HARLEY'S JOURNEY

JANUARY 2008

I just wanted to write to you and say a massive thank you to TTEAM for the help I've received - my local practitioner Erica Donnison has worked miracles with my horse and me.

To give you a quick overview:

I bred a pure Arabian stallion in 2000. I own his grandmother, mother, sisters and brother but the minute he was born I knew he was special. He was just built for riding and performance. I breed Old English/Crabbet Arabians, the more old fashioned type and not the flighty, merry-go round horses that are popular at the moment.

From Harley being born, I showed him and achieved really good success with him. I did in-hand showing to get him used to going out and about and travelling. He had some super wins at National level and beat the more glamorous horses in the Arab world. He's always been a "proper" horse and even non-Arab people love him. His grandsire won HOYS several years ago and I always dreamed Harley would follow in the family footsteps and so I took great care with his mouth - never attaching the lead rope to the bit and making sure that if he had to wear a bit as a 2 year old colt, it was a gentle rubber bit not the thin metal ones more commonly used in the showing world.

He owes me nothing - he did brilliantly and always behaved impeccably and was one of the most non-aggressive colts you could ever wish to meet.

As a 4 year old he went away to be backed by someone I trusted and they did a super job and Harley returned home "grown up" and happy, nicely balanced and with a very soft mouth.

I didn't consider myself a good enough rider to produce him for the ridden show ring and my young daughter was too young at the time to take over the ride (since then she has become the youngest member of British Eventing and competes successfully on her pure Arabian mare). So, I made the mistake of my life and sent Harley to a show producer that I thought I could trust. I got good feedback during the first few weeks and everyone seemed to love Harley. Then came the time for his first show and I was told on the day of the show that he hadn't been brought along because he had "a lump" on his bottom. Given that Harley is grey, I immediately thought he had a sarcoid. I was told the vet had seen him and there was nothing to worry about but that the lump would show under the spotlights and so the producer thought best not to bring him. That was on the Friday. The following Monday, I got a phone call from the producer to say that he wasn't happy with Harley and he was getting another vet in for a second opinion. Tuesday, I got the bombshell phone call to tell me that whilst Harley didn't have muscle damage, he was suffering chronic liver failure and I had 24 hours to get him to Newmarket otherwise he would be dead. I immediately left Lancashire and drove to Derbyshire to collect Harley. I was staggered when I saw him. He had lost so much weight and he walked as though he was on a zimmer frame. The "lump" was actually a rip in the muscle from the base of his tail 45 cm down his leg and sticking out 8cm.

Despite his obvious injury and illness, Harley travelled well and was such a good boy at Newmarket. He spent a week on a drip, stabilising his liver before they could investigate what was wrong with his leg. Apart from the obvious torn muscle, an MRI scan showed he had broken his pedal bone. No explanation was made by the producer but he hinted that Harley had become upset when a new stallion was taken on to the yard and he thought he may have been kicking the wall. Stupidly, I believed him.

When Harley was released from Newmarket, he had to be kept on complete box rest with a 5 minute walk per day on a soft surface. We live on a rocky farm in North Yorkshire and so when the producer offered for Harley to return to him, I agreed. Three weeks later I got a phone call from a friend whose mare was also being produced by the producer. She told me that far from Harley being on box rest, he was being turned out every night into a field next to mares. Harley was getting upset and spending the night running up and down the fence.

That was the final straw and I immediately went and collected him to bring him home. I was shocked - he had lost even more weight and was little more than a walking skeleton. He had lost so much weight that even his face had ridges on where the underlying muscle had started to break down.

Harley went back to Newmarket and they too were shocked at his deterioration. I explained what had happened and that he would be at home from now on. He was such a good boy at Newmarket that he had his own little fan club and over the next few months Harley returned to Newmarket several times for check ups and was always so calm and well behaved that his fan club would line up to greet him.

It took a year for Harley to recover physically from his injuries and illness. At the end of that, a close friend offered to re-start Harley's ridden career. He went to stay with her and settled in beautifully. He was calm and well behaved and took to the bit and saddle again brilliantly. That was until she tried to put her leg on at which point he would drop to the ground on his knees. We were all shocked. By now, the producer had left (fled) the country because it had come to light that he had been abusing the horses in his care. I needed to know what had happened that would make Harley act so strangely and so I started digging. The story I uncovered left me cold and full of shame. He too had been abused and not only had I put him in the situation in the first place but I had returned him to it. Gradually the story emerged. The producer had tried to get Harley to pose in what is known in the Arabian world as the frozen pose - the stretched neck, eyes out on stalks. He'd achieved this by baiting the 2 stallions on the yard. Harley, being non aggressive had backed off. The other stallion was not so passive and had broken out of his stable and attacked Harley. Harley had become so distressed that he had gone down with stress colic and become cast. He was not discovered for 7 hours by which time, he'd smashed through the wall of the stable. The vet had treated him and recommended 2 weeks box rest. The producer though had other ideas and travelled Harley in a wagon with 3 mares from Derbyshire to Sussex so that he could ride him in the collecting ring at a show and get him used to the show atmosphere! During transport, the injury to his leg was made worse and that's when the muscle finally ruptured. In trying to stand so he didn't damage his leg further, the pedal bone was broken. The producer didn't call the vet back out so he contacted a friend of his who works at a vet's and gave Harley un-prescribed bute - at the rate of 10 sachets a day for a month - hence the chronic liver failure. As Harley fought through the pain, the producer decided to teach him some little tricks whilst he couldn't be ridden. So, with the aid of a cattle prod, he taught Harley circus tricks and how to bow. And that's why, every time the leg was put on, Harley did what he'd been taught to do and bowed. He thought he was being a good boy.

