[RC] Tank's Physical Therapy ... off to a good start - TypeF \(Jackie Floyd\)
Our human physical therapists worked on Tank Sat.
and while the husband and wife team set me back $200, we are off to a good
start. I'll have to pick from one of the numerous contacts sent my way to
continue work on him, hopefully at lower prices, lol ...
But it was, indeed, interesting. The very first
thing they saw was that his muscles were really sucked in behind his left
shoulder and below his withers. Richard started by putting some pressure on
Tank's back, about kidney area and stretching towards his hip. He had me feel
the difference in his skin on both sides. You couldn't move the skin on his left
side because it was so tight. As we watched, the muscle that was sucked in
behind his shoulder began to raise and his side got very hot. Richard's
wife Carrie was working on Tank's neck at the same time, working on some knots
he had a little above the jugular up and down his neck. Pretty soon Tank had his
head resting on Carrie's shoulder so hard she was having trouble holding him up
and he started to relax and drop his left hip.
They worked on him for over an hour and one of the
last things they did was an elbow pretty close to the spine by the kidney area,
holding that position for awhile. The muscles on Tank's entire back on that side
started to twitch and ripple and get very warm. I know it must not have been
comfortable because I've had that done to myself, but I think he realized they
were trying to help him.
Richard made the analogy that muscle problems are
kind of like siran wrap ... where the problem shows up is not necessarily where
the problem is originating from and when you pull the edges tight on siran wrap
you get a drum in the middle. They suspect Tank's real problem lies in his
shoulder and neck. He didn't feel that it was a saddle issue (while he is a
human therapist, he does know a thing or two about horses). When they first
started Carrie couldn't get her fingers into the area in front of his shoulder
blade. By the time she was done, she could get half the length of her
fingers in there. Tank was pretty cute when they were finished, licking my hair
and nibbling my pocket. Something he only does when he's really happy. And then,
quite to my surprise, he reached over and nosed both Richard and Carrie, in
turn. It was like he was thanking them. He's not what I would call a very
sociable animal and is not really into displays of affection, so that was kind
of special.
AND ... he ate his breakfast in his stall this
morning. He used to spend the entire winter in his stall, with only his head
sticking out because he really doesn't like to get wet. As his problems have
gotten increasingly worse, he has not wanted to be in his stall at all. He would
rather not eat than go in there. I presumed because he was in pain and is a
flight animal and didn't want to get caught with "his pants down." Apparently,
that must be true, because he was very content in there this morning, with no
coaxing on my part.
So, we'll just have to see how this goes. It was
obvious that he had some spasm/nerve issues to work through. I'm keeping my
fingers crossed that this is indeed, his problem and maybe in a few months,
we'll be on the trail again.
