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Rock & Roll Rescue

2011 – Rock & Roll – 3-14-11 – INDOOR ARENA TRAINING

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3/14/11: Rock and Roll had their workout today. Rock seemed a little sore again yet offered a few steps of trot down centerline and over the 2 – 1” PVC pipes. A call later that afternoon from Greg Farrand, DVM clarified just what we were up against. The X-rays that were taken last week revealed a significant rotation in both hind feet. Both front feet are okay. It validated Greg’s belief that Rock had indeed foundered, not just once, but several times. The sole is only ¼” thick. He prescribed wedge pads to set Rock back more on his heels. He will be conferring with our farrier, Dean Geeson on Friday at which time Rock will get shoes on his hind feet. We hope this will protect his soles from abrasion and allow him to grow more sole and stabilize the coffin bones.

Roll did fairly well today. Of course, I figured out that he was distracted by the animals in turnout last time, so we waited to turnout until Roll was finished with his workout and that seemed to do it.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 3-17-11 – MASSAGE

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3/17/11: Rock was a little sore during his workout on Monday and had missed his massage the previous week, so he really enjoyed all the work today! Roll was antsy about the thumper, so I went to work with my hands and he seemed to like that better. He has been rather “full of himself” since he began feeling better, so I consider this a good thing.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 3-18-11 – FARRIER

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3/18/11: Roll got a trim and Rock got shoes for his hind feet today. We noticed another abscess site in the left hind that was growing out. He had some difficulty standing for it, but was a real trooper. He did better when Chad and the farrier, Dean Geeson were trying to get his left hind on the stand after I gave support at his right hip. Chad had tried, but I think he may have put too much pressure on Rock’s hip. I noticed while supporting him that he did better when I just let him lean into my hands that were placed on either side of the fracture site. I washed Rock’s legs and tail because the hock sore was looking a little pussy and I was surprised to find he had more layers of dirt that I even imagined…and butter colored socks! Then we brought in the minis for a trim and they both got to meet Rock and Roll face to face. The minis LOVE the draft mules and vice versa!

2011 – Rock & Roll – 3-23-11 – INDOOR ARENA TRAINING

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3/23/11: Rock and Roll did well during their workouts today through the hourglass pattern with 3-1” PVC poles. Rock started his workout very well with enthusiasm and balanced stops, but got sore by the end. This is to be expected with the new shoes keeping him in the same posture that he was in without them. I expect he will improve if he is able to grow sole and toe in his hind feet. The shoes should enable this as it will prevent the abrasion that was occurring from taking longer strides forward from his hips rather than the short stilted steps he was taking in the beginning. Roll was having problems doing balanced stops in the round pen, so I have decided to put him into the same hourglass pattern as Rock to improve his balance overall before going back to the round pen. I stated him in the round pen because he really needed to turn excessive fat to muscle on his body. Just putting him on a diet would not have been healthy, but walk and trot only in the round pen did help. Roll did well, but does have issues straightening his hind legs. I think changing the contour of his tendons and muscling in the hind through the hourglass exercise will help him to straighten his stance as his bones do not appear to be the cause.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 3-24-11 – CHIROPRACTIC

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3/24/11: Rock and Roll both got adjusted by Dave McClain today. Rock and Roll were both having issues on the left side (no motion in the hip while walking). After the adjustment they both had more movement in the left hip and Roll was able to square up correctly where he hadn’t been able to the day before.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 3-29-11 – INDOOR ARENA TRAINING

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3/29/11: Rock and Roll were both pretty skittish during turnout yesterday. They were not quite themselves and I thought it might be from an abundance of activity around the ranch, wind and static electricity. Today during the grooming, they were both still apprehensive, but this time it was more Roll than Rock which is odd. One of the hands told me that Rock had been really getting aggressive with Roll during turnout, so he may have been a little depressed at losing his status as the alpha mule.

 

However, by the time I was putting on their gear, both mules were back to their friendly and comfortable selves. Both mules did an extraordinary job on their workouts! I had to do very little to prompt them and more often than not, they set their feet on the simple verbal command, “foot!” Rock was more prompt with “Walk on,” but we know how lazy Roll can be! He really just had a couple-second delay, but was still really good. Their balance, strength and body control is improving by leaps and bounds! I will include all pictures this time since I was so impressed with them.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 3-31-11 – MASSAGE

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3/31/11: Rock and Roll both enjoyed their massages today. It was actually more of a playtime than anything else and they are both noticeably better throughout their bodies. Rock’s hock sore is much improved after switching from Neosporin everyday to Panalog every other day. The Neosporin worked well until he began to go down to roll more often. The Panalog gave the wound a harder surface and is maintaining it better with the additional stress that is being put on it. . He has been chasing and playing with Roll during turnout and seems to be adjusting well to his new shoes. Both mules got Refresh eye drops today as the wind has been brutal and we haven’t had much moisture all winter. Rock continues to get the eye drops 3 times a day.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 4-5-11 – INDOOR ARENA TRAINING