My second big mistake was to trust an "expert". My friend deemed Harley unsafe to ride and so she recommended someone she knew who re-habilitated racehorses. Harley went to the new yard and again seemed to settle well. Despite the bowing, the rest of Harley's behaviour was fine and his physical condition was good.

Then the real problems started. After a week, the expert phoned me to say that Harley had become unsafe and violent. She had been forced to keep the top door of his stable shut because he was becoming so distressed when other horses were moving about. She told me that she had been sitting in his box for up to 6 hours a day and he had started trying to chase her out. I explained he was used to other horses moving about and that seeing as he normally lives on a working livestock farm, he's not normally upset by lots of activity. I also went on to explain that Harley is a stallion (albeit one that hasn't covered anything) he would be territorial and she should respect his need for his own space. She then told me that he was the first stallion she had ever had to deal with and she was finding her way. The next day I got a phone call to tell me that I was cruel keeping him entire because he was lonely and aggressive. She told me to either geld him or have him put to sleep because his current behaviour was so bad that he would kill someone. She said that she couldn't control him "even in a chiffney". That was it. I went mad and went to bring him home. I went in his stable with his head collar and put it on and brought him out. She stood back with a lunging whip and the dreaded chiffney. I lost my temper and told her that after everything he'd been through and all the effort I'd taken to make sure his mouth was never harshly used, I was appalled that she would even resort to such a gadget.

I took Harley home and turned him out in his own field. I got 2 miniature Shetlands to keep him company (complete with escape hatch to a safe area). He bonded with them and seemed to settle. After a couple of months, I decided it was time to try and work with Harley again. Until this time, my husband and I had just been going in his field, talking to him and taking him food. He seemed fine. We put a head collar on and tried to put a bridle on and that's when his temperament completely snapped. He refused point blank to have a bit anywhere near his mouth. Not only did he object but he turned aggressive - he reared and attacked with his front feet. We managed to get out and he settled again. So long as we didn't take tack into the field he was fine, but as soon as he saw the tack, he would come at us and attack. Gradually we worked with him so that we could lead him about with his head collar. On one day, we'd had such a good session, that I let him go and went to pat his neck to tell him he was a good boy. The whites of his eyes went completely red and he looked me right in the eye and then came at me. He jumped towards me, picked me up by my forearm and reared. I'm no lightweight and he lifted me completely off the floor. I passed out and he dropped me.

From that time, I was terrified of him and every time he saw me he would attack. We put him back in his large stable in an attempt to remind him that he was safe and at home. He would accept my husband in the stable but only near the door. If I walked past, he would lunge at the door and try and bite me. He would rear immediately behind the door and threaten to come over the door. I was distraught. It was as though he had decided to blame me for everything that had happened. And I accepted it because I was already blaming myself. I wouldn't go anywhere near him.

I knew I needed help but by this time, I'd become very wary of experts. I contacted another trainer who rehabs horses but they said point blank that they wouldn't help. I spoke to other people and was told that if I shipped him to their yard they could guarantee to sort him out within so many weeks. I didn't want him away from home and I didn't believe anyone. Then someone suggested TTEAM and I looked on the internet and got my nearest practitioner, Erica. I phoned her and explained the situation and she was the first person to give me an honest answer. She said she couldn't make any promises or guarantees. She had no idea if she could help or how long it would take but she was willing to come and talk to me to see if she could advise me how to help Harley.

Erica came over several weeks and worked with Harley, me and my husband. At the first session, I cried because it was so non invasive and calm and Erica's approach was so gentle. It was like watching magic happen.

The breakthrough came this spring when I'd had a bad day at work and got home to find a lamb I'd been looking after had died. I picked the lamb up and was crying as I walked down the yard to ask my husband what to do with the body. I felt a hot breath on my right cheek and suddenly realised that I was right in front of Harley. Given his previous behaviour towards me, I was scared because I really thought he'd rip my cheek off. Instead, he breathed all over my face and licked my tears away. He looked me straight in the eye but there was none of the aggression from his attack. The more he tried to comfort me, the more I cried and the more he tried to comfort me. I put my arms round his neck and just hugged him. Since then, things have been getting better and better.

We managed to get his baby bit back in his mouth. It took several hours but we could tell that he wanted to work with us and even though he was scared, there was no aggression and he tried so hard to overcome his fear.

Then after a couple of weeks, our farrier (who loves Harley) just jumped on his back in the stable and without a bridle or a head collar, Harley walked calmly round his stable.

