A struggling spring flower

For whatever reason, much stuff has been internally shifting this last month. I haven’t wanted to post about it because these emerging feelings are still very fragile.

When I started off the established path about 17 years ago, I’ve struggled to capture what I would call magic. I knew it existed because of a life changing relationship with a horse that happened those years ago, but it seemed to elude me.

Friends tried to advise me but in the end, I’ve realized that each person’s journey is a walk made by her own truth. For example, what makes sense to you will spring from your own past experiences, personal relationships, genetics and even how you were raised. It’s one reason why some trainers that speak to you, won’t speak to me and visa versa.

Especially, during Dear One’s illness and then death, something inside me retreated from giving full emotional contact with the horses. I was close to giving up as we battled through Big Guy’s major illness and lameness issues and Z’s intractability. The aggravation of boarding was overcoming my joy in seeing my horses.

