Sunday 13 April 2014

The Touch That Teaches: introduction to the Tellington TTouch Method

I see you. From my heart to my hand


To all my horse lover friends, I am very excited to tell you about my first Tellington TTouch training with the Italian instructor Massimo Da Re that I attended last weekend in Switzerland at La Piccola Scuderia :-) 

Founded by the American Linda Tellington-Jones, the Tellington TTouch Method is not only a training but a new forward way of thinking and working with horses using specific touches and techniques to foster communication and easier learning.

As Linda says “there are many ways to train horses and this is just one of them... If we come from a place of heart, a place of gratitude, the horses are healthier and we work better together”. 

These words explain the second T of T-Touch, who stands for building “Trust” to increase horses’ confidence and self reliance, which naturally have a positive effect on their performance and behavior. 


I brought home valuable lessons that I am happy to share with you!

I see you
meaning do not touch the horse without having introduced yourself first, asked permission and letting the horse know you see and respect him or her

From my heart to my hand
it's a TTouch simple but powerful message is to use tools not mechanically but mindfully and in complete partnership with the horse

“Change the Posture and Change the Behavior”
I put into practice some basic TTouch bodywork and ground exercises to learn how to encourage the horse to release tight muscles and use his body more efficiently.

The Leg Circle

Here I picked up the front leg and tried the Leg Circle to check if it was stiffer than the other one, as this has a direct correlation with how the horse moves under saddle. 

The steps to the Leg Circle? Standing to the side of the horse, supporting the fetlock joint with the inside hand and the hoof with the other hand to avoid flexing the fetlock, move the body in a circular motion to circle the horse leg.

How do you pick up the horse rear leg? This simple touch help the horse to better understand the signal “please give me the foot up”.

The Body Wrap


Do you ever ask yourself how it can be from the horse’s perspective? With the help of Teresa Cottarelli-Guenther, instractor of TTouch for you, I tried the Body Wrap on myself to better understand how it works for horses :-)

The continual sensory input of the elastic bandage on my back and shoulders encouraged my body to maintain the correct posture improving my movement.

It’s not much different for horses. Here it was very interesting to notice how the top line changed, looking rounder, just wearing the wrap in a eight-figure around the body.

Let me know what do you think about this method and how do you work with horses. I am looking forward to your comments.

Hope you enjoyed this post!
TaC

3 comments:

  1. Great Martina :-)
    Kiss
    Laura

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  2. Wonderful program Martina! I've visited Hope Reins (www.hopereinsraleigh.org) near my home in Raleigh, North Carolina. Their horses are "equine counselors" for kids dealing with difficult life issues such as trauma, abuse or illness. The touch and companionship that the kids have with the horses results in the kids learning to trust! So, it works both ways.

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  3. Hi Lara nice to hear such a beautiful initiative. As Linda says we can change the world one ttouch at a time!

    ReplyDelete

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