Since then, Harley has been out round a cross country course with a mare (even giving the mare a lead through the water jump). He's been for some show jumping training and despite having a major panic attack when we forgot and just did the girth up quickly, he recovered and again listened and worked with us and within 20 minutes he was jumping a full track of fences - the first time he'd ever seen a jump. He's been to his first show jumping competition and that was a major test of how he'd settled because we were scared he'd panic when he saw all the other horses. He was an angel and beautifully behaved - and he went clear in the first round!! This weekend he has his first dressage competition. Yesterday, the vet came to give him his jabs and they were done without even having to put a head collar on.

He's not completely right yet and we will always take care to make sure that he has confidence and feels secure. Whenever he's under a stress situation, we do the massage and touches that Erica taught us, particularly the forelock circles, the small circles on his neck and lips and the python lift on his legs. He's comfortable with those and he recognises them as signs of help and he will start to listen again if the panic gets too close to emerging.

It's going to be a long haul and to be honest I don't think he'll ever recover 100% but all I want for him is that he feels happy and safe. I still have dreams - I'd love him to go eventing and the way he's coming on at the moment, I really do think he'll do it. I have lost all interest in Arab showing and I'm shocked to hear that the abuse Harley suffered is rife - and all for a stupid piece of ribbon. I've heard of horses having to have people sleep with them and their vets on stand by as they come out of the show ring because they are so distressed that they need sedating. I've heard tales of teaching the frozen pose with cigarette lighters and electric fence under the chin.

Harley is alive - anything else is a bonus and with the help from TTEAM, I've watched my horse take an interest in life again. I've seen his eyes soften and his ears prick with interest. I've seen him look into my soul and ask for help. I've looked back and asked for forgiveness. TTEAM has helped us both learn and we're still learning and my one prayer is that we carry on and never stop learning. I believe in Harley and I know he'll make it and be whole again.

From the bottom of my heart - thank you.
Rachelle, Stephen, Evie and Harley

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STARTING A HORSE UNDER SADDLE

By Sarah Fisher

DECEMBER 2007

Starting a horse under saddle is extremely rewarding. The knowledge that you are helping to develop a confident, safe, ridden equine that is happy in his work is one of the many highs of working in the equestrian field. However, as well as being extremely satisfying the art of educating any horse is a huge responsibility.

Creative thinking and patience are two key ingredients. Training at any age and at any level should be fun for all concerned. The horse should enjoy his education and be a willing, keen participant. Resistance comes from resistance and horses that buck when saddled or go into freeze are usually carrying tension around the girth area, through the neck and shoulders and across the loins. Foaling, rough play, slipping in the field and so on can set up tension patterns right from birth which can influence how the horse responds to the saddling process. The growth rate will also affect the natural balance of the youngster and with more demands being placed on horses at an ever decreasing age, he is adapting to changes in his mouth, feet, and posture at the exact time that he is being asked to accept a bit, saddle and rider.

By observing how the horse moves and how he is developing both physically and emotionally steps can be taken to reduce tension through the body. This will diminish the chances of the horse developing unwanted behaviour. Fear, pain and tension limit the capacity for learning and it stands to reason that horses that are tight and braced through the body will be more reactive under saddle. They are more likely to spook, nap, rear, freeze, shoot forward and buck than horses that are supple and relaxed. It is far easier incorporating techniques that stop unwanted behaviours from developing than spending time later on addressing learned and established reactions to being ridden.

In an ideal world, horses should really be started later rather than earlier allowing time for the adult teeth to come through and for the skeleton to mature. Time spent working in hand using TTEAM exercises and body work that help to improve mind body awareness is invaluable and dramatically shortens the length of time it takes to introduce the rider. Working in hand helps the horse to develop true self carriage and is mentally stimulating without being over taxing. During the period of ground work, the horse can be taught to negotiate a variety of patterns of poles laid on the ground, can be taught to walk over a variety of different surfaces such as wooden boards, plastic sheeting, rubber matting, and soft surfaces, can be led from both sides, and can learn how to use his body in a more effective way without having to compensate for the balance of the rider on his back.

Skeyton Matthew is a stunning seven year old Shire stallion owned by Steven and Tracey Haines of Newton St Loe, near Bath. He came to Tilley Farm to be started under saddle in January 2007 and we were asked if we thought there would be any chance of him being ready to compete at the Shire Horse Society Show in Peterborough in the middle of March. This gave us just eight weeks in total to prepare an un-backed horse for two ridden showing classes and if possible, a dressage class.

Observations

Watching how the horse moves is a vital part of understanding and addressing any difficulties they may have. Having been shown in hand for the majority of his life Matthew was very one sided. He carried tension through the right side of his neck and as a result was short on the left fore which is typical of horses that are handled primarily from one side. He found it genuinely hard to soften and release his neck and asking him to flex to the right resulted in a pinning of the ears and a swishing of his tail. Horses that respond in this way are not being dominant. They are merely expressing their concern, confusion or discomfort and getting after a horse for this behaviour is unfair. At eighteen hands high, entire and fully mature it would have also been rather unrealistic to 'show him who was boss' and TTEAM adopts the philosophy that it is far better to work with a few pounds of brain than half a ton of body weight.

