Many of you in
the horse world know the name Linda Tellington-Jones. She and
her sister Robin Hood have developed a technique they call TTouch.
"It’s simple really" says Linda as she places
her thumb and forefinger in the nostril of a quarter horse. "This
particular touch makes them more tolerant firstly, and prepares
them to be toothed if you need to do that." Our host David
Poulsen watches Linda as she gently places her finger inside
the nostril and thumb outside in a pinching motion. She moves
her fingers around the entire nostril as she tugs inside and
down toward the opening. Believe it or not this horse is relaxed
and enjoying the touch. "This affects the part of the brain
that controls the emotions, and it’s also the center of
learning" she explains.
It all started
for Linda in 1965 when she was working on horses bodies using
physical therapy. "I found that by working on the body we
could help a horse be fitter to perform the next day, and change
the way their brains and bodies function in a very short time."
It’s all
about educating or reeducating the horse. She says the most common
problem between horse and rider and trainer, are misunderstanding
the horses movements. Many people use the technique of ‘whispering’
to their horse as the only way to communicate thus trying to
understand the animal. Horses do listen to an actual whisper
and are very intuitive. We in turn must listen to the whisperings
of our horses. Meaning the look in the eyes, the set of the ears
and the tension in the body. "People don’t seem to
listen until the horse starts screaming." Linda says
Getting in touch
with a horses emotions is also achieved through TTouch. Working
the horses lips and nostrils work the part of the brain that
affects the emotions. This has many practical reasons besides
getting the bit in the mouth.
Linda says a
place to start is with the head. This way you become aquatinted
with the horse and it gives them a good feeling about you. David
watches as she presses a flat hand on the horses head and moves
her fingers in gentle circles. "We call this the lying leopard
circle" she says. "Pushing the skin a circle and a
quarter at a comfortable pressure is the key." Linda says
that more than one, and less than two circles, activates all
four brainwave patterns of the horse. This seems to affect the
person doing the touching and the horse at the same time. "With
this touch, horses were being taught how to learn and think.
So we discovered that we were getting beta brain waves that we
humans use for logical thinking, and we were getting these in
the horses. It’s very exciting to know that as the rider,
by doing these circles you’re also getting smarter."
Another touch
that Linda shared with Dave was on the horses ears. She started
by massaging the base of the ear and than pulling the ear up
through her hand to the tip. Doing this over and over again,
and you could see the horse moving into the touch. This is very
important as it stimulates the respiratory and digestive systems.
"If you have a horse that has been injured or is colicky
and you’re waiting for the vet, you can keep them out of
shock or bring them out of shock." Linda states.
All of the TTouch
methods stimulate the horses brain and the person doing the touching.
Which makes for a harmonious relationship, Linda says. "What
I hope we’re bringing to the horse world is a way of being
with horses. Whether it be for pleasure or performance making
it successful in a way that makes the horse also feel good. And
honors the soul and being of that animal, that individual, and
that’s what I pray will be spread."
