Fetti’s 24 and a little creaky in her joints. My favorite chiropractor passed away, and the gentleman that took over his clients is the one who told me not to worry about her very fresh, turned-out-to-be-suspensory injury. (We obviously have not returned as clients.) My massage contacts aren’t local. So when a trusted fellow boarder raved about a vet that does chiro/acupuncture/and more, I jumped on it.

The vet did a full assessment, asked history, checked ROM in all joints. Walked and trotted out. She looks good for 24, he says. This baffles and yet reassures me every time. I almost think folks expect a retired horse at 24, not a “done with competition but still kinda in shape” 24.

Findings: tight lower neck, tight lumbar. He adjusted jaw, neck, lumbar (more right than left). Then for pony acupuncture, where she got a handful of needles in various places. Left neck, left front, both hinds, several lumbar. He noted likely arthritis in her RF, which doesn’t really surprise me but is the first time anyone’s called it out. With the needles in, he used a laser on her RF and LH and maybe RH too.

This vet actually thinks the “suspensory” injury was likely tendon or tendon sheath. I don’t know enough to dispute that assessment. In a very practical sense, I’m not sure it would have changed the course of treatment at the time. We’d have to ultrasound to figure out exactly what’s going on in that leg. She’s sufficiently sound and comfortable it’s not worth going down that diagnostic path.

This was a fairly boring and uneventful session. That is exactly what I like! Nothing is super wrong. Her right lumbar is likely tight as compensation for the RH arthritis. Fetti looks good. Compliments and more compliments.

My one negative? I would not use him for lameness, but he doesn’t claim to be great at everything. I know Fetti steps oddly now with her left hind. He sort of brushed off that finding as minor and picky; in hindsight I wish I’d pushed on that one. But if it’s injury related anyway.. realistically that’s just her new normal.

I liked that he didn’t try to push anything and didn’t do extra modalities Just Because. I know another horse at the barn got e-stim as well. Confetti didn’t need that, so we didn’t go that route.

Next time he’s back in the area, Polly’s going on his list. Super impressed.