By having a handler on both sides it was possible to teach Matthew how to organise his body in a more appropriate way and enabled us to work through the ground exercises without being squashed as he had a tendency to fall into the handler on the left side. Crowding and barging are linked to poor spatial awareness and lack of co-ordination. As co-ordination and confidence are linked, improving self-carriage in the young horse is a vital part of starting the horse under saddle. Leading Matthew between two people also enabled each person to take it in turns to work on his neck and shoulders with a combination of TTEAM and Connected Riding body work exercises. These exercises can be done whilst the horse is stationery or on the move. It can sometimes be more appropriate to work on a horse whilst he is moving if he is easily triggered or aroused by body contact.

Teaching any horse to lead between two people is a very beneficial exercise. It not only habituates a horse to be led from both sides but can encourage straightness and balance. It teaches horses to walk in their own space and not follow or lean on their handler for support and enables people to work with reactive horses safely and quietly. In addition it is also useful for horses that are concerned about walking between narrow spaces, horses that have concerns about being handled by more than one person, teaching a horse to stand quietly in balance and improving handling skills and communication.

Matthew was worked in hand for the first week. We incorporated a variety of pole work into his ground work routine and taught him to work through the labyrinth, a simple and highly effective exercise for all horses made with a pattern of six poles laid on the ground in a specific way. The horse learns to release through the poll, neck and ribs which in turn helps the hindquarters to engage. Naturally it was hard for Matthew at first but he quickly learned to negotiate the poles with ease. As he worked through the labyrinth his confidence in his ability to turn right began to grow and he became quieter and more settled when handled from the right.

This exercise is usually the first one we teach the horse as it also has a very calming effect allowing a busy youngster (or distracted Shire!) to settle and focus when he is first taken into the arena. It is an exercise that is used throughout the starting process as leading the horse back through the poles once a saddle has been introduced will give you vital information as to how he is truly accepting the sensation of carrying the saddle. If the horse has any level of concern he will rush, panic or freeze as he is asked to negotiate his way around the poles even if he was able to move happily in a straight line or circle when saddled. It is far safer and kinder for all parties if these worries are noted before the rider attempts to get on board.

Every time we introduce any equipment to the horse we influence his balance and the series of ground work exercises enable you to see at which point the horse begins to struggle. When the horse says he won't do something it is because he actually can't. Listening to the horse helps to establish trust and enables you to understand the horse on every level. By watching for the smallest signals of concern you can stop what you are doing or asking the horse to do, give him a break, go back to something that the horse understood, or make the exercise easier. This will have far reaching benefits and a good foundation is paramount for a happy confident horse.

TTEAM uses a unique approach in teaching horses to work on long lines. Instead of attaching the lines straight to a bit or head collar, we start with two long lines attached together around the base of the horse's neck. This teaches the horse to balance by drawing his centre of gravity backwards and releasing the neck and back. Long lines are heavy and can encourage a young or unbalanced horse to work behind the vertical if they are attached to the horse's head in the early days. As Matthew was so habituated to working in hand and listening to the handler by his head, the chest line driving was a method we could use at every stage of his training when required to teach him to move forward from a signal on his sides.

Teaching the Sliding Saddle Cloth is another useful step in the backing process. With one person leading the horse, a second person walks next to the horse. The saddle cloth is pulled gently from the horses back and is dropped to the floor. A small amount of food is placed on the cloth and the horse quickly learns to stop and turn to take the treat. The saddle cloth is pulled off from both sides and also over the hindquarters and this exercise teaches the horse to stop calmly if he ever feels the saddle (or rider) slip backwards or sideways.

By the end of the first week Matthew was carrying a rider and the ground exercises were repeated with the rider on board. The ridden sessions were kept short for the first fortnight and he continued to go from strength to strength. Matthew was happily hacking around the farm by week four. His balance under saddle was perfect and we alternated between ridden work, body work and ground work for the remainder of his stay at Tilley Farm to ensure he stayed supple, comfortable and happy in his work.

Matthew went to the Shire Horse Society Show and ridden by Lucinda Stockley took first and two seconds in his classes. He behaved impeccably throughout the two day show and gained many admirers. He went on to win the Ridden Championship - not bad for a horse that had only been ridden for seven weeks! Matthew has continued to do well in his ridden classes and won his first affiliated Dressage competition in April. He is the perfect gentleman in hand and under saddle and is the first Super Premium Shire Stallion to be competed under saddle in the UK.

For more information on Matthew and his Shire friends visit Ellston Shires.

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SAGE

APRIL 2003

I used to brush aside anecdotes of lame horses that were magically cured by alternative and rather wacky miracle treatments; I was a happy and rather naive first horse owner who thought lame horses were other people's problem and it would never happen to me or mine.

How wrong can you be?! 2 years later it's me writing the anecdote…..and I can assure you - not all "alternative" treatments are wild or wacky!

Sage is a 15h Connemara x TB mare who is now 13 years old. Prior to her lameness problems we were competing at local level in dressage, show jumping and cross country to a maximum of 2'9" to 3 feet. We were consistently achieving dressage marks around 65% at preliminary and novice level and were successful in the local riding club. We were 10 days away from our first one day event when my horsy world was shattered.

