The devil is in the details

Luba had the week off after Spring Ride. Her job was to rest and eat and rest and eat some more.

Luba visiting Dr. Green

I went out every day for the first 3 days to check on her, brush, massage, hand graze, add beet pulp to her supper and just basically hang out.

Everything looks good! Aside from some scurf in her girth area and in the folds of skin behind her elbows and a couple of rough spots on her legs likely caused by wearing brushing boots on sandy terrain, she is in great shape. I used vitamin E ointment on these spots, and everything was smooth after a few days. I did buy some Body Glide and tried it out tonight when I rode to see if that will prevent the scruffy rough spots.

On Wednesday, I patiently took off her Renegade hoof boots and on Saturday, I buffed up her feet. This was the first time we tried glue-ons with gel pads. Luba usually gets some fill in her front fetlocks, especially early in the season. But this time, she had virtually no filling, despite the sandy terrain. I wonder if the gel pads made a difference? Or maybe a month of schooling in the sand ring at Horses of the Sun helped too? I have been using apple cider vinegar and tea tree oil to keep her feet happy and healthy.

Experience life with horses at Horses of the Sun

Luba also got an adjustment on Friday. I don't recall which subluxations Dr. Cam worked out just before the ride, but here's how things compare to her March 28 adjustment:

Mar 28                   May 25
Atlas L                   Atlas R
cervical 3 R, 5 L     3 R (This is a common one for her. I often get good releases here using Masterson)
Thoracic 7, 9          16 L, 14 L, 9 R
Lumbar 3, 5            2 & 3 L  4 & 5 R
Sacroiliac LP 1        RP 1

Interesting that the atlas and sacroiliac are opposite directions. Common subluxations are noted in red. We had a locum for Dr. Seely in March, so didn't get all the directions :(

So... there was no reason *not* to send in my entry form for the Pine Tree 100. I put it in the mail yesterday. Just over 3 weeks away...

Monday we schooled in the ring. Luba and I were both very mellow. I practised my timing for left canter enjoyment. Had success when I focused on my trotting diagonal. Sit say "now", count one, say "Now", count one, say "NOW" and ask for left lead. We didn't get it all the time, but I could definitely feel it when she picked up the counter canter on the beat in between the "now's". Next step: be able to feel her pick up left canter enjoyment.

Today I noticed that she blew out an abscess in her right hind heel bulb. Would this make it more difficult to have left canter enjoyment or maybe I am just making excuses?

small abscess popped out of RH

I just ordered replacement velcro for the gullet and panels for my Reactor Panel saddle. I love this saddle. All A's for her back for pretty much her entire distance riding career :)

Another mellow day of riding today, wandering around the farm until wait! What is that! Building supplies covered by suspicious green tarps.  Flapping in the wind! Mayday! Mayday! So we spent some time desensitizing and soon were doing figure 8's around and between the piles.

I also tried riding with a camelback today. The first loop of the 50 at Spring Ride was 22 miles. It was hot and I did not carry enough water. The first loop of the Pine Tree 100 is 17 miles. Bad news is that I don't like riding with a camelback. Rubs my shoulders and the waist and chest straps feel too constricting. Don't fence me in! So instead, I will use my cantle pack AND my pommel pack at Pine Tree.



I also rode with orthotics in my running shoes. The kinesiologist at Back2Health Wellness Centre, Keri-Lyn, suggested that this might prevent the numbness I got in the baby toe of my left foot during the 50.

The vet comes on Friday to do up Luba's export papers for the trip to Maine. And we leave on Friday evening for a weekend clinic in Buckingham with Carol Steiner, an amazing endurance rider with over 10,000 miles!  I am read to be a sponge and soak up as much of her knowledge and experience as I can.  Hoping to uncover a few more nuggets that will help us on our journey to the end of 100 miles in one day!

Luba looking forward to the weekend!

Idiom Definitions for 'Devil is in the detail'

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When people say that the devil in the detail, they mean that small things in plans and schemes that are often overlooked can cause serious problems later on.