Return, Regress, Return

​There is not much to write about the first half of year Four. WallE recovered slowly, but returned to full work late April. In May we attended a schooling dressage show. I had about five minutes to warm up. Let me say that again...five minute to warm up after having not been to a show in a year and a half. 

I was pleasantly surprised that he offered no acrobatics or wild behavior. We went into the arena and rode our tests. Not with flying colors, but reasonable tests with reasonable marks. 

Then I had some health issues (which I now know were all related to anxiety). But...when your arm is numb, you are dizzy when you are standing, you have no appetite and other odd things are happening with no explanation...you can understand my apprehension to get on a horse and ride. After being told that all of those issues were definitely from anxiety, I returned to riding regularly. 

Unfortunately as soon as I returned to riding, WallE got an abscess. So once again...no riding for Savannah. After the abscess recovered WallE felt oddly stiff. No one could see it from the ground, but I could feel it (especially when I first got on). Since he did not present as lame we continued with training. We even rode with Molly Xanthoropolous who said we looked AMAZING. 

A few week after our ride with Molly, WallE presented as lame once again. Luckily the vet was already scheduled to come out. She came out and said it was likely his back was out of wack due to carrying himself oddly while having the abscess. She adjusted him and he has been 100% ever since. Bizzare!