet thinks is going on with him. 

His symptoms have been: strange muscle twitches, usually in the glutes after work that were unexplained, irrational spookiness (he isn't really a spooky horse ever), irritable, can't seem to relax, has stopped laying down in his stall to sleep, over all anxiety. Just to let you know the level of his anxiety and spookiness.....I had his tail wrapped to keep it out of the mud and from tangling. I thought maybe the bandage was pulling at his tail hair so I took out the wrap to make him more comfortable. He spent the next 10 minutes int he cross ties prancing in place, kicking wildly at his tail, gnashing his teeth and pinning his ears. He looked like a horse tied with a wolf nipping at his back legs, it was horrible.

What we have done, we have upped Cinny's magnesium intake. I added foods naturally high in magnesium to his diet such as pumpkin seeds and flax meal. I took out ALL supplements except for his SmartGut Ultra. I dumped him Strategy (which I thought may be moldy on top of everything) and he is now getting fresh Strategy Healthy Edge as he did very well on that in the past I just stopped feeding it because I have to drive forever to buy it. We are adding SmartCalm which is also high in magnesium as well as B vitamins - this was suggested by his vet. There is nothing herbal in it or chemical, just a vitamin/mineral mixture geared towards healthy nervous system. 

He is already showing signs of improvement. The vet will be checking on him on Tuesday to make sure he is fit for the show.

As for the show, there is DRAMA on the horizon, I can feel it. I got the show list today and was pleased to find many of my friends going, and acquaintances that I get along well with. My friend with her paint horse that I have a very friendly rivalry with. We have never beat their scores however. I thought it looked like a wonderful turnout for training level AA's and like a fun, friendly competitive show. And then I saw it....

My old BO is competing in Training 2. She should be open, but who knows what she put. She is riding her aged OTTB RG, the one she had me ride that couldn't canter to save his life. This is the woman who told me Cinny would only ever get embarrassing scores! Neither of them have shown in years, and now...here they are. 

I'm probably being overly dramatic but I feel like she is here for a last attempt at humiliating me. I have to remember that when I was going to show RG, I looked up his past scores and he never hit a 60 in anything, not once. Neither have Cin and me but my goal is a 60, and I feel like we can hit it. It's just the one person that I did not expect to be there. And she's one of those people who has to just walk by and say their stupid snitty remarks. If you have seen Dance Mom's, she's like that Candy Apples teacher that can't keep her mouth shut and has nothing nice to so the the ALDC group. I really don't need that on my show day at all.

But time to regroup, she is donig intro b and training 2, as am I among other classes. Her horse is a tough canter, hates to canter, and you can't keep him in a canter and training 2's coeffecients are for, stretchy trot circle, free walk and both canter circles. Cinny has a beautiful, wonderful canter. I can HAVE this and I have to keep telling myself that. Everything else I know we do just as well as RG if not better since we have had an awesome trainer. 

I should ignore this person of little mind, but there has been so much mucky water under the bridge that it is very hard to. And if she starts walking by and picking us apart I'm not sure what will happen. I will either gain strength in rebellion or I will fall apart. 

May the dressage gawds be with us, and my my husband stand guard of my tack stall!


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

*Back to journaling....*










Well it seems like Cinny is 99% back to himself (see thread Something Just Isn't Right With Cinny for more information). All bloodwork came out as expected, including borderline low magnesium levels. The vet says it was probably worse last week before I started adding more mag to his diet. Green light for showing.

Our lesson was PERFECT today. For the first time in a long time he worked himself down into relaxation instead of up to a giant ball of anxiety. We went through different elements that are in the tests we are doing and with the exception of the stretchy trot circle and the canter, he did everything perfectly several times through. Canter is okay except he is still a little rushy and hyper. My goal at the show is to still encourage roundness and and to set him up for good transitions even if we end up a little late into the canter. Jane says it's better to hit the canter a little late with a perfect transition than to hit it on time with a sloppy transition.

Stretchy trot is going to be our throwaway score. There is just too much to work on and too little time so we are just going to leave it be and not worry about it right now.

He was so good that we ran out of things to work on and instead of continuing on when he was already so great we ended on our wonderful note and gave him some extra play time to himself so he could roll without having a yearling trying to use him as a jump in the process.

I am getting very excited about Saturday. I just know I am going to hit a 60 in at least one of my classes...which is my goal. I AM bringing a list of my best scores for each test so that I will know if I have improved, the ultimate goal even if I don't hit my 60's.


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

And yet another schooling show has come and gone...... and may it PALEEEEESE live in the past. 

Let's start with this. In my opinion (and my trainer's) Cinny has grown by leaps and bounds since last year's schooling shows. He has STOPPED grinding his teeth altogether. He is more supple. He relaxes more. He rushes his movements far less. Over all, with the exception of our first test ride of the day which is usually horrid, he gave me the best tests he has EVER given me. I am so proud of my Cin man. 

