Rue’s Progress, Taking Our Work To A New Level
It's been a short time since I have shared an update on Rue.
If I recall correctly, the last I shared, I was just putting her on some herbs for lymphatic cleansing. She took to that transition very smoothly, and once she finished her kidney cleansing herbs, she transitioned easily on to Silver Lining Herbs #35 Lymphatic Support, which is made of Barberry, Eleuthero, Fennel, Parsley, Rose Hips, Dandelion, Licorice and Poke Root to help expel toxins from the body. I did notice, however, in the first 4 days of being on the herb, she was much more sensitive body-wise and did not want to be curried like she had the weeks prior. This was the only change we made, so I could assume it was either the addition of the supplement and perpetual clearing of toxins from her body, or that she was entering her heat cycle. Whichever it ended up being, she was back to her normal self by the following week.
Combined with starting the lymphatic cleansing supplement, the weather here began to drop a little (and by a little, I mean from 90's to 80's, but it definitely felt cooler, which was such a relief). With both of those things working for us, Rue started coming in to the sessions much more energetic, which I love! I have been waiting for this.
Reminder: the whole reason I've been sharing her progress with you all is because my main goal has been to take an intrinsically unwell/unmotivated horse and help her to feel better in her body and find motivation again! In the last couple of weeks, I feel like we have done just that!
A little over a year ago, I purchased Anna Marciniak's Natural Balance Course + Book, and Rue and I have been consistently doing that work multiple times a week.
The wild thing about it, is that the movements we have been focusing on are essentially micro-movements. Weight shifts here and there, and her overall becoming more aware of her body and its relation to space. For 2.5 months (with riding only 1x/week and groundwork sessions 4x/week), she has given me the smallest adjustments in response to my cues, as she learns to navigate shifting her weight and unloading her heavy legs, and also learns to soften through her body on both sides. But all of a sudden out of nowhere, she is offering magnificent beginnings of School Halt, loading her hindquarters, freeing her shoulders and offering to lift her front legs, leg yielding as smooth as butter, shoulder in with true bend... the list goes on. I am simply blown away by the integrity of her movement now, when a month ago, I wasn't sure she would ever be able to perform such basic movements, given how tense her body was. It has been so exciting!
We were supposed to have a 1:1 session with Betsy Vonda, but have had to postpone because she just had her baby. But, that's okay! I trust that the timing of it all will be just right. I'm looking forward to that time and being able to dive in to a better understanding of Rue's thoracic sling and how well it is currently functioning.
By Thursday evening this week, Rue and Mattie's new bits are supposed to arrive. Through Anna Marciniak's Get That Bit Right course, I realize I need to go back and begin work with a straight bar bit, so they both have straight bar bits with tongue relief coming. I'm excited to observe how they react to them. Abby Cline through The Bit Bar in Canada did a bit fitting for them via email, and so I am hopeful they fit well and comfortably.
Once the bits arrive, I will continue the residual release therapy with Mattie and will begin the work with Rue. I'm hopeful that by gaining access to the deepest layers of their tension patterns, I can help them to unwind them and move forward (literally and figuratively) without them. Only time will tell..
There are a handful of other updates I would like to share with you all... to include Squirt and Nightwatch being diagnosed with EPM (I will share our treatment plans for them) anddddd a potential new lesson horse on the horizon...
But, that is for another post and another time...