The problems started in August 2001 when she either overextended or was kicked on her suspensory ligament on her offside fore. She was box rested and over the course of 6 months systematically and under vet supervision, brought back into work. I thought we were over the worst when in early April 2002 just two days after a lesson where she went really nicely she mysteriously went lame.

It appeared bilateral although worse on one side, and very concerned I called the vet. She was x-rayed and nerve blocked by two vets at the vet hospital and the nerve block to the foot was positive. One vet diagnosed pedalosteitis (inflammation of the pedal bone), although the other vet was more non-committal.

My instructor and a few other knowledgeable people who knew Sage were rather sceptical as her history did not predispose her to this diagnosis. As I had nothing else to go on I followed the instructions of the vet and was advised to let any bruising in the pedal bone subside, to have eggbar shoes fitted in front and then gradually increase the work, being particularly careful on hard ground.

This I did cautiously, and again she was working well. Then two months later whilst schooling, I let her stretch down, picked her back up, pushed into trot and she went very lame in front. I believed it was in the shoulder and that I'd inadvertently worked her too hard too soon and she'd pulled something. Within a week she was sound again and I started working her again.

At this point I decided to narrow down any potential problems and causes. I had her saddle and teeth checked by highly qualified and reputable professionals. I was told both were fine.

On 11th July 2002 I had a lesson with a top dressage instructor. I had explained about the previous problems and so we didn't do too much however during the lesson I let her stretch down, picked her up again, put her into trot - and just like before she was suddenly badly lame and again I thought it was muscular and in front.

I was nearing desperation - something was wrong with my lovely horse but no-one could tell me what.

I called out a highly recommended physio who found a couple of things in her back and neck, but nothing that would have caused the lameness. She did however mention that she thought Sage's foot balance was not particularly good. Willing to try yet another avenue of investigation I changed farrier and under the agreement of the vet went back to traditional shoes, although paying special attention to balancing and increasing the weight bearing surface.

I was still absolutely convinced in my own mind that there must be something underlying in her back and/or shoulder that was causing lameness. But I was faced with the differing opinions of so many highly recommended experts and I had tried them all to no avail; I'd been given a diagnosis that no-one agreed with, had her back, tack, teeth and feet checked and nothing was helping. I had run out of things to try.

I decided this wasn't fair on either Sage or me and I would retire her from all competition and schooling and loan her to someone for hacking only. Sage is an all round easy to do horse and if she were human she'd be everyone's friend. I wanted her to be sound, but if I couldn't have that I wanted her to be happy, and she loves hacking.

Despite my inherent scepticism, at my wits end I followed the advice of a friend and on 17th August took Sage to Tilley Farm to see TTeam Practitioner Sarah Fisher. It was a year since the initial lameness.

I was immediately taken aback by her intuitive but straightforward approach. The word "holistic" is one three years ago I would have sneered at but that is precisely how Sarah looked at Sage. Rather than looking at the problems in isolation like everyone else had done; feet, back, tack etc Sarah looked at Sage effectively as one large machine with many constituent parts. She picked up on areas where the machine wasn't working as it should and explained the impact of one part on the workings of another.

Sarah assessed Sage as being "blocked off" in her back, thought she was not using her offside shoulder as freely as the nearside and that her pelvis was crooked. She also remarked on muscle wastage in her back that mirrored the contours of her saddle, which also bridged and threw the rider's weight to the left.

She recommended I have her teeth checked by Lucinda Stockley as she had ramps and spurs, her back checked by Leigh Miller a McTimony Chiropractor and the use of a wider saddle whilst concentrating on hill work to improve the back muscles and in-hand and body TTeam.

My sceptical common sense side told me I was being lead down the garden path and paying yet more professionals to be no better off. I'd already paid for the services of numerous people to check these things out so how could this help? But lets face it, if we listened to common sense would any of us have horses in the first place?! However everything Sarah pointed out was visible and or logical. Something just made me trust Sarah and go with it.

Sage had the dental and McTimony work done, I borrowed an extra wide saddle that I used with many saddle pads, and concentrated on hill work and walking in straight lines for 6 weeks. Things seemed to be going well although I was terrified of increasing the work and it all falling apart again. I therefore decided to send Sage for some experienced intensive rehabilitation to assist in bringing her back into work. On 6th October Sage went on rehabilitation livery at Tilley Farm for 2 weeks. She was given a daily TTeam session of bodywork, in-hand or ridden TTeam and pole work. Finally she was fitted for a Balance Saddle. In for a penny in for a pound I thought!

It is now April 2003 - just 6 months after her stay at Tilley Farm. Sage is back in full work and we started competing a month ago at local unaffiliated dressage. Not only is she sound, she is working better than ever before and is so much more forward and positive in her work. She has gained so much muscle that none of her rugs fit anymore and I had to purchase new reins that were 2 inches longer!

