How The Pandemic Made My Horse Throw Her Right Shoulder

Allow me to explain.

Ever since I began to delve into a serious fitness routine, I've had to work the frequency and type of workouts around my school schedule. Architecture is routinely listed as one of the most time consuming majors, so I always scale back for my own mental health during the semester and pick back up once a break rolls around. This works out great with riding because it allowed me to figure out exactly what exercises would help with my collapse. It's a double edged sword though; while I know exactly what to do in order to correct my balance, there is inevitably an annoying period of shoddy riding before things get back into place. Naturally, I expect less than perfect right bends and right canter transitions when I'm not quite fit enough to support a better movement.

If you look closely, you can see her blowing off my right leg and moving sideways through the poles

It usually takes no longer than two weeks in order for me to get back into a routine . . . usually. This time around, winter break seemed to pan out a lot differently than expected. I was in a real slump at the start of December, and it took a combination of therapy and lots of house work to get me feeling better. My workouts improved quickly after that, but a couple of things weren't adding up.

This might have to do with the timing and angles, but my legs also don't sit evenly on the horse.
She was also very clever and focused through this polework minus trying to halfpass on the straight away.

First, my riding. I was having trouble keeping control of the right shoulder on every single horse I rode. Liberty probably made it the most obvious and seriously did not give a damn (probably because my leg and seat were saying entirely different things). Second, I was coming off of the horses with back pain. It would start as mild stiffness after dismounting, which is normal to me, but would evolve into a hard to ignore pain within a few hours. Third, when I would go on runs, immediately after stopping, I was getting major neck and jaw pain. This was the final straw for me, but because I've been handling some other health issues as of late, I decided to consult Dr. Google instead of running to the nearest chiropractor.

Turns out, this phenomenon is very common. The conclusion? Head, neck, and shoulder pain after running is most likely caused by . . . . . . . drum roll please . . . . . . bad posture. Hmmm, I wonder how, all of a sudden, my posture took a turn for the worse. Maybe it has to do with the fact that my girlfriend is staying with me, and we're both complete couch potatoes for 90% of the day home bodies. Maybe it has to do with the fact that I had to increase my hours at work, where I rarely do much else besides sit in front of a computer. Maybe it has to do with the fact that we're (still) in the middle of a pandemic and my usual outdoor routines have been largely eliminated. Maybe it has to do with the fact that, while taking online classes, this is the craptastic "desk chair" that I've been sitting in since July.

It was $7 from Ikea

It's all of these, lol. Quarantine has not been great on my back, and since my spine is coincidentally attached to my hips, shoulders, legs, and head, there's no doubt that they affect each other.

My Rx:

• Regular stretching after rides and workouts
• At least once per week yoga to detangle my spinal column
• Perhaps, maybe, a couple trips to the chiropractor before I'm kicked off my parent's insurance

I won't lie, it's been a little bit disheartening to know that every horse has been thoroughly confused by how I've been sitting on them for the past two months. Additionally, both Blackjack and Liberty are weaker to the right. And if you'll remember, both Lucie and Roman were weaker to the right as well. Why this is an apparent constant in my life is beyond me, but fortunately for the theistic power(s) at be, I can take a joke.

She also cantered so well that I could safely half seat. What a gem!