It's About The Horse

bit · Member Joined: 02 Feb 2009 Posts: 4355 Location: Kansas

I wasn't sure where to put this. It's not that it's woo woo, but it is so far off the map of traditional, not even on the same planet. Body work. Who has the time?
Here was a big a ha for me this morning while reading my t touch book. Did you know that horses aren't just our mirror...their brains actually sync with ours and will assume the same brain pattern. When you do body work, and it feels good to the horse? Your brain syncs with the good feeling brain waves of the horse, and it benefits you because your brain changes to match the horse, which changes to match yours, which changes to match the horse...are you starting to see how important what you think, feel, and see touches your horse?
I'm reading The Ultimate Horse Behavior and Training Book, thank you Amazon. I got it on the used site, but it came almost new.
Did you know that my mare, Bit has overdeveloped muscles under her neck. I knew that, and I knew that it comes from stress. She's a bit right brained. It also means the muscles on the top of her neck are underdeveloped. It all snowballs into a spooky, unconfident horse. Did you know t touch can heal this? Change the horse, physically?
Did you know you can change the mind of the horse who is barn sour through t touch?
My centered riding instructor is also a L 2 t touch instructor. We will be doing a 1/2 hour riding, and a 1/2 hour t touch. I'll keep ya'll posted. So far, Bit is loving it. Melting into it like she's been waiting her whole life for someone to do this for her.
Eclipse is barely able to tolerate it. She needs air touches. Tiny bits of time. It's like that for her with everything. She seems like such a bomb proof horse. She's so sensitive, so raw to everything. I'm starting to understand how she must feel on the inside. How pressure of any kind can feel like road burn.
My responcibility to my horses is becoming clearer. It's not just about feeding them, providing a piece of ground, water...they literally go where I go, body, mind and spirit. This isn't just about being a mirrior. Me. I touch them right to their very soul. I can change us both, just by the way I touch them.
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"It was once said I should clear my head for one cannot ride a Thoroughbred. Hot they are. And too fast they be. Forever on the fly. But I stayed the course and have no remorse. I love my off the track racehorse!"

jackspark · Member Joined: 10 Jan 2010 Posts: 4477 Location: Missouri

You are touchin' me for sure, I sold that freakin' book last summer without really lookin at it

Didn't think I needed that "junk". I am a completely different person this summer and now see so much more than I ever did before. Don't know if I'm ready just yet but I am certain that I am closer every day! Thanks for the heads up, I chew on everything posted here.
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Nancy

Flying Monkey Trainer

A journey of a thousand miles must
begin with a single step. Lao Tzu

merle · Member Joined: 13 Feb 2009 Posts: 445

That was very beautiful and eloquent. Lately I have been thinking about this, but not on such a deep level. I volunteer at an organization that pairs rescued horses with high risk girls. My mule has been a phenomenal teaching, insisting that I become a better person. A person who has patience, empathy, sense of humor, good attitude... She has demanded that I change my self, my approach, my brain. Recently I have been seeing the difference this makes with all horses. I'll play with a horse, get some nice things going, then hand the horse over to the instructors and it all falls apart. I had been trying to figure out the difference in what I was doing and what the instructors were doing. I spent a good bit of time focusing on mechanics - where are the looking, how are they swinging the rope, timing of release... I found I could get them to look like clones of me but still not have the same impact. Finally it dawned on me, it was differences in presence and attitude. The horses were feeling that difference, feeling the frustration, the derogatory attitude, the direct line thinking... I was there, in the same place as the instructors, I can understand how they feel, think and act. The challenge is that I want to hurry up and change them - give them a pill to get them to speed through the journey (BTW I'm still on the journey, still have much to learn and develop of myself). I think time, awareness and desire are needed for the change to occur. We have all had the thing we need for growth to appear, but not be ready for it. Then later it appears again, and again, and again until we are ready to grasp it and learn from it.

bit · Member Joined: 02 Feb 2009 Posts: 4355 Location: Kansas

one of the cool things about t touch, you do it, the horse feels good, and it brings you along. Your brain matches the horse's feel good feeling. Might be worth a shot. T touch can be a pretty simple thing. Just a swirl, clock wise, 6 o'clock back to 9 o'clock. One hand on the horse, one hand doing the circle. Index finger, middle and ring doing the circle, thumb is your anchor. Do a line of swirls with the pads of the fingers, go back and smooth the hair where you swirled with a long stroke of your hand.
I was looking at Bit's tail thinking, dang it used to drag the ground. I did one tail ttouch thang with her, and her tail was back on the ground. It's pretty powerful stuff.
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"It was once said I should clear my head for one cannot ride a Thoroughbred. Hot they are. And too fast they be. Forever on the fly. But I stayed the course and have no remorse. I love my off the track racehorse!"

merle · Member Joined: 13 Feb 2009 Posts: 445

I'll start doing T Touch and bring that information out to the instructors - I can add it in at times when I see them starting to get frustrated, direct line...use it to bring them back. I like that idea. Thanks!

PasoBaby_CarolU · Site Admin Joined: 31 Jan 2009 Posts: 9038

You know Deb, if Eclipse is in pain from an Ovarian Cyst, it could well be 100% of your problem with her.
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Carol Nudell
Corazon de Oro Paso Finos

"The path to your horse's heart lies through your own."

Rumors are carried by haters, spread by fools, and accepted by idiots. - Words of Wisdom - Mhar

‎"Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss activities; Small minds discuss people." - Eleanor Roosevelt

Julie · Member Joined: 07 Feb 2009 Posts: 1297

I found it amazing to use and use it a lot - especially the 8 bandage. The colic treatment reall works, I used it at a show and the vet was not needed.
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bit · Member Joined: 02 Feb 2009 Posts: 4355 Location: Kansas

At the clinic, we were going to do the figure 8 body wrap on a halfinger mare. The wrap consisist of 4, 4 inch ace banages, tied together and very loosely wrapped around the neck, crossed over the back and around the butt, then back. We noticed the mare was starting to get a little figity, and Carol decided to only do a 1/2 wrap on her.
It's important to be connecected with what's going on with your horse. If your horse is at their limit, you need to see that, stop and let them process. Even stopping for the day or two. This stuff can be overwhelming for the human and the horse.
We did a belly lift on Eclipse and her whole carriage changed. Did a body wrap and it was incredible. Huge results with just the littlest bit of effort. I really like this stuff.
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"It was once said I should clear my head for one cannot ride a Thoroughbred. Hot they are. And too fast they be. Forever on the fly. But I stayed the course and have no remorse. I love my off the track racehorse!"

Peeperpuppy · Member Joined: 14 Feb 2009 Posts: 578

I have one or two of the t-touch books but have had a hard time getting into them, I suspect because I wasn't ready to go there yet. Have been hovering near the book now & again lately so maybe it's time. I've seen some amazing changes using T-touch. I've always favored bodywork for 2 reasons: gives me the chance to work on a horse in an intimate way & if there's a problem, I know what it is & the second is it gives the horse something to look forward to & gives them a

feeling provided that I know when to back off

Gotta dig the book out again... I wonder if it could help with a couple of issues my girls have. Hmm... Thanks for sharing Bit
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The ox is slow but the earth is patient.

bit · Member Joined: 02 Feb 2009 Posts: 4355 Location: Kansas

Bit's tail was 2 inches from the ground three days ago. It's draging a good 4 inches, now. T touch is pretty amazing stuff.
For all us woo wi whoa folks, check this out! I posted it on Shaun's thread, but this is really cool. We are pretty connected, unusually so. Part of it is because I spend so much time with him, part because the girls are barely tolerating him, but there is something going on...and I knew the first time I saw him, remember? This whole thing has been very woo wi whoa. Check out the orb.

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"It was once said I should clear my head for one cannot ride a Thoroughbred. Hot they are. And too fast they be. Forever on the fly. But I stayed the course and have no remorse. I love my off the track racehorse!"

jackspark · Member Joined: 10 Jan 2010 Posts: 4477 Location: Missouri

There are some bonds that just can't be explained

The book that I sold last summer......... It's on it's way back to me! I'll be studying the TTouch before ya know it.
_________________
Nancy

Flying Monkey Trainer

A journey of a thousand miles must
begin with a single step. Lao Tzu

misstux · Member Joined: 27 Feb 2009 Posts: 948

I investigated TTouch years ago for my horse Dusty and kitty Tuxie. Didn't pan out for us. Yesterday I went to Half Price Books on my lunch hour because I accidentally left the book I was reading at home. What do I spy but The Tellington TTouch. Of course it jumped into my hands and went home with me. Will try it with the Striderman why he is on the disabled list.

jackspark · Member Joined: 10 Jan 2010 Posts: 4477 Location: Missouri

Just plain funny how things work out when you are ready. I had that damn book sittin' on my shelf for almost a year and then sold it, of course before reading it. It just didn't resonate with me at all......... now, YES!
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Nancy

Flying Monkey Trainer

A journey of a thousand miles must
begin with a single step. Lao Tzu

appellativo · Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2011 4:35 pm Post subject:

i have that book. I found it interesting but for some reason I haven't felt it really indicated to me. I'll have to give it another look over. I think that sometimes getting the strange thing somehow INTO your comfort zone is a leap that is a bit hard to get started. But I don't doubt its beneficence.
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"The world doesn't need Fight Club; it needs ponies." --Brannon Sherry

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Peeperpuppy · Member Joined: 14 Feb 2009 Posts: 578

I was reading some stuff on Tellington-Jones website & an idea popped into my head & kicked me square behind the eyes... I'm wondering if this is part of the piece of the puzzle as to why my very lovely little Gunny mare is perfectly polite & accomodating with me however if my husband or the farrier is there, she's kung-fu pony & totally wigged out about having her feet messed with. Last time they worked on feet - I wasn't home - & she came unhinged. She finally trained them. So long as they lay the halter line on the ground (NOT in their hands) she would stand for her trimming.

My husband was flustered with her. I wasn't. The answer was clear as day to me: she doesn't trust these men with that rope in their hands. This doesn't happen any other time. I can lead her & both these men can lead her, ask her to do things & she's compliant. They go for a foot & she's not having it. Now if it's just her & I, I can lift her feet using a rope looped around her foot. I can pick up feet like normal. I can massage her legs & anything else. Our horse trainer didn't have trouble with trimming & shoeing her. No freak outs with him either.

My brain is ticking on t-touch & wondering if I can combine things from there & help this mare. I'm wondering if this has to do with her balance & fear that these 2 guys won't read it quick enough so she doesn't trust them to hold her line. Lots more questions than answers at this point but... I'm on to something. I feel it in my bones!!
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The ox is slow but the earth is patient.