I was really looking forward to the first show of the season because I wanted to see how much my scores have improved, how much my horse has improved, especially now without the grinding automatically deducting points from us. But it was NOT to be. Despite the fact that I corrected the grinding, and the rushing, and our geometry as well as Cinny becoming more supple our scores were worse. Not just worse, CONSIDERABLY WORSE. I'm talking going from upper 50's to lower 40's....one score being a measly 39!!! Sigh. 

It just goes to show that although they try to keep things in the dressage world pretty much fair, even, and standard you can never ever change the "human" fact. Basically, no matter how much they may say it isn't supposed to happen, each judge has their own definite opinions and basis for their scoring practices. Although our horses may improve greatly, it may not necessarily get you the scores you want if you run in to a hard score. Or, as the rumors going around last weekend's schooling show were....and this is a new term for me which I have never heard of until I overheard the population griping about it....a bi-polar judge. Apparently this is a judge that either loves your horse, or hates it. Some of the people who normally get scores in the high 60's to low 70's were even seeing 50's.

So, this was definitely a schooling show to ignore scores on. Not judges comments, mind you, but not to cry or worry over the scores. I know in my heart that my horse and I have gotten much much better and I don't need a score to tell me that. And I don't want a score to pull me down and make me depressed or worse, make me second guess our achievements. 

I will celebrate with my new barn friends instead. 1 friend had her first ever dressage show and her first show ever on her current horse. She showed Intro and received GRAND CHAMPION!. I am so proud of her. My other friend road a lovely Andalusian Stallion owned by a local rescue. This horse has been through the ringer and now has a fabulous life. They two showed Intro and received Reserve Champion. I am so proud of them both!

OH, and that trainer I was just DYING to score better than in Training 2....I accomplished it. That was the test that I received a 39 in, she only received a 36! At least I accomplished THAT goal ha ha.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

So are you going to post that video for critique now?


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

Skyseternalangel said:


> So are you going to post that video for critique now?


LOL, Hubby was in charge of the video camera and he brought it, he just didn't charge the blinkin battery!! I have a lesson coming up, going to see if my trainer will get some video of us.


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

Today was "clinic" day for my vet at our barn. I signed Cin up for the works, plus his coggins and a blood panel to make sure that his levels are normal and we don't need to tweak his feed anymore. 

Sadly, his teeth are HORRIBLE. The vet says he thinks he can feel where there might have been a small abscess recently that is now healed over (slaps hand on head). Poor Poor Cinny! Now I feel bad for taking him to the show, and it's probably why he still had some head tossing in his tests and NOT because he is still "finding where he wants to put his head" as my trainer thought. I am feeling REALLY guilty. 

It was too cold to sedate so our vet is returning next week some time to do teeth floats, sheath cleaning, etc. I figure that as long as Cin is going to be sedated, I will just let the vet do a good cleaning "down there" instead of struggling with it myself. 

We are signed up for another wonderful clinic this coming weekend. I am debating still riding Cin in it, but wit his new rope hackamore (like a rope halter but with rings in the side nots to attach reins to. In this way I can REALLY work on my seat more. The clinician is one that comes once a week and works with us individually anyway so I think it would be really great to just get on bareback with my hackamore and really work on proper use of core and seat and NOT fiddle with Cin's mouth at all. I have emailed the clinician and she thinks its an absolutely wonderful idea and she encourages all of her students to try to obtain a "no bridle needed" relationship with their horse, provided Cinny is not in pain which our vet says he doubts he is at this point as he is in the last stages of healing.

Now to pull out my helmet


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

We've had a rough month. A few weeks ago I left Cinny turned out in the indoor arena just long enough for a quick bathroom break and when I came back he was hobbling on only 3 legs. I had my vet's associate already on the way to do a teeth float and when she got there she tentatively suggested it was a suspensory ligament injury. He got tucked into his stall with a No Bows warp and a big sign that said "DO NOT TURN OUT." sIGH. 

A week later my regular vet came and after about half an hour of assessing determined that it is merely a sprained heel. Yay. I started hand walking him (or more like hand passage) for a week with no lamness, heat or swelling returning. Today I let him turn out with his friends for a couple of hours and still no sign that he was lame. 

So now, I am going to give him a week of turnout and light lunge line work and if all goes well, get on him and see how it goes. We might be back into full work in a month, yay. 

And I had more joy in my mailbox today, my Dressage Today magazine. But really it was more like what I read in it....starting this year for the lower show levels Not only is coat optional but you can where ANY color breech too....no more white breeches making my bum look like it's the size of a Plymouth on my tiny black horse!! I may even be brave enough to sport my favorite plum colored breeches.....mmmmmmmm


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

Oh the ups and downs of a horseowner's life!


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

Cacowgirl said:


> Oh the ups and downs of a horseowner's life!


Yup, I've been thinking of changing his APHA registration name to "Cinematic Debut" while it can still be changed but maybe I should consider "Roller Coaster" instead


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## Klassic Superstar (Nov 30, 2009)

I love fallowing along with you and Cin!
Glad he's on the mend, he sure loves to keep his human on her toes huh lol!!
When is your next clinic or schooling show!?

