I had a two-level cervical spine discectomy and fusion March 31. I'm now at the point where my surgeon is telling me to do more things to increase my upper body strength without lifting anything other than small objects. I could go to physical therapy--I have a great therapist I've worked with for several years. I think they've named a wing after me at that office, as well as at my ortho surgeons' office. I've been a frequent flyer. I was going to physical therapy sessions for the neck before I had the surgery. I'm just tired of it, and I have to admit--I'm cheap and don't want to pay the insurance co-pays.
I was thinking about what I could do other than boring exercises--something that would use my arms for reaching and stretching, improve my grip strength, yet keep my body in good alignment. Answer: Horse grooming! I have to admit another thing--I am not a "regular" horse groomer. I always groom before tacking up (and after), before some pictures, and sometimes if we are having visitors. And, another admission--I favor Rosie and groom her more than anyone else. OK--I've said it--I have a herd favorite. Bad mom, Bad mom!
My typical grooming regimen was to occasionally run a Furminator knock-off or a brush over her, pick her feet quickly, and maybe comb her mane and tail every once in a while. The other horses received similar treatment, but not as often. Don't get me wrong--I check them visually and run my hands over them every day for to check for cuts, skin problems, hoof problems, etc. And, if they have an actual problem that needs treatment, I'm on it like white on rice. Buuuuutttt ... if everything is looking OK, I don't do very much day to day grooming. Until just a few days ago, they hadn't been groomed at all since my surgery.
So I gathered a few tools and tried out various ones. Rubber curry--umm ... that takes a little TOO much strength and actually hurts. Plastic curry with the stick-up tooth-pick things--easy to use, but it didn't get much hair and dirt off. Furminator--easy to use and takes off hair like crazy but clogs and not good for getting dried mud off. Digging through my vast grooming tool arsenal (you would think I groom all the time with the collection of tools I have), I found the old style round metal curry comb with a handle--Hmmmm ... Glides easily over the coat removing both hair and dirt with very little pressure. I think we have a winner!
I didn't halter or tie anyone--let's keep this simple. I had to start with Rosie because, well, she is always *there*. Finished with her in record time because her hair rarely holds onto dirt. Don't know what it is about it, but she is never one of those mud encrusted horses. She is a true Princess! I concentrated on slow, gentle strokes, reaching in all directions and switching hands so I was using both arms 50/50. I am very right handed and I tend to use it for everything, but this is physical therapy time--let's do it correctly.
Then on to Jerry. Rosie is very possessive of my attention. She would not leave us alone and kept chasing Jerry away, returning to me for more. OK Rose, I have to get rid of you--in the barn you go. A treat in her bucket and a closed stall door and I was back to a much more relaxed Jerry--"She's mean, Mom!" My horses are rarely stalled so I was very proud of Rosie that she quietly waited in her stall while I groomed Jerry. Unfortunately, my stall doors are too tall for the little ones to see out, which makes her patience even more impressive. Jerry was a little more of a challenge. He gets nervous at what he perceives as a fast movement, things my other horses don't even blink an eye at. I probably should have haltered and tied him because he kept skittering a few steps away here and there. Jerry has a LOT of winter hair yet to come out, as well. More work than Rosie, but I was still doing OK and got the job done.
Hmmm ... I'm still feeling pretty good. I'll tackle Babe. She was out in the pasture a little ways and she didn't think she had the strength to walk down to the barn. Out I go. She wasn't very dirty and doesn't have as much winter hair left, BUT her body is SO BIG!!! OMG! Grooming one side of her body took much more effort than both minis put together, and that included dealing with Jerry's skittering. I had to take several breaks while grooming Babe, and I was sweating and tired afterwards. She made the minis seem like a cake walk.
I've been grooming them every day for a few days in a row and one shoulder is a little ouchy, but I'm holding up well. I have also added manes and tails. Rosie and Babe have similar thickness and hair textures of their tails--thick! Of course, Rosie's is shorter. Combing through Babe's tail feels like running a marathon and Rosie's feels like walking out to the mailbox. OK--minis are SO much easier.
I will be returning to work end of next week and this is good preparation. I work on the computer all day long, doing a LOT of medical records review that requires near constant mousing through documents, interspersed with typing. My arms, neck, back, and shoulders became fatigued and sore even before my discs and arthritis became problematic. Anyone who says doing this kind of job is easy--"All you do is sit there all day."--clearly hasn't done it for any period of time. I really need to be stronger by the time I have to go back to work. Thank you for your hair, horses!
I had another incident end of last week that also reinforced how much easier and safer minis are for me. My farrier made a visit. I thought I could handle things without having extra help--Babe is the queen of calm and typically stands like a statue. The minis are well behaved as well. This day went a little differently. As he was almost finished, Babe happened to see something in back of her that spooked her. All the sudden she flung her head around just missing my head by an inch, pushed her shoulder into me, and tried to turn around quickly. Babe is a big, muscular, old style foundation quarter horse. My balance isn't the greatest since I had some hip and leg tendons released a couple of years ago. I found myself stumbling sideways and backwards, and ran right into his tool cart. I remember saying "Mario, move your cart--I'm going to fall!" in a panic because falling so soon after spine surgery could damage it. Cart got out of the way, I didn't fall, Babe calmed down once she could see whatever it was that spooked her. That much horse moving quickly can shove a person like me to the ground in an instant. A mini doing the same thing ... no big deal. Granted, my fusion will become solid and stronger, but this was a further reminder about how the minis really are a more doable and safer choice for me now.
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