We see people at competitions that haven't seen us for a while and they remark that she looks a totally different horse. Even dressage judges have commented that if they hadn't recognised me they wouldn't believe it was possible to see such a dramatic change in a horse's way of going. I have video footage of dressage tests before these problems and after - the difference is staggering. We have been placed at every outing so far. It has been suggested I affiliate her and we even managed to pop over a 6 inch cross pole last week and still come away with four legs intact! She has never since had any indication of any pedalosteitis. Above all she is happy and sound. Long let it continue.

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BASIL - THE CASPIAN STALLION WHO FEARS CONTACT

AUGUST 2002

HORSES, like humans, can inherit fear from their parents. There is a strong and well-documented interaction between memory and emotions, and this link between the two has a highly important purpose from an evolutionary perspective. Emotional memory has taught us how to evolve, and forms the basis for what is often referred to as instinctive behaviour. Something that is experienced as an emotion or a feeling is also a mechanism for triggering activity simultaneously throughout the brain and the body, this then generates a behaviour involving the whole creature. This emotional memory may be as much a part of a horse's genetic makeup as their conformation and temperament. I witnessed this phenomenon first-hand several years ago when working in Montana on a Paso Fino ranch with Linda Tellington Jones. A mare that had been ill-treated was rescued by the owners of the ranch and was, understandably, extremely frightened of humans. She would start shaking when approached - so much so that her hooves would clatter on the ground. If people continued to approach her, and she was unable to flee, the mare would go to the faint reflex and drop to the ground. This response to stress occurs when all other options are removed. It is not a case of the horse throwing itself down in a temper tantrum, which is something I often hear. Fainting is one of at least five responses to stress, and one that is often grossly misunderstood. The central nervous system at this point is so overloaded that it literally shuts down. The owners of the mare decided to turn her away to run with their herd in the mountains to reduce the stress of human interaction, and to give her time to recover from her poor start. The mare bred and produced a filly foal who, later, went on to produce a daughter of her own. Despite a peaceful

four years on the ranch, it appeared however that the mare had passed on her fear of humans to her offspring. Although the daughter and granddaughter had never experienced rough handling, nor witnessed ill-treatment of their mother and grandmother, they too would start shaking when approached by humans - which is why we had the pleasure of working with them.

WITH TTEAM, it is possible to give these horses a different emotional memory. It was therefore with great interest that I went to see Basil, a lovely six-year-old Caspian stallion, owned by Jane Scott. Basil was bred by Jane at her home in Wiltshire. He has a lovely eye, no malice whatsoever, and is a good example of the breed. However, he cannot tolerate being handled at all. It is a testimony to Jane and her family that Basil is so friendly. He genuinely wants to be a part of the social scene and happily comes when called. He doesn't panic when stabled and is even happy to eat in the presence of people, provided no one tries to get too close. Jane and her family have spent many hours sitting with Basil, trying anything to help him overcome his concerns. He is lucky. It is likely that the Paso Fino mare started life like this. Perhaps she was labelled `difficult'. Certainly she was misunderstood, and it is when understanding stops that violence begins. Forcing contact on an animal like this can push them over the edge, driving them to the flight, faint or fight reflex. The central nervous system needs to learn that contact can be enjoyable, which it cannot do if tension, pain or fear is present. TTEAM uses several techniques to promote relaxation, self-confidence and self-control. Horses like Basil are often born with a high level of tension in their body This tension is often responsible for over-reactive behaviour to contact. By reducing the tension, associated behaviour diminishes. Stress triggers negative memories, and relaxation recalls pleasant ones. When working with a horse like this, it is important to keep stress levels as low as possible to ensure that any concerns about being handled by humans are not constantly reinforced. It is also important to respect that, for whatever reason, this pattern of habitual behaviour has served a purpose for Basil. It may be that this memory stems from his ancestors who ran wild just a few generations before him. However, this reaction has ceased to be functional for Basil in his life as a domesticated horse, as it obviously has huge implications from a health point of view.

