When will I just learn to listen?

It has been a couple of weeks and there have definitely been lessons learned that I should have captured. First and foremost is never clinic with someone you do not know. EVER... While Blu and I did not enjoy the experience there was an even bigger price to pay and I am not talking about the hefty sum this individual collected. Poor Blu was out of sorts for a good 1-2 weeks after the ride. He reverted to some of the things we had not touched upon in awhile -- not reaching for the contact, not giving me the bend, rushing on his forehand... Ughhhh. He wanted me to know I went to places he was not ready to venture. Dr. Liz told me to be patient and this was outside the realm of reasonable for my blessed boy. Why did I not listen?

Sooo we went back to the basics and he eventually left behind his issues except he continued to look and feel a bit funky with the first canter. It wasn't a lameness per se, just a stiffness and unwillingness to swing through his hip/ stifle. The good news is that it would go away with some work and then the rides would be magnificent -- from canter half pass to canter pirouette he was awesome through his back.

Dr. Liz came to visit last night and said I was on the right track. She had not looked at him in a couple of months. As a matter of fact she did not feel any kind of issue in his back right under his saddle where in May by x-ray she found a couple of spines kissing and up around his wither where he was just plain sore. She felt his only limitation was in his very lower back around the hip region (hmmm, sounds like me...). She adjusted him and did shock wave and tomorrow I will see what we have. (tonight was too bloody cold to take his blankets off - -10 with a wind chill... brrrrrrrr) I lunged him for her and she and another trainer/ friend watched and jumped up and down like school girls who just won a jump roping contest with excitement at how sound he was. It was a beautiful thing -- it brought tears to my eyes to see how sound he has become.

So I have gone out to the USEF website and checked out all the shows I would like to do. So far I have 11 on my list. Ambitious? I think so. I will let Blu tell me what he wants to do. All I have to do listen.