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2011 – Rock & Roll – 5-26-11 – MASSAGE

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5/26/11: Rock and Roll got minimal work with massage today because they had to share their time with one of our retired broodmares, Letty. Rock fell in love with her right away! He finally met someone who was worse off than he was, though, you would have thought she was Elizabeth Taylor! Roll really enjoyed work on his hindquarters. He is getting a much more smooth appearance with his work and massages…much less “bumpy” and “knotty.” His movement is much improved as is Rock’s. They are both like two different mules now. They are much more loving and interactive with us, so we know they are feeling MUCH better overall. Rock is bearing weight pretty consistently on both hinds now while standing.

It would appear that Rock may have the same sire as Roll, but is out of a Belgian mare.

It would appear that Roll may be by the same sire, but is out of a Suffolk Punch mare.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 6-1-11 – OUTDOOR ARENA TRAINING

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6/1/11: Kristen took some picture of Roll lying down in the arena the day before. Rock got up before she could catch him. Rock and Roll were snuggle bunnies today during grooming and their workouts. Using the vacuum cleaner during grooming appears to be helping to stimulate the atrophied muscles in Rock’s rear end. They were willing and did not appear to be sore, but both mules did get sluggish and resistant in certain places. They moved on easily when asked. Both animals are moving much better and though they resisted the trot on the long side of the arena, when Kristen got behind them, they went easily. Rock actually trotted 2/3 of the length of the arena which is phenomenal for him.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 6-6-11 – BATH & HAYFIELD WALK

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6/6/11: Rock and Roll had a great day today! They both really enjoyed their baths and the walk in the hayfield. At first during his bath, Rocky got a hitch in his right leg a couple of times, but that calmed down. Both mules had ergots on the hind fetlocks that clearly had not been watched. Rocks were over an inch long and stuck straight out, and Roll’s were 2 inches long and curved upward. The weather was warm at almost 90 degrees which made for a perfect bath day. They enjoyed the walk down the road and then thoroughly enjoyed some limited freedom in the hayfield. Both mules walked in rhythm with us most of the time!

2011 – Rock & Roll – 6-16-11 – MASSAGE

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6/16/11: Rock and Roll had a rather exciting massage day today, though it was completely unintended. I brought them in a little early to clean them up and it was a hot day, so as I was getting to vacuuming Roll, I suggested to Kristen that she turn on the overhead fans. I had forgotten that they had never seen the fans on before! Rock did not seem to mind too much. He just perked his ears and looked up, but Roll’s eyes got big as saucers and he stiffened his entire body to a height beyond his 17 ½ hands! I thought he would jump out of his skin and I was standing right next to him with the vacuum! Thankfully, he trusts me and calmed down rather quickly, but it must have startled him enough to scare the piss out of him! He pissed a rather large “lake” right afterwards! The next thing I did was to try my dressage saddle on Roll…he thought that was very odd, too! Still, he stood quietly with a perplexed look on his face, but he clearly thought I was questionably sane that day! They both enjoyed their massage, but then on the way back to their pens, they were introduced to Joanne’s dogs that were waiting in the back of her SUV. Both mules started at all the barking and howling hound dog, but soon were encouraged to come closer and take a real look. They both relaxed when they realized the dogs would not hurt them!

2011 – Rock & Roll – 6-21-11 – OUTDOOR ARENA TRAINING

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6/21/11: Rock and Roll enjoyed their workout this week after missing it last week because I had a tooth pulled. They both did really well and did not seem to lose anything by missing their workout the week before. They did have their massages, so maybe a week off from the regular workout was a blessing in disguise. Both mules had been rolling and were quite dirty, but the sores on their legs were considerably better. Both boys are getting to be much more warm and affectionate than they have ever been. They both took the liberty of asking politely for a second reward on a couple of occasions during the leading exercises! They are squaring up on voice alone. We took more comparison pictures again today, but I think we need a better background for them.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 6-22-11 – FARRIER

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6/22/11: Veterinarian Greg Farrand and farrier Dean Geeson came out to check Rock today. Previously, he had only a quarter of an inch of sole left on his hind feet and had foundered multiple times causing rotation in the coffin bone. We opted to put padded shoes on the hinds in hopes of getting some correction in the rotation and growth of more sole. Greg called later with the results of the x-rays and the outcome was positive. He had some correction in the rotation in one hind foot and had grown 3/8 inch of additional sole to both hind feet! There IS hope! We re-shod Rock without the pads this time since ht e sole had grown in enough to do so. They both looked at Roll’s hind feet and Greg determined that Roll had side bones in his hind feet caused by irregular concussion to his feet. This is calcification of the cartilage that is attached to the sides of the coffin bone. No doubt this has contributed to his problems with moving correctly, so we are encouraged by his progress under these conditions.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 6-23-11 – MASSAGE

