Whole Horse Power
| WHOLE HORSE POWER 63 Longbow Ln Wimberley, TX 78676 |
TTEAM: Practical horsemanship or “fluff”?
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Articles by Penny Stone
In my presentations of the TTEAM system of training and therapy I am repeatedly confronted by the perception
that it is ‘fluff”; unnecessary, time consuming , nebulous , touchy -feely stuff that is fine for people who have a
backyard horse and lots of time on their hands, but not practical for the rest of us who have busy lives. It may
be worthwhile for the real ‘problem horse”, but unnecessary for the performance horse or the horse who is
“going OK”.
I began using the TTEAM system in 1989 , after 9 years of working as a professional instructor and trainer,
certified by Merideth Manor as a Riding Master III. I had a large equine facility at that time, offering a full range
of services, and the busiest life I could manage. My introduction to the system was through use of a video
“Starting the Young Horse”. I had bought and bred 6 young Arabs and Thorobreds, 4 of whom had never been
handled. They were about as wild and woolly as they come, and I didn’t have time to spend with them. A friend
suggested that I check out the video saying ”it’s different, but your horses would be a good experiment.” After
viewing the video I agreed, and set about putting the techniques to use. I watched the video, worked the
horses, watched the video, worked the horses - and in the week that I had the video those youngsters
became manageable. I was very impressed by the effectiveness of the methods! At this point, all I knew of the
system was the ground work. I didn’t even know that it had a phase of Ttouch bodywork.
My appreciation of the system increased when I attended a one day workshop that taught me about the
Ttouch and Riding with Awareness. As I studied the system and began to use it more and more in training I
was able to solve an ever widening and difficult range of equine challenges and I stopped getting in fights
with horses. After a few years I realized that I hadn’t had a major injury since I started using TTEAM
techniques. Up to that point I just accepted injuries as part of the deal. Something that was bound to happen
sooner or later due to sheer exposure.
Now I know that TTEAM methods make sense for all horsemen and women because they are inherently safe.
They provide ways to control even dangerous horses and make them think about whatever is making them
react. They teach novices how to interact with horses in ways that avoid confrontation, yet get the horse to pay
attention and respond obediently. They improve the ability of experienced horsepersons to communicate
clearly with the horse and therefore give the horse a better chance to fulfill requests. They teach every
horseperson to break training objectives down into the smallest “chunks” to insure success and prevent
horses from “blowing up” in frustration. The Ttouch work gives people the skills to find if their horse is
“misbehaving” from pain, and to do something about that pain, again preventing blow ups. The TTEAM
system encourages us to “ try another approach” when any confrontation reaches a point when the horse
cannot think and becomes dangerous. And it gives us many tools to do choose from
so that we have plenty of options.
Another effect of my use of TTEAM that was noticed first by my students was that all their horses loved me. I
had developed a new understanding of them and new ways to communicate that made their jobs easier and
conveyed my true appreciation of them. I was more able to tell when a horse was not cooperating from pain,
from fear or from misunderstanding. As I began teaching the methods to my students they were pleased by
how the techniques deepened their relationships with their horses.
In the beginning the use of the Ttouch was a bit more subtle, but I saw that using it provided the horses with
real relief from pain and that it reduced inflammation, even in some old injuries. Since we all have to deal with
maintaining the health and well being of our horses I concluded that it was an indispensable tool. Ttouch
techniques are quite learnable, and the average person can learn at least a few of them well enough to
produce positive results in a one day workshop. It is not necessary to learn anatomy or physiology to do the
Ttouches safely and effectively. This makes them very practical.
It is true that it takes time to do the Ttouches, but often this is time saved in less warm up, greater
manageability in working with farrier or vet, calmness in unfamiliar situations. improved trailer loading, or less
reactivity on the trail. Ttouch has resolved numerous colic cases by the time the vet arrives, has saved
horseowners dollars by resolving pain problems, and gives us all the tools to “do something” in situations
where a horse is in shock or at risk of going into shock after an injury. I would never advocate Ttouch as a
replacement for veterinary care, but it does give the horseperson tools to use in addition to recommended
veterinary treatment.
On the “fluffy” side, it feels great! However, I see this as a very practical benefit because when you give your
horse a Ttouch session it is apprecation and reward without demand and causes most horses to be more
willing to give when you do make requests. Think about it. How much would you want to give to people who
never interact with you unless they want something?
Being a highly mechanically inclined person I of course wanted to know how something so gentle, so subtle ,
something that didn’t require the learning of anatomy could be so effective. So I did some research on what
science knows about touch in general and Ttouch in particular. What I found was just the tip of the iceberg
and research on the effects of touch is just heating up, but it was amazing.
In research using biofeedback machines on horses and humans during a session of Ttouch it was found
that all four brainwaves were being produced simultaneously. Humans usually access one or two types of
thought patterns at a time and up to this time no one really knew if animals even had thought patterns. This
showed that using Ttouch allowed animals and humans to access a highly creative and yet logical state of
mind, and that animals could go beyond instinct. Very useful if you have a reactive horse on your hands.
Other research into the effects of touch showed that it had far reaching effects and that certain types of touch
produce greater effect than others. Studies have shown beneficial effects such as reduced levels of the
stress hormone cortisol, an increase in correct answers on computational problems, greater levels of IL-1 (a
link in our bodies immune system), a rise in the levels of serotonin, a boost in the number and capacity of
white blood cells, and a rise in the sending and recieving of endorphins by neuropeptides and receptors
throughout the body. Babies who were treated to 15 minutes per day of gentle stroking gained 47 % more
weight per day and left the hospital 6 days earlier than babies handled in the normal manner.
Direct links between emotional , mental and physical well being have also been established. It has been
shown that stress directly affects the functioning of the immune system. Long term stress that is percieved to
have no escape is the most damaging. TTEAM and Ttouch provide ways to de-stress situations and give the
horse and the person the understanding that there is a “way out” of repetitive stressful behavior. All in all it
seems like a productive way to spend a few minutes with your horse.
The final phase of the TTEAM system , Riding with Awareness, offers some of the fastest tools that I have
seen for changing riders on top, and horses under saddle. Coming from a perspective of a dressage
enthusiast I have always followed the systematic, slow and steady training scale that theorectically leads to a
calm, relaxed, supple, willing equine partner, but reality often showed me that even the best trainers of any
discipline found that not all horses followed the theory. In these cases, all of the parts of the TTEAM system
when used together can make dramatic changes in a very short time.
I was privelidged to co-teach a week long TTEAM Training clinic with Linda Tellington-Jones in August of 1997
at a Combined Training barn with several national level horses and riders. Although these horses were
competing regularly and successfully we found that nearly all of them had physical, mental or emotional
obstacles that were preventing them from giving optimum performance. These riders allowed us to work on
their horses daily and used the Riding with Awareness tools and methods. After one week every horse was
more relaxed, freer moving, less stiff, more cooperative , better balanced and calmer. The improvement and
the recognition of the mastery of these methods was emough to bring tears to the eyes of these top level
competitors.
The Riding with Awareness tools and methods do not require the rider to be advanced and can actually
provide greater balance and confidence to novice riders. They do require a desire to have some fun with an
open mind. I can’t think of a better way to approach riding imrovement.
I think you can see that TTEAM is a broad based system with far reaching effects. Far from being “fluff”, the
techniques are solid practical tools that no horseperson’s tool box should be without.
There are several books and videos that detail the TTEAM techniques available through many tack and book
catalogues and directly from TTEAM headquarters. For more information or for hands on learning you can
contact Penny Stone, certified TTEAM Practitioner at 512-847-0068
that it is ‘fluff”; unnecessary, time consuming , nebulous , touchy -feely stuff that is fine for people who have a
backyard horse and lots of time on their hands, but not practical for the rest of us who have busy lives. It may
be worthwhile for the real ‘problem horse”, but unnecessary for the performance horse or the horse who is
“going OK”.
I began using the TTEAM system in 1989 , after 9 years of working as a professional instructor and trainer,
certified by Merideth Manor as a Riding Master III. I had a large equine facility at that time, offering a full range
of services, and the busiest life I could manage. My introduction to the system was through use of a video
“Starting the Young Horse”. I had bought and bred 6 young Arabs and Thorobreds, 4 of whom had never been
handled. They were about as wild and woolly as they come, and I didn’t have time to spend with them. A friend
suggested that I check out the video saying ”it’s different, but your horses would be a good experiment.” After
viewing the video I agreed, and set about putting the techniques to use. I watched the video, worked the
horses, watched the video, worked the horses - and in the week that I had the video those youngsters
became manageable. I was very impressed by the effectiveness of the methods! At this point, all I knew of the
system was the ground work. I didn’t even know that it had a phase of Ttouch bodywork.
My appreciation of the system increased when I attended a one day workshop that taught me about the
Ttouch and Riding with Awareness. As I studied the system and began to use it more and more in training I
was able to solve an ever widening and difficult range of equine challenges and I stopped getting in fights
with horses. After a few years I realized that I hadn’t had a major injury since I started using TTEAM
techniques. Up to that point I just accepted injuries as part of the deal. Something that was bound to happen
sooner or later due to sheer exposure.
Now I know that TTEAM methods make sense for all horsemen and women because they are inherently safe.
They provide ways to control even dangerous horses and make them think about whatever is making them
react. They teach novices how to interact with horses in ways that avoid confrontation, yet get the horse to pay
attention and respond obediently. They improve the ability of experienced horsepersons to communicate
clearly with the horse and therefore give the horse a better chance to fulfill requests. They teach every
horseperson to break training objectives down into the smallest “chunks” to insure success and prevent
horses from “blowing up” in frustration. The Ttouch work gives people the skills to find if their horse is
“misbehaving” from pain, and to do something about that pain, again preventing blow ups. The TTEAM
system encourages us to “ try another approach” when any confrontation reaches a point when the horse
cannot think and becomes dangerous. And it gives us many tools to do choose from
so that we have plenty of options.
Another effect of my use of TTEAM that was noticed first by my students was that all their horses loved me. I
had developed a new understanding of them and new ways to communicate that made their jobs easier and
conveyed my true appreciation of them. I was more able to tell when a horse was not cooperating from pain,
from fear or from misunderstanding. As I began teaching the methods to my students they were pleased by
how the techniques deepened their relationships with their horses.
In the beginning the use of the Ttouch was a bit more subtle, but I saw that using it provided the horses with
real relief from pain and that it reduced inflammation, even in some old injuries. Since we all have to deal with
maintaining the health and well being of our horses I concluded that it was an indispensable tool. Ttouch
techniques are quite learnable, and the average person can learn at least a few of them well enough to
produce positive results in a one day workshop. It is not necessary to learn anatomy or physiology to do the
Ttouches safely and effectively. This makes them very practical.
It is true that it takes time to do the Ttouches, but often this is time saved in less warm up, greater
manageability in working with farrier or vet, calmness in unfamiliar situations. improved trailer loading, or less
reactivity on the trail. Ttouch has resolved numerous colic cases by the time the vet arrives, has saved
horseowners dollars by resolving pain problems, and gives us all the tools to “do something” in situations
where a horse is in shock or at risk of going into shock after an injury. I would never advocate Ttouch as a
replacement for veterinary care, but it does give the horseperson tools to use in addition to recommended
veterinary treatment.
On the “fluffy” side, it feels great! However, I see this as a very practical benefit because when you give your
horse a Ttouch session it is apprecation and reward without demand and causes most horses to be more
willing to give when you do make requests. Think about it. How much would you want to give to people who
never interact with you unless they want something?
Being a highly mechanically inclined person I of course wanted to know how something so gentle, so subtle ,
something that didn’t require the learning of anatomy could be so effective. So I did some research on what
science knows about touch in general and Ttouch in particular. What I found was just the tip of the iceberg
and research on the effects of touch is just heating up, but it was amazing.
In research using biofeedback machines on horses and humans during a session of Ttouch it was found
that all four brainwaves were being produced simultaneously. Humans usually access one or two types of
thought patterns at a time and up to this time no one really knew if animals even had thought patterns. This
showed that using Ttouch allowed animals and humans to access a highly creative and yet logical state of
mind, and that animals could go beyond instinct. Very useful if you have a reactive horse on your hands.
Other research into the effects of touch showed that it had far reaching effects and that certain types of touch
produce greater effect than others. Studies have shown beneficial effects such as reduced levels of the
stress hormone cortisol, an increase in correct answers on computational problems, greater levels of IL-1 (a
link in our bodies immune system), a rise in the levels of serotonin, a boost in the number and capacity of
white blood cells, and a rise in the sending and recieving of endorphins by neuropeptides and receptors
throughout the body. Babies who were treated to 15 minutes per day of gentle stroking gained 47 % more
weight per day and left the hospital 6 days earlier than babies handled in the normal manner.
Direct links between emotional , mental and physical well being have also been established. It has been
shown that stress directly affects the functioning of the immune system. Long term stress that is percieved to
have no escape is the most damaging. TTEAM and Ttouch provide ways to de-stress situations and give the
horse and the person the understanding that there is a “way out” of repetitive stressful behavior. All in all it
seems like a productive way to spend a few minutes with your horse.
The final phase of the TTEAM system , Riding with Awareness, offers some of the fastest tools that I have
seen for changing riders on top, and horses under saddle. Coming from a perspective of a dressage
enthusiast I have always followed the systematic, slow and steady training scale that theorectically leads to a
calm, relaxed, supple, willing equine partner, but reality often showed me that even the best trainers of any
discipline found that not all horses followed the theory. In these cases, all of the parts of the TTEAM system
when used together can make dramatic changes in a very short time.
I was privelidged to co-teach a week long TTEAM Training clinic with Linda Tellington-Jones in August of 1997
at a Combined Training barn with several national level horses and riders. Although these horses were
competing regularly and successfully we found that nearly all of them had physical, mental or emotional
obstacles that were preventing them from giving optimum performance. These riders allowed us to work on
their horses daily and used the Riding with Awareness tools and methods. After one week every horse was
more relaxed, freer moving, less stiff, more cooperative , better balanced and calmer. The improvement and
the recognition of the mastery of these methods was emough to bring tears to the eyes of these top level
competitors.
The Riding with Awareness tools and methods do not require the rider to be advanced and can actually
provide greater balance and confidence to novice riders. They do require a desire to have some fun with an
open mind. I can’t think of a better way to approach riding imrovement.
I think you can see that TTEAM is a broad based system with far reaching effects. Far from being “fluff”, the
techniques are solid practical tools that no horseperson’s tool box should be without.
There are several books and videos that detail the TTEAM techniques available through many tack and book
catalogues and directly from TTEAM headquarters. For more information or for hands on learning you can
contact Penny Stone, certified TTEAM Practitioner at 512-847-0068