Session One

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.

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