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6/23/11: Rock and Roll were both very low key and relaxed today. I suspect they were tired from the activities on Tuesday and Wednesday, so they really just settled in and enjoyed their massages and stretches. Both mules are getting much more flexible and muscular in their bodies. Roll is doing a better job at stretching and then turning his head and neck into the correct position and Rock is offering the extra reach in his stretches.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 6-29-11 – REST & PATRIOTS SHOOT

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6/29/11 – July 1: I was sick this week and Joanne was out of town, so Rock and Roll got the week off from their exercise and massage. They are both doing well and Rock is walking even better since he was X-rayed. They have had turnout every day this week to keep them moving to sustain conditioning. Their attitudes have remained good and they had a fun time posing for pictures for Independence Day with the mini donkeys, Augie and Spuds.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 7-5-11 – OUTDOOR ARENA TRAINING

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7/5/11: Rock and Roll did well today, however, Rock had problem with his back just in front of the croup. It appears to be out of alignment and we scheduled the chiropractor before his next massage on Thursday, July 7. Rock was standing flat on both hind feet during grooming in the tack barn, but exhibited a little soreness in that hip when in motion and stopping in the sand of the arena. He tends to be lazy through the pattern now and even though we raised the poles to 4-2” poles, he still dragged his hind feet over the top of the last 2 rails, so I decided to ground drive him to exert more pressure for impulsion. He seemed to need a very heavy contact on both lines to keep him from overreacting in the beginning, but he softened by the end of the lesson. It worked well once he figured out what I wanted. Rock backed VERY well about 8 steps.

 

It was a hot day so I skipped the walking pattern with Roll and went straight to his exercise tin the round pen. He walked 5 rotations at walk, then trot each way. I then attempted to move his hind feet backward with a touch from the whip, but it send him forward in fear. A couple of times and he finally got what I was asking and automatically set up square when I touched the forward hind foot. It seems he always wants to stop with his left hind forward. That would be in keeping with the tendon injury on his left hind and stiffness through his right hip from compensation. When turned back to pasture, Rock and Roll had one of their little spats over the treats! Rock thinks Roll is fat enough!

2011 – Rock & Roll – 7-7-11 –MASSAGE

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7/7/11: Dave McClain came in this morning to adjust Rock and Roll. Rock’s lumbar region juts in front of the croup was clearly out from the stress put on it from the x-ray session. I checked the photographs from that session and you can see clearly when it happened. After the alignment, Joanne concentrated on that area during his massage today and he seemed to get some relief. Rock and Roll both enjoyed their massages today and Dave McCain is coming back on Monday, July 11 to adjust him again.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 7-8-11 – FARRIER

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7/8/11: Because of the stress on his back from the exercises and reset on his back shoes from June 22, we opted to just trim the fronts on Rock today. He was in need of a trim as the bad hoof is grown out enough now that it is starting to break off. He had a substantial “V” chipped from the inside of his right front hoof and the outside of the left front hoof was chipping laterally across the bottom. After the trim, they both looked much better and there is very little “bad” hoof left from the founder. Roll got a trim with a correction on his right hind. This one is the one he always puts forward when he stops. Irt was getting worn unnaturally on the outside and causing his foot to fall to the outside. After the trim, he seemed relieved and stood squarely with full weight on it. I suspect this, too, is from an unhealthy foot though he does not exhibit the same degree of founder that Rock has.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 7-11-11 – CHIROPRACTIC/TURNOUT

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7/11/11: Rock was checked and adjusted again today by the chiropractor. We iced his back for 20 minutes on Sunday and it seems to be getting better. He is still sore in his front feet, but it is to be expected with the outgrowth of the founder. He was walking much better today. Then they were both turned out in the south pen for grazing. We reinforced the fences so in that second turnout area for them so we could turn out our big boys without fear of them demolishing the fence.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 7-12-11 – OUTDOOR ARENA TRAINING