I STARTED trying to work with Basil in an outdoor fenced yard, but the area was too big. Jane then moved Basil to a stable. This was perfect as it gave Basil room to move but meant that I could begin working with him without chasing him around. As Basil does not like human contact, I began by using two, four foot long, white dressage sticks which served a dual purpose. His initial concern at having me in the stable was immense. He was rearing, and would have clambered over the back wall of the stable had the structure of the building allowed. I used the sticks as extensions of my arms to contain him a little, and also to start making contact with Basil. Animals that dislike human contact are often more accepting of contact from an inorganic substance. Jane had already told me that, if cornered, Basil would jump over the top of me, and the sticks meant that I could start working with Basil without overcrowding him. When he became upset, I stepped back a little and held the sticks out to form a pen within the stable to prevent Basil from charging around the perimeter and potentially injuring himself. It was important to let him move around a little, however, to prevent his stress levels from rocketing and triggering a different reaction. Tension patterns within the body can determine to a certain extent how a horse behaves. Fearful animals carry a great deal of tension in the hindquarters and tail area, and animals are more defensive of the areas that carry the greatest tension. Basil's tail was tightly clamped and any contact in this area made him shoot forward as though `he had been electrocuted. Emphasis was therefore on working on an area that held less tension. Stroking under the neck, down the chest and fore limbs can be quite reassuring for some animals. It helps to ground them and can dramatically quieten a nervous horse. Basil not only allowed contact in these areas, but actually settled. It was not long before I could use both the sticks to stroke Basil down both front legs. Once one part of the body begins to relax, tension patterns throughout the rest of the body begin to change. After half an hour, I could touch Basil on the tail and, although he still jumped, his reaction was less marked. He could walk past me slowly instead of shooting straight past me, and was happy to eat his hay slowly while I stood relatively close to him. It is important to allow horses time to process each step, and Basil was given plenty of breaks. It is often in these moments that the animal makes the most change. I worked with Basil on and off for approximately 40 minutes, and was very pleased with the results. The focus with TTEAM is on what the horse can achieve, rather than what he cannot achieve. To have Basil standing quietly while being touched with the dressage sticks, without rearing or desperately trying to escape, was a positive step forward. Although the changes may be small they are significant and, from my experience, extremely promising. One of the many benefits of TTEAM techniques is that they are relatively easy to pass on to the owners. Jane and her family can continue to work with Basil between my visits, stroking with schooling sticks to change his perspective of what human contact might mean. When Basil is happy to be touched all over his body with the sticks, we can start trying to establish contact with the hand. The central nervous system is like water it will follow the path of least resistance. With TTEAM, Basil will quickly learn that the stress of avoiding contact is far greater than the actual contact itself. It is not about making it unpleasant for him when he avoids contact by chasing him or punishing him. It is about teaching him that being handled can be a truly enjoyable experience.

BASIL, the young Caspian stallion, is doing well. I went to see him two weeks ago and this time he allowed me to stroke him with the schooling sticks straight away. He didn't automatically rear the minute I entered the box and I actually touched him once on the neck with my hand. It was a fleeting moment but a definite step forward, and I am looking forward to working with him today. Jane, his owner, told me last week that she mucked out his stable without him doing the wall of death around the box. Although Basil kept a very wary eye on the proceedings, he stood calmly, eating his hay while Jane was in the box, barrow and all. Jane's daughter Fleur has been able to stroke Basil with the sticks over his back and even though Basil is now fully aware of what to expect when people enter his stable, he is comfortable with the work and improved little by little each day. These small steps are so important. And not just for Basil. Starting any horse, regardless of its age, should be done slowly - allowing plenty of time for the horse to process, rather than merely put up with, what is happening to them. They need time to mature both physically and mentally. Bigger horses mature more slowly than their smaller counterparts and should therefore be left until later, rather than being started earlier.

A large framed body is harder to organise and it is no coincidence that the majority of top gymnasts are relatively small. While the growth plates in the horse's lower leg settle at the age of two, the growth plates in the back don't settle until six years of age. The rapid period of growth that horses go through in the early years greatly affects balance and co-ordination. Horses that are significantly croup high during their growing years adopt a certain posture to accommodate the the length of hind limb. They get tight around the shoulders, girth area and back, and have a tendency to swing the hind leg out, particularly when moving downhill. Unless this posture is changed and the horse is taught a more effective way of moving his body as he levels out, the habit is set and the horse may continue to hold this posture into adulthood. Tension in the back can make the horse reactive to the saddle and rider, giving rise to behavioural problems such as bucking and napping. During this time, however, there is a lot that can be done with a youngster in-hand to stimulate his mind, start his education, and keep him active. TEAM ground exercises focus on improving self-confidence, self carriage and self-control. The horses are taught to work quietly and slowly, through and over patterns of poles laid on the ground, over and under plastic sheeting, and to negotiate a variety of obstacles including low wooden bridges and even a teeter totter - a low level seesaw. Body work helps promote a sense of calm, improved flexibility and reduces tension patterns that can arise as a result of growth spurts and dental changes. Like humans, horses get two sets of teeth in their lifetime. The first deciduous incisors may erupt before the foal is born. The last baby teeth come in at about eight months of age and these teeth begin to be replaced by adult teeth at around two and a half years of age. By five, most horses have their full complement of permanent teeth ranging from between 36 to 40 teeth, depending on the sex of the horse. (Mares generally do not have canine teeth). Unshed caps and general dental changes can cause discomfort in the mouth at the exact time when a bit is being introduced. An uncomfortable mouth can make a youngster reluctant to accept the bit and/or move forward from the leg, and can trigger reactive responses such as rearing. Dental changes can also set up tension around the withers and shoulder areas causing girthing issues during this time. Young horses often lack body-awareness and have poor co-ordination. They may therefore be mislabelled as `bargey' and/or `dominant' as they have a tendency to crowd the handler. Adolescents in any species are often ungainly and clumsy and, while it can be frustrating and downright dangerous to have a strong, gawky three-year-old leaping all over the place, there is a lot that can be done to improve the situation without using fear or force, or starting them too early. If the horse is struggling with his own balance, it is unlikely that he will cope easily with the added complication of a rider. A horse that is never taught self-carriage from the ground will often go on to balance on the riders hands when under saddle. Ground work in-hand for young horses builds solid foundations for later life and will make the backing process easy and stress-free for both horse and handler. All the exercises can be repeated once a saddle is introduced to ensure that the horse is truly at ease with carrying something on its back. If they are at all concerned about the saddle they will not be able to work through the ground exercises, even though they may move happily in a straight line or on the lunge. It is far safer to recognise a potential problem before a rider is introduced. It is also important to teach the horse during these early years to lead from both sides to minimise a horse's natural one-sidedness. With some of our equestrian knowledge stemming from the days of the cavalry, we are taught that it is correct to handle a horse from the near side. This was the only way to lead and mount a horse when swords were carried, since a clash between horse and sword would not have been a particularly healthy one. However, swords are no longer carried by riders, and our habitual handling of horses from the left makes it hard for them to work in balance in the school. It is no coincidence that the majority of horses are stiffer on the right rein. One of my resident clients at Tilley Farm at the moment is a lovely five-year-old Dartmoor pony who is with me to bring on. Backed briefly at four by his previous owner, and then turned away to mature until five, he is sweet natured and easy to handle. However, he is extremely cautious about movement around his right side and, although he negotiates poles on the ground with ease when led from the left side, he freezes when signals start coming from the off side. He finds it hard to move forward and his gait becomes rigid. He trips over the poles that he stepped neatly over before and does his level best to re-educate the handler and place them back on his left side. He is not stubborn, nor stupid, and his easy manner shows that e had a good start in life. He has simply not learned that information can come from both sides. He is also more cautious about contact on the right side of his body, and this one-sidedness will naturally give him problems when under saddle. Ground driving and working between two handlers, however, will quickly teach him to become more balanced without causing him any undue concern, and will make further schooling more enjoyable. Of course, every horse is different and no rule applies across the board, but resistance only comes from resistance and time spent in the beginning saves time later on. By watching the horse, having an awareness of where he is holding tension and working with him from the ground you will know when he is truly ready to be backed -You can contact Sarah at the UK TTEAM Centre, Tilley Farm, Farmborough, Bath BA2 OAB or telephone 01761 471182.

