 Rock and Roll were delivered to the Lucky Three Ranch on December 5th, 2010. One look at the way Rock was moving and we knew this was going to be difficult at best. They had both foundered and did not travel correctly. There was muscle atrophy throughout their bodies, and their bellies hung from the spine, with no apparent musculature in the abdomen or over the top line. We knew there would be limitations as to what could be done for them. Although Rock was rendered sound at the walk for only one year, Roll continues to thrive today. Read their whole story below.
|
|
What’s New with Roll? Obstacles
After a couple of weeks working on flatwork leading training through the hourglass followed by a couple of lessons in the round pen, I decided to do some coordination work over the obstacles. In Stage One of obstacle training, the only task is to get through the obstacles, changing fear into curiosity. In Stage Two, we break things down into smaller steps and square up at every interval to facilitate good equine balance and add coordination to his movements ...
What’s New with Roll? Musing about Roll
Roll and I finally got some time to begin warm up exercises after a whole year off. I was pleasantly surprised to find him much stronger in his new posture than I thought he would be after so much time away from his exercises. All he did for the past year was regular maintenance, turnout, massages and farrier work. It seems that after three years of posture training prior to last year, it has become his normal way of moving ...
What’s New with Roll? Leading the Hourglass Pattern
Roll had a really good leading workout today. He did do very well negotiating the gate. Roll stayed in sync almost without a misstep during the whole lesson! He did bend his body nicely through the rib cage around the cones. He did seem to have a little trouble aligning his back feet. He kept getting them a little closer to each other than he has in the past, but it will improve with practice. When I ...
What’s New with Roll? Grooming & Halters
So what do you do together when it’s snowing outside? Roll looked like he was wearing SNOW boots when he first came into the tack barn. So, first we had to remove all of the icicles, but I had to be very careful because they don’t exactly come off easily. Roll let me know when I tugged too hard on the shedding blade and suggested that I warm them with my hand before I pulled! Good plan! By ...
What’s New with Roll? Lunging
Roll continues to be a happy camper and always looks forward to any time he can spend with us outside of his pen and pasture areas. It has been several months since he has been worked because we have been busy with construction all summer, however, the core muscle, good posture training that he had for the past three years has drastically changed his overall health. Because it has been so long in between workouts, I began his ...
What’s New with Roll? Lunging & Mounting
Roll had a very good day today. It has been awhile since his last workout and I wasn’t sure I was going to ride him, but I saddled him in case he looked like he would be able to handle it. Roll had a chiropractic adjustment on his right hip that helped the twisting right foot to be able to move in a more straight forward fashion. Equines, like us, can get locked up when we don’t move around ...
Rock and Roll Update
Everyone who has followed the story of Rock and Roll knows it has been an uphill battle, especially with Rock. With great sadness, but continued inspiration, we regretfully announce that this will be the last update to include our gentle giant, Rock. Goodbye to our dear friend, Rock After some down time in Rock’s exercise regiment due to some swelling, I decided to resume his physical therapy the day after Christmas and did just two rounds of his therapy pattern ...
Rock and Roll Update
Rock and Roll did relatively well for the better part of the summer, but as they got to feeling better, they became more rambunctious and began sparring with each other. One evening several weeks ago, Rock came in a little sore in front, but we thought nothing of it as this had been the case before. The next morning however, we went out and found Rock standing hunched over and shaking on all four legs! We immediately called the chiropractor ...
Rock and Roll Update
On December 5, 2010 we welcomed Rock and Roll, two draft mules to Lucky Three Ranch. Rock is 17 years old, 18 hands and Roll is 16 years old and 17 1/2 hands. Both of our new residents have various physical issues and have begun an intensive rehabilitation program including massage, chiropractics, proper nutrition exercise. Check back and follow the progress of these two beautiful gentle giants! ...
