A brush with Basil -the Caspian stallion who fears contact
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.