In the space of six short weeks - the length of the summer holidays - Caspian stallion Basil has been learning that contact with humans is not so bad after all. Using the Linda Tellington-Jones Tellington Touch Equine Awareness Method, SARAH FISHER has been working with Basil during the summer with amazing results.

EVEN though I work with horses on a daily basis, the success of TTEAM (the Tellington Touch Equine Awareness Method) work never fails to amaze me. Competition riders repeatedly report a marked improvement in the athletic ability of their horse, and owners who have their horses for pleasure consistently find their equine friends more co-operative, happier and easier to handle. Some of my clients with performance horses that were on the verge of being written off, due to previous injuries or patterns of behaviour, ring with news that, not only is their horse back competing, but achieving greater results than ever before. Obviously TTEAM cannot save every horse. Sometimes the horse carries congenital deformities or such a high level of pain that its quality of life is in question. In these cases TTEAM can only serve to reduce stress, to enable the horse to be handled safely, and to give the owner a greater understanding of how they can best help their horse.

If a significant physical problem is the cause of difficult behaviour, it is usually evident very early on. Although, initially, the horse may make massive changes in the first sessions, he either reaches a plateau quickly or keeps reverting to unwanted, although often less marked, patterns of behaviour between visits. In Basil's case, the changes between the early sessions were so great and so consistent that I felt confident we could bring about some seemingly impossible alterations to his behaviour over time. But, even I have been amazed at the speed with which this has come about. For six years, Basil has not been able to tolerate contact. He wears a headcollar that was put on when he was doped to have his hooves trimmed at his last health check, and he hasn't been touched since. The prospect of having humans in close proximity was enough to have him jumping over the top of anyone who was in his way, and someone walking into his stable was enough to set him rearing and scrabbling against the walls. In six weeks, the length of the summer holiday Basil has completely turned around. He has learned that it is safe to stand quietly in his stable, calmly eating his hay while Fleur, the daughter of his owner Jane, strokes him gently over his shoulder, neck and body with her hand. Every time I have been back to visit Basil there has been a dramatic shift in his behaviour. He has gained weight, has less tension through the body, and settles really quickly with the work. He stopped rearing after session two, and Jane can muck him out without having to keep a careful eye on him in case he panics and tries to escape. The first session was broken down into 10-minute segments, giving Basil plenty of breaks to process what was happening. Now Basil is happy to be stroked for 30 minutes at a time. He genuinely seems to enjoy contact and almost seems relieved to be touched. All these changes have come about through a careful, quiet approach and are down to the pa duce stress, to patience and understanding of his owners. After showing Fleur how to use the two schooling sticks to initiate contact, we then moved on to working with one schooling stick, covered in a sheepskin buff so that Basil could become accustomed to a softer, warmer touch as a stepping stone towards contact with the human hand. When Basil showed real concern, we went back to the work he already knew - stroking with two schooling sticks - to reassure him. It is all too easy to keep pressing forward and to continue until the horse accepts the new information. But there is real value in going back a few steps if the horse begins to struggle with what is being asked of him.

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