Help/advice.

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milz88

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Hello everyone, how are you all?

I need a little bit of input..but 1st I'll give you a little run down of my situation.
After Draycott we had an osteo to come and look at wookie, to check he is ok etc, no back problems, I gave him a day off after, then rode at a friends house on the flat, he didn't seem right, he was very stiff through the neck and not stepping through at all, it was worse on the right rein as I went round a turn he would stiffen against my hand and just not engage...not wookie!

Mum and I came to the conclusion he wasn't right, hacked him next day, then on friday just gone a friend of ours came to massage him and he seemed to really like it, she said he was a bit tight.

sat...did a little flat work, still a bit stiff, but a bit better.

sun (yest)..lunged..looked happy, moving well.

today..rode in the school at taylors, he was still stiff and not stepping through very well, and not very flexible in his neck, but towards the end he was brilliant, really became soft, and engaged, I had been doing alot of bending/serpentines and let him have a forward loose canter/trot at the start to get him moving. He became much more manoeverable (sp), supple and forward, felt like I was getting my old wookie back.

Now the question is...do I run at WW this sunday, I'm worried I am a week behind in what I had planned to do with him in the lead up to it, because last week we were just focussing on him getting right again.

I haven't jumped since draycott and would need to fit in 2 sessions before WW, bearing in mind this will be my second novice I'd rather not go feeling unprepared, I haven't even had a chance to practice the test.

Since he seems to be getting better, would it be more beneficial in the long run to not rush his recovery and w/d WW so he has time to get better, secondly I wouldn't want this run to aggravate an apprent pull/strain somewhere in his neck or shoulder.

I wouldn't want to go and do a crappy dr and poor sj because we aren't ready enough and just make a mess of his record..well not do it any favours shall we say.

I'd be disappointed not to run but I care more about my horse, and I am entered BCA in 2 weeks anway, so we could prepare really well for that and build up his work.

Any thoughts would be gratefully received, and I'm sorry for rambling....im good at that!
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No replies?! Strange... Difficult to answer, but if you are really in doubt think you should give him the extra time. Worst thing would be to go on Sun and regret it. However, personally in that situation I would probably talk to the physio and maybe get her to look at him again and compare to last time, see what she thinks. If she feels he is better and it won't do him any harm, and he feels fine to you, you could go and D and SJ and see how he feels. Did he have a fall at Draycott?
 
Thank you for your reply! I think we have come to the conclusion to allow him extra time and be fully prepared for our next event which is only 2 weeks away now. I wouldn't want to go and ride differently/ineffectively because I am worrying about him, that might cause further problems.

We are going to get our friend to massage him again, and keep on doing flatwork until he comes right, he is getting there!

He didn't fall at Draycott, had a great run infact...no hiccups/knocks/bangs.
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Thanks for reading
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I think the reason people aren't jumping in is because this sort of thing is impossible to answer unless you know the horse or at least have the benefit of seeing it in the flesh. I think we've all been in the situation of *knowing* a horse isn't right but having objective observers - sometimes very experienced ones - tell us we're being silly . . . only to find out we weren't. I wouldn't want to tell someone to go and then find out it was the wrong advice!!

That said, if YOU feel unsure about taking the horse, given the situation, that's probably reason enough to wait. You'll spend the whole day worrying and likely not riding positively enough, which might cause a whole other set of issues even if the horse is fine. Or you'll spend the day ignoring your concerns and then be sorry if something happens. No win. If you absolutely HAD to go for a qualification or similar it might be worth it but if you don't go and it's not going to worry you either way it seems silly to take the risk. There will be other events.
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