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7/12/11: Due to Rock’s back problem, I decided to take out the rails and just walk him through the hourglass pattern to keep things simple and non-stressful. He did very well today and only did a couple of stops in the entire pattern when he did not stop squarely and I had to set him up. Most of the time, he stopped perfectly square. Since Roll had to have his right hind corrected somewhat drastically, I decided to do his workout in the hourglass pattern as well and not do the round pen work today. He did the hourglass very well during the leading phase. He has taken responsibility and is strong enough so I did not have to drag him along at all…he offered impulsion. Then I ground drove him through and he did well with that once he figured out what I wanted. Both mules acted the same way during ground driving and indicated that they have never had a constant direct rein connection before. It didn’t take long for them to take the light connection with my hands and when they did (Rock was ground driven last week) they had more impulsion, straighter lines and smooth arcs at the cones.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 7-14-11 – MASSAGE

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7/14/11: Rock and Roll enjoyed their massage today. Rock’s back is improving after two chiropractic visits, a mild workout and an ice pack after massaging the affected area in the lumbar region. I noticed on Tuesday, before his workout that he had started to lose some muscle tone in the pelvis area again. I hadn’t used the vacuum for a few weeks and realized that it had more therapeutic value than I had thought. After using it on Tuesday and then again today, he seemed to regain some muscle tone back rather quickly. Guess we shouldn’t leave out the vacuum cleaner!

2011 – Rock & Roll – 7-20-11 – PHOTO SESSION IN HAYFIELD

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7/20/11: Rock was really having a difficult time walking on the hard road surface today, so I opted not to do a workout. He seems to do okay on the grass and in the sand, but hard surfaces almost make him go to his knees. He was putting too much weight on the hind and this caused him to “hinge” his right hind leg again. I suspect it has to do with the outgrowth of the founder in his front feet. Farrier Dean Geeson will be here tomorrow and we will discuss it with him. He appears to be doing okay with his spinal alignment though this has to be putting stress on that as well. We took conformation pictures in the hayfield after which I ground drove Roll around the field while Rock watched. We then took the “soft ground” route back to their turnout in the dressage arena.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 7-22-11 – MASSAGE

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7/22/11: Rock and Roll got their massages today. Rock was lame on 3 feet so we had to put towels under his front feet to keep him comfortable. It would seem the outgrowth of his founder has finally reached the end of his hooves and is chipping away the bottom of his hooves in front. We plan to get some boots for him as shoes would only compromise the hoof wall. Dean Geeson checked him with a hoof tester and he wasn’t testing sore, he just can’t walk without hitting sore spots on the rocky and hard surfaces.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 7-28-11 – MASSAGE

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7/28/11: Rock is now put on rest and minimal walking until the founder growth in his front feet has grown out. He has potential horizontal cracks starting and we don’t want these large chunks of his foot to crack off. We have ordered some boots for his front feet that should be in next week. Meanwhile, he is limited to his stall and pen with 2 ½ hours of turnout in the small pasture just off his pen, so he doesn’t need to cope with really hard ground. He did need to come up for his massage and is getting his grooming and vacuuming just before the massage so he will only have to negotiate the driveway once a week. Rock didn’t need the towels this time, so we are making some progress on his front foot pain. Still…no drugs. The one time I did give him Bute, he just held it in his mouth until everyone was gone and then spit the ball of Bute and oats he had held in the side of his mouth right back into my hand! Rock had spome swelling at the end of his sheath that we had checked by the vet. It was his opinion that Rock had been bitten by a horsefly or come kind of insect. Both mules enjoyed their massages and Roll actually was able to stop his fidgeting for a change. Apparently working before his massage is a good plan for him.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 8-4-11 – MASSAGE

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8/4/11: Rock and Roll enjoyed their massage today. Both mules got their eye drops again. Rock’s sheath was still swollen and he had a blood panel done the day before. All was normal. We are now treating the swelling with Furizone/DMSO and hope it will begin to recede. Rock’s feet were better today, but the end has chipped off on his right front, leaving him sorer on the left. We are still waiting on his booties. Roll has gotten so relaxed during his massage that he has decided that peeing in the tack barn is the thing to do. We had several false alarms, but eventually we did get him to pee outside…YAY! We didn’t have to hose out the building!

2011 – Rock & Roll – 8-11-11 – MASSAGE  – CUSTOM BOOTS

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8/11/11: Rock and Roll enjoyed their massage..when don’t they?! Since we have been doing Roll’s workout in the round pen the morning before his massage, he is much happier to stand quietly and actually enjoy the process. Both mules are much calmer and actually enjoy our company now. Abrupt movements are tolerated and they tell us in no uncertain terms when we should dispense rewards. I am glad they are finally feeling free enough to express their wishes to us. The communication lines are beginning to open wide!

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