Can't wait to read more! Keep the pictures coming!


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

I'm not sure when our next clinic or schooling show will be. Right now I am concentrating on going slow with adding a little bit every day just in case. The vet says there is a SLIM chance it could be the tendon inside the hoof or a navicular injury which can cause a navicular change. I am hoping to take him to the Cornhusker Classic schooling show but we will see.


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

Today we went for our first REAL workout, canter and everything since Cinny was hurt. We had a walk/trot lesson last week that went well but I haven't been able to go back because my neck and back were out really really bad. 

Today we tried out Cinny's new bridle. I got him a DaVinci Padded event bridle with the all in one padded crown. They didn't have Cob size with a padded crown so we went with horse to try it out. It fits pretty well with just the throat latch and flash strap being too long but they are the easiest to fix. This is combo with his new Sprenger Duo bit.

He loved loved loved loved loved the new bit and bridle. How do I know? He foamed profusely at the mouth, was very relaxed int he jaw, and didn't fight the bridle at all today. He relaxed his head down, rounded through his shoulders and started rounding more threw his back. He did walk, trot and canter all while rounding and pulling his hind under....well, more than he usually does. I can tell my back is still off though because Cinny was off and really leaning onto the left rein...so much that my rein finger now has a giant blister. 

But all in all, it was a great ride.


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

Hope that blister heals real soon for you.


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

Haven't posted for a bit. I've been busy with my son, then Cin stepped on a nail and had time off, then I was sick...now I'm facing surgery  It's been a roller coaster of a summer. But I have had some good lessons and gotten a few good rides in. Cinny seems to do better lately with once or twice a week rides than he does with more consistent rides. It's weird, the more consistently I ride him, the less consistent his is in his willingness to work correctly. It just doesn't make sense to me at all. I'm wondering how many other people have this issue.

Anyway, I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Nebraska Dressage Association gives out 500 dollar scholarships each summer. One each for Junior, Adult Amateur, and professional. They can be used for Clinics, events and lessons with a trainer. I decided to go for it because my trainer (who is on the board) kept telling me they didn't have any adult applications yet.It would be so helpful to have 500 dollars towards lessons and clinics, yay yay yay. They announce the winners on July 15. I'll let you guys know what happens.

Oh, and sorry no vids yet. Every time I bring the video camera Cinny decides to have one of his "off" days. Go figure I would have an inconsistent horse...good thing he isn't a track horse ha ha.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Cinny,

Breaks are good for a horse, some find it easier to come back to work than drill the same thing over and over.


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## Weezilla (Aug 3, 2012)

Hey girl! 

I was just thinking of you the other day. Sorry to hear you're facing surgery  Fingers crossed that all goes well!


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

Wow, what a summer. In a nutshell I had surgery, I recovered from surgery, thought I sold Cinny and the person backed out so we decided to keep him after all and now we are back to here.

So we are moving forward but I still have a barrier of my own to get over. Last June, before I even knew I needed surgery, I had a bad fall at the barn. I was mounting a big belgian and the mounting block tipped forward causing me to back flip over it and land with a hard corner edge in my bumm. My doctor at the time (the old doctor that always blew me off) said I was only bruised. Well, during recovery from surgery I realized I wasn't. I had a hard time walking because my hips kept catching. I went to my trusty chiro/accupuncture person (he does all sorts of stuff and can do xrays too) and it turns out that my hips are badly misaligned now. The right hip is about 2 inches higher than the left and my hips are slightly rotated so that the right is forward of the left. Imagine what this does to a sensitive horse!!! So I am undergoing a lot of chiro work to fix my hips and lower back and it's helping however Cin and I can be quite crooked at times. We both warm up out of it though and my rides are actually improving my hips so it's my therapy too.

I started riding again about a month ago, mostly on trails and playing around the arena. Cinny seems to have made good use of his time off and is a much more relaxed horse. We are both having a hard time getting used to the new way my body moves.

Yesterday I had my first lesson since June and my trainer says my rider is substantially different than before surgery (in a good way). It would seem my body was clenching with all the pain that I had learned to live with for so long and now I swing easily with his body. She said we may make him a lower level dressage horse yet! I am so happy I'm giddy. We spent a good 15 minutes in the best trot I have ever gotten out of him, after the best walk trot transition ever. And for once I know what it feels like when MY horse is being correct because when I felt it and asked my trainer said YES this is what it feels like. I thought it was going to be some phenomenal eagle flight feeling. In reality it feels like he's trying to poop and trot at the same time ha ha.

I also learned a good lesson yesterday. My horse does much better when I have completely given up on him altogether. We were having a hard time at first and I thought he was just getting tired because he is out of condition. I started cooling him out to end early and then he suddenly perked up. So I just played at what we were trying to do before thinking he still wouldn't do it, and he did LOL. So...when I'm in a bind, I'm going to give up on him.


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