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4/5/11: The wind was really blowing today and both mules were a little nervous during the grooming session. Rock was a bit sore during the workout, but while Roll was doing his workout, Rock got a little frisky and was playing in the main arena when I took Roll to the round pen. Rock rolled with enthusiasm. He did a few strides of canter and a fairly substantial buck! He even took a stroll by himself over the ground rails! Then he took a large bite out of the plywood by the gate! Though they didn’t do perfect setups and straight lines between the cones, they were both very obedient and are taking full responsibility for setting their feet with mostly verbal commands now and very few cues from the lead rope. Roll is much improved in his stride, particularly over the ground rails. He is now offering a more fluid stride-over in place of his coiled-spring action in the hind legs. Roll’s trot in the round pen has improved after his hourglass pattern work for the last few weeks. Roll was a little lazy about trotting down centerline and did it on the third try, but I had to use my camera person behind with a whip to get him to move. Rock offered a nice trot down centerline over the rails today and both mules, though a little sore, seemed very happy in their work.

Rock gave a good effort over the poles at trot!

This is where we lost the camera person, but he did trot over the poles on the third try.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 4-8-11 – MASSAGE

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4/8/11: Rock and Roll each enjoyed their massages today. Nothing out of the ordinary and Rock’s leg sores are improving. I took him off the Panalog every other day and put him back on Neosporin every other day since he isn’t tearing it open like he was. They got groomed and we took pictures before their massages today. The pictures are in the comparison report.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 4-12-11 – INDOOR ARENA TRAINING

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4/12/11: Rock and Roll enjoyed their workout today, but they both had a small problem squaring up which indicates to me that they are due for another chiropractic visit. It is scheduled for early next week. This time we added PVC pole #4 to the line on center and I added 10 meter circles on the corner cones during Rock’s workout (not on Roll’s workout) since he is better at the pattern than Roll (he’s been doing it longer). Rock was beginning to do the pattern too automatically and the circles will add another task for him to do within the hourglass pattern. The reason for this is to begin to ask Rock to bend his spine to the arc of a 10 meter circle, begin to work the lateral musculature and to keep him alert to his tasks. He was stiffer tracking to the right. Both mules were a bit sloppy (not too bad), but happy during their workouts.

Rock knew Steve was hiding in the alleyway of the barn, waiting to come in!

Rock decided to roll in the round pen today…stealing the show (cameras) from Roll, no doubt!

Roll finally offered first steps on his commands to walk on today! I didn’t need to start first and drag him along! Roll seemed worried about the whip during the trotting down center line. He was stilted over the poles, so we tried again with Chad keeping the whip out of the air. Roll did better the second time trotting over the poles with the whip to the ground. Roll is finally giving more to the elbow pull, so I tightened it 2” today.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 4-19-11 – INDOOR ARENA TRAINING

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4/19/11: Rock and Roll both enjoyed their workout today. They were unable to have their massage last week and did not get adjusted today as scheduled, but will get chiropractics and massage on Thursday the 21st. Though progress is slow, they are continuing to improve. Both mules were able to be led through the pattern, over 4 poles with circles at the corner cones. Both mules offered a stretch to both sides after the workout. Rock did better than Roll did on the circles and seems to be more flexible laterally than Roll. Roll is still “hitched” in his sacrum, but he is still doing better than before. Both mules were able to be led from the left hand only today. Rocky gave a really good effort at trot today. Roll needed to be taken to the straight wall and followed behind to get him to trot straight. This is shown on the video.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 4-21-11 – MASSAGE

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4/21/11: Rock and Roll had a fun time just playing in the indoor arena and then both had a good massage that afternoon. I did the prep work on both Rock and Roll today so Joanne was able to do the therapeutic work on both Rock and Roll. Roll really needed the extra attention since Rock has been getting most of the attention for the past 5 months since he was in the worst condition. He has a lot of stiffness in the rear end.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 4-26-11 – INDOOR ARENA TRAINING

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4/26/11: Rock and Roll had a good workout in the indoor arena today. We thought it would rain, so we had an introduction to an umbrella before we went out. Both mules were quite alarmed with it at first, but it only took five minutes with each of them to get them to accept it with confidence! Both mules have improved in the pattern through the circles. Rock is stepping on the poles, so I may add a 2” pole next time and see if that helps to get him to try to lift his hind legs more. Roll’s trot in the round pen is much improved. Both boys are now being asked to stretch after their workouts.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 4-28-11 – MASSAGE

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4/28/11: Rock and Roll enjoyed their massages today. Rock is getting much more interactive about his head and Roll is improving in his workout already with the massage work Joanne did on him the week before. Roll was not getting the intense work to start with because Rock was so much worse off than he was, but it soon became apparent that he needed more attention as well. His trot has much improved in the round pen and he is now able to stand squarely. Both animals had a chiropractic visit on April 21st. Both have better range of motion in their head and necks, though Rock can stretch farther than Roll right now. They both have hock sores on the left hind from getting up and down and I would expect this will improve as their strength increases. It is just great that they feel strong enough to even get down to roll this often! I am now treating them with Panalog cream once a week.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 5-3-11 – OUTDOOR ARENA TRAINING

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5/3/11: Rock and Roll got worked outside today in our full size dressage arena (60’ X 180’). They had been working in the smaller arena (60’ X 120’). I changed out one pole in the 4-pole series to a 2” pole with 3 – 1” poles. Rock thought it was the “Great Wall of China” and it took 3 tries to get him to go through the line of poles. Once he realized it was cake…he was a bit embarrassed and was an angel for the rest of the workout. He had several moments where he actually stopped squarely with full weight on all four legs, but after two passes through the hourglass, he did begin to slow a bit. We did 2 passes the opposite direction and called it good. He is truly working hard to do what I ask and is on occasion self-motivated. He really likes doing well in “school!” After I finished with him, I put his tack on the fence and thought he would just wander around, but he got very playful and first began to eat the tack that was hanging on the gate, then he wanted to see what Kristen was doing with the camera…then he went to see what I was doing over by the video camera with Roll…where he discovered the oats bucket!!! I had to change my plane and turned him out on grass for the time I worked Roll. Roll had a good workout in the hourglass (even trotted along the long side of the arena with help from our still camera person)…one rotation each direction and then I separated him from Rock and went to the round pen. He did get a little worried when I was taking him around the buildings to the round pen and he couldn’t see Rock, but was fine after he discovered he could see Rock from the round pen…and Rock got worried in the pasture until I hollered at him that Roll was still in sight again! I was pleased that they both trust me enough to be away from each other.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 5-5-11 – MASSAGE

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5/5/11: Rock and Roll always enjoy their massage. Since we have discovered that Roll needs more work, we are spending equal time on both and have enlisted more of Dave Miller’s help. Both mules are grateful for the added effort and Roll is exhibiting much better posture and movement during his exercises now that he has had more attention. At first, he was extremely stiff in the hindquarters and no elasticity in the tendons behind. He has scar tissue above the hock on the left side and after his massage, he did seem looser. Rock continues to improve. He isn’t crazy about the mouth and muzzle massage, but at least he now allows it without too much resistance. He is beginning to smile for me with his upper lip though he does still tighten up first.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 5-10-11 – OUTDOOR ARENA TRAINING

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5/10/11: The weather was beautiful so we worked outside in the large dressage arena again this time. I encouraged both mules to expend some energy and maintain a good working walk throughout. Rock did 2 rotations through the pattern each direction and Roll did one rotation each direction and more extensive walk and trot work in the round pen. Rock seemed to get tired after 1-1/2 rotations the first direction and even stopped cold for a few seconds, but kept going when asked. I let him take a few very short breaks and did not square up as often The goal was to see how far I could push his stamina without too much pressure. I thought he did well. Roll is now offering to step out ahead of me when asked though he still can get sluggish in the pattern. His round pen work is greatly improved, though his coordination is still awkward. Rock got his 20-minute pasture break while Roll was working. The Panalog once a week seems to be taking care of the pressure sores on both mules’ left hocks and Rock has developed another mild one on his left hip. Rock is due for a reset on his hind shoes in a couple of days and that may be contributing to his discomfort during the workout and his relaxing the toe in the halt. Both mules’ hooves are looking much better.

Roll got his busy mouth stuck in the Elbow Pull!

2011 – Rock & Roll – 5-12-11 – FARRIER

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5/12/11: Rock got a new set of shoes on the hinds and a trim in front today. He had been a little sore for the past two weeks, but walked out much better after he got his new shoes. Roll and the mini donkeys got their trims. Roll’s stance has improved greatly with trims and chiropractic!

Rock wasn’t sure he would fit between the truck and the door.

Dean made custom shoes for Rock this time.

2011 – Rock & Roll – 5-18-11 – INDOOR ARENA TRAINING

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5/18/11: Rock and Roll were both very happy today and are really looking a lot better overall. Both of them tried to eat the curtains during grooming which shows they are feeling better. Rock stood on both hinds equally during grooming today and seemed more comfortable after getting his new shoes. However, when he began to move, it didn’t take him too long to start to get sore again however he is bending his joints and breaking over his toes behind now. Dean Geeson the farrier said he might be sore with the new shoes for about 2 weeks, so this was to be expected. This will happen when you change the angles on the feet, especially since he is compromised. So, he may be sore for the next week of exercises, but he should do well on weeks 3-6 before he gets sore again. Roll’s tendon is improving significantly. What was a rather large knot of scar tissue on his left tendon above the hock (may have been injured by a snapping trace chain) is now only a small bump of scar tissue. Roll is moving out from the halt on command now and both are placing their feet on verbal commands alone. Both mules trotted the long side well. They are both continuing to improve and are beyond what we ever expected to achieve with them.

Rock let me know his hip was sore. Rock baubled over this one, but recovered well.

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