| BASIL - THE CASPIAN STALLION WHO FEARS CONTACT
|
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. |
With this approach, regardless of what work is being done with a horse, he quickly
develops confidence - not just in the handler but in his own ability to communicate his
concern. The horse's "language" as a result becomes quieter and the change
happens more quickly. If Basil feels overloaded he now walks quietly away for a moment,
turns to look at Fleur or me, and then returns so that we can continue. If we step away to
give him a break, he often follows. While Fleur was away on holiday I went twice in a week
to maintain the work and, together with Jan Webb another TTEAM practitioner, continued to
work close to Basil. I slid my hand up the schooling stick and, whilst stroking with the
end of the stick, ran the back of my hand over Basil's back. He let me do this several
times, which was a big improvement from the fleeting contact I had had on his neck at my
previous visit. Fleur's manner is wonderful, despite having a newcomer in his stable,
Basil stood quietly eating hay and, on Fleur's return, we made another huge leap forward. |
 |
Even though he was excited by mares calling, and was desperate to go out into the field,
Basil settled so much that Fleur was able to stroke him over the neck, back and
hindquarters with the flat of her hand for quite a while. This was the first time in his
life he had been touched to this extent. Although it would be extremely tempting to try to
take the headcollar at this point, any attempt to do so would set Basil back. Fleur
understands the need to maintain the quiet, consistent approach and her manner, and way
with the horse, is wonderful. I had been working around Basil's neck in Fleur's absence
with the schooling sticks, rocking his neck and lifting his heavy mane with the sticks to
prepare him for having a catch rope draped over his neck when he so permits. This little
step the week before paved the way for Fleur to be able to start lifting his mane with her
hands, and gently sliding her fingers down his tangled hair. As Fleur scratched Basil
gently around his withers, he sighed. When a horse is perpetually in the Flight reflex,
circulation to the extremities is restricted, with increased blood flow to the major
muscle groups and internal organs to facilitate a speedy exit should the need arise. These
areas are generally cold to the touch and contact there can be uncomfortable for the
horse. A horse that lacks trust is also reluctant to have contact on or around his head,
and the tail can be tightly clamped, which is why the focus of the work has been on
initiating contact on the body and lower part of Basil's neck. As his confidence continues
to grow, Fleur should be able :o start working towards the poll and sown the lower leg.
When any animal has a high level of concern about a situation they do not eat. The mouth
is tight and movement of the mouth maybe small and fast - or non-existent. In tense
licking and chewing is not a sign that a horse is relaxing or "submitting" - it
is a signal that the stress levels are increasing. Over the course of the past month,
Basil's mouth movements have completely changed. The licking and chewing is more relaxed
and the tension in his chin has changed. As I was working the back of my hand over Basil's
back in session four, he started curling his muzzle and moving it from side to side as a
response to the sensation on his back. As Fleur and I finished the session last week, we
put some feed on a small, flat' Frisbee and offered it to Basil. It was too much to expect
him to take it from our hands, but I wanted to see if he could accept food from Fleur if
it was presented in such a way that he did not have to touch her hand with his muzzle.
Offering food in a bucket or feed scoop, may have caused Basil to react if he touched the
sides with his nose, and he may have associated the negative experience with being close
to a human. For the first time in his life, Basil took the food from Fleur. Everyone that
has seen Basil agrees that he genuinely seems to be enjoying the attention. TTEAM horses
in general show a marked willingness to be handled. Working on two national rehabilitation
yards I have had horses, which were once impossible and dangerous to catch, come running
to the gate to be brought in for their second session. The beauty of the work is that it
can be taught to the owner and carers, enabling them to worn with their own animals. The
onus is not on one person to elicit the change, and the work offers ways for other people
to be introduced to shy or nervous animals, since the consistency comes from the work
pendent relationship between the animal and the person, but builds confidence within the
animal. It therefore develops more ability to operate in a calm, focused mode. Responses
to new situations' less automatic and more considered. The animal learns to learn. This,
along with more body awareness and awareness of environment, yields more adaptability and
more appropriate action. All this without the use of fear or force. |
Last week, Sarah Fisher wrote about the amazing progress which Basil, the Caspian
stallion, has made during the summer. He has changed from a flighty creature who resisted
human contact, into a horse who is now well on the way to becoming a much happier and more
sociable animal. Much of this progress has-been achieved by Fleur Scott, who has put in
many patient hours working alongside Sarah Fisher to effect Basil's continuing
development. The stallion Basil was "a planned
and wanted baby". Caspian horses are a very rare breed and the continuation of the
few bloodlines we have is of major importance. Basil is the son of the most used, but now
deceased, Caspian stallion in recent times. His sire was a superb example of the breed in
conformation, although he was not the most well behaved horse, particularly in the show
ring! We were, therefore, very pleased indeed to find that the son, Basil, matured into an
even better prospect than his father and is now, perhaps, the best stallion we have bred
in over 20 years.
But, he had a problem! There was no doubt that he wanted so
much to be friendly but obviously had a hang up somewhere that prevented him from allowing
himself to be touched. Despite all the attention and loving care devoted to him, he
appeared to be frightened of the human touch and this was causing us considerable concern
for his future. It was therefore more in hope, I must confess, than expectation that
we accepted the offer of TTEAM treatment from Sarah Fisher. I was sceptical but impressed
with Sarah's knowledge, confidence, and successes in the past - and I now readily
acknowledge that the "treatment" over the past weeks has been interesting,
educational and, most importantly, encouraging. I could not have believed that, in so
short a space |
|
| of time, such a change in Basil's behaviour
would occur. Using the techniques and equipment recommended by Sarah, my daughter has
worked on him patiently and regularly, to the point where she obviously has his
confidence. Now she can not only touch him, but also stroke his neck and feed him from her
hand. We are not yet at the point where she can
approach him directly at the head to catch him, but if the progress continues, I feel sure
we can overcome - or he can overcome - this problem and develop the desire for human
contact and friendliness which are among the characteristics of the Caspian breed. I am
now convinced that this method works. Previously, Basil has had numerous hours spent on
him. Many have sat in his stable talking, coaxing and feeding him - to no avail. He was
reared with a group of about seven others born that year and treated no differently. All
the others have been quiet and easy to handle. His dam is one of the quietest, kindest
mares we have although, interestingly enough, was born in Iran and only first generation
from wild. Basil reminds me of a wild horse. His stance is often that of a mustang, he is
proud and aloof and his coat, despite no grooming, is always bright and shines. Basil is a
changed horse in so many ways. Some are hard to articulate and are changes only those who
know him well can see. He now stands looking into the yard, he doesn't dive to the back of
the stable when anyone approaches, and he calls when you walk up the yard. He has even
started banging his stable door when he wants your attention. A far cry from the horse
that stood at the furthest point from you, and would almost climb the walls when you
entered his stable. It is a great joy to see him so relaxed and happy and we now see a
future for him. You never know, maybe the coveted prize of Breed Champion one day. |
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