Poo, Stretches, and Squeaky Clean

Yesterday Milo was started on his thirty day toxic cleanse with Excel and Dyna-Pro. The full moon this month is April 18, and this poses a problem.

April 18 is this coming Monday. No big deal, right? I can give him his worming then when his cells are largest, then continue the rest of the cleanse to follow. Unfortunetly, I dont know which wormer to use right now, as I still havent been able to get a fecal examination for him. Its been what, three weeks? Its driving me nuts! Everywhere I go with Milo I carry that little plastic bag for his discreminanats, and yet he has come up dry for me.

I very well can't just pick and chose something in the pasture, not knowing if it's his or Jakes, or how fresh it is (needs to be no older than two days when the vet office examines it). Why can't my horse do his business in the cross ties like all the other ones do? I have to get it soon though, because Im sure the vet office needs a few days to process it. Im wondering if I should wait to cleanse now until May first when it will be an easy 30 day count, plus more time to get this fecal done properly, and the full moon will be halfway through the cleanse period. Crummy, now I'll have to tell the feeders to not include what I told them to.

This wouldnt be so much hassle now if I were able to be at the barn the remainder of the week. But no, work takes me across the water to Kirkland (near Seattle) for a training. So Thursday and Friday are out to see Milo, plus today because I have school after work.

This stinks.

But on a more pleasant note, I have discovered something that eleviates my back pain.

I read in Horse Illustrated a few stretching exercises for riders, and they were recommended to do after you ride to get your muscles back "in place" because riding, you could say, "displaces" them from routine on-the-ground activities. One was simply stretching finger to opposite toe both sides knees straight, then both straight down together. This stretches the back and is the one stretch exercise I have adopted for myself. After the ride and before I get into my truck (if I remember to) I incorportate this small stretch. If I havent ridden that day, I stretch right before bed.

And you know what? My back has been feeling far better then it has in a while! I've been doing these stretches for just over a week, but I think part of my reduced back pain is in the riding posture I have been developing.

I remember back to one of my first lessons with Sarah, and asking her if my poor posture could directly effect my back, to which she said it most certainly could. I believe after about a month or so now of proper riding (not perfect, but far better), combined with the most recent stretching is really helping out my back.

Oh and lastly, if you might be wondering if Milo did get his man-place tended to, yes, yes he did. And he was a happy boy afterwards indeed.