RIP Rocky Rabbit

When we first moved up to Aspen Meadows, the kids were small and they were active in 4H.  Camille participated in sewing and knitting.  Kyle joined the rockets group – and they were both in the rabbit group.  They both got rabbits shortly after we moved into the house, ten years ago.  Camille showed her rabbit Oreo, who we lost a couple years ago.  Kyle’s rabbit was Rocky.  Kyle picked out Rocky for his tenth birthday.  Rocky was a beautiful seal point Holland lop.  He was too heavy to show (although the judge said he was a very healthy bunny; not fat, just too big).  Rocky didn’t like being handled so Kyle pretty much left him alone after they dropped out of the bunny group. 

Initially, Rocky and Oreo lived in one of the horse stalls.  We stretched a puppy pen to divide the area in half but Rocky was able to scale and jump the fence easily.  Kyle called him “Super Bunny” and bragged about his athletic prowess.  We tried to keep the rabbits separated because Oreo would try to mate Rocky; constantly.  We even had the two rabbits neutered in the hopes that Oreo’s hormones would settle down but it didn’t work.  Rocky was a good looking rabbit and maybe that’s why Oreo couldn’t resist.  Rocky would put up with the constant mounting for awhile and then he’d get annoyed (and you couldn’t blame him).  Fights would ensue.  Oreo ended up with a big tear in his ear and we decided to permanently separate them.

Brett built the rabbits a pen using dog run fencing.  He put a brick floor in so the bunnies couldn’t dig out.  We put the two hutches in the pen and alternated letting the rabbits out to run around.  Oreo was out during the day since he was friendly and loved to interact with people.  Rocky got night shift when there were no humans about to bug him.  It worked well until Oreo died.  Then, Rocky got depressed and skinny. 

  

Camille bought two new rabbits, Basil and Sage.  Since Rocky was neutered, we put them all together.  Rocky and Sage became inseparable; sleeping and eating together.  She groomed him.  He got fat and happy.  Over the years, I worked with Rocky at feeding time giving him treats by hand and getting to the point where he would let me pet him without thumping and running away.  He loved carrots and peanuts.  

When he died, Sage was with him.  Tuesday morning, when I went down to feed, Sage was sitting next to him and it looked to me like she was trying to keep him warm.  When I pet him, he didn’t respond. I pushed him gently and I thought he might have twitched so I left him there.  I knew he was 99% gone.  When Brett got home, Sage was still sitting with Rocky.  Basil had joined them and Brett said it looked like the Basil and Sage were grieving for Rocky; sitting with their noses touching, in front him. 

Water, Piss and Vinegar

Water = another storm blew in Sunday afternoon with wind and heavy rain
Piss and Vinegar = Winston

Sunday morning Brett was up very early, in the pre-dawn pitch dark, to feed the horses before loading up Flash for a trail ride in Orange County.  They pulled out an hour before the sun rose.  I stayed in bed until it started to get light.  Since I didn't have to feed, there was no hurry to get down to the barn and muck.  It was 31F outside so I made some coffee and had breakfast first.  When I went down to do my chores at 8:00, it was beautiful outside.  It was up to 40F by then and the sky was blue.  The storm was supposed to arrive around 11:00 am but other than a band of clouds on the top of the mountains out towards the Pacific Ocean, there was no evidence of rain.

I gave the chickens a pail full of scraps from Kyle's birthday dinner -- all the mushy veggies from making the sauce, artichoke leaves and some other odds and ends.  They were quite pleased with their breakfast.

I decided to ride Winston since the weather was so nice.  I quickly changed into my breeches and headed back to the barn to get him.  By the time he was tacked up, the wind was picking up and it felt cooler.  In our warm up he was full of energy, walking very fast and almost trotting off.  When we did move into trot work, he was amped and not paying attention.  We worked for quite awhile just going in circles and on the rail and across the diagonal to try and get his brain focused on me.  He was throwing his head in the air, then taking the contact, then throwing his head again.  It was work! 

I finally got him to relax a tad and listen.  Just about then, a neighbor did "something scary" -- I think it involved opening a car door or another highly unusual activity (I saw nothing odd anywhere).  Jackson was in the pasture (feeling better!) and he, Kalvin and both donkeys bolted from one end to the other.  Winston decided he should bolt from one end of the arena to the other.  He came back to me quickly (thankfully) and we continued with our work. 

I have learned that you can't argue with Winston; you wait him out and ignore the antics.  So, I ignored the spooky bolt.  After practicing our spirals in and out, I called it a day.  40F and we were both sweaty.   I turned him back out in the pasture and let him relax for a few minutes before putting back on his blanket.  In the meantime, the clouds had really started moving in.  The rain started around 2:00 and was blowing sleety stuff, almost hail, the rest of the afternoon and evening.

 Brett and Flash arrived back home at noon, just as I was leaving to take Kyle to the train station.  He used his dressage saddle instead of the western one to see if Flash got sore.  When I got home, Brett told me that the ride had been very beautiful but also very steep.  Flash hadn't complained and behaved like the good soldier that he is.  That evening, we checked his back.  Very sore.  So, the problem is hill work and not the saddle.  Both saddles fit Flash well and neither cause any trouble when he is worked on the flat.  After hill work, he is sore in both saddles.  So, blogger buddies, what are your thoughts?  I'm thinking it might be his hocks although Brett said he went downhill with no hesitation (and that is usually a hock red flag).   We will discuss Flash's back with our vet, of course, but Brett also requested that I ask all of you for your thoughts as well.