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[RC] Stall Rested Endurance Horse -- using TTEAM - Naomi PrestonSome of the TTEAM techniques might be really useful for calming
your mare. I'm not sure where you live, but it might be worth
your while to see if there's a Practitioner in your area that could
help help you. There are a few things I'd start
with. One would be stroking the mare with a "wand"; we use a
dressage whip, but anything similar can work. Get her used to
this in the stall -- long strokes across all part of her body -- legs, back,
chest, etc. Your mare might be reactive to the wand at
first, but in a short while this stroking can be extremely calming to a
horse. It also gives a horse something to "focus" on when they're
nervous. Once she's used to it in the stall, I would first
just open the stall door, as if you were going to take her out, but just
stay in the stall with the door open and stroke her. If she can handle
that, I would take a step or two outside the stall, and begin stroking
again. You'll have one hand on the lead rope -- probably close
to the halter, and one hand stroking the mare. It's really
important for you to keep calm and low key while doing this -- remembering
to breathe, and praising the mare for good behavior in a low, calm tone of
voice. If the mare is responding well to this, proceed with just
a few steps and repeat the stroking. If it's not working, take her
back in the stall and start again. Think of "baby steps" for your
progress. In the TTEAM training, we have some particular methods
of leading horses which involves holding the "wand" in front of them so
they can focus on it. This type of leading exercise would be
ideal for your mare, and a practitioner could help you with it, or you
might try one of the TTEAM videos or DVD's. If you email me privately,
I would be happy to give you more information to get you
started. Another technique I'd recommend with your mare is a
"body wrap," which is an ace bandage or stretchy leg wrap we use to
wrap around the horse's body which can be EXTREMELY calming
for a horse. Again, you would start in the stall, where the mare
is relaxed, to introduce the wrap. The body wrap is a pretty
amazing tool -- it is also effective on nervous dogs. For
instance, a dog that reacts severely to lightning and thunder storms
can be really helped by just putting this wrap on them.
You can email me at mustanglady at email dot toast dot net.
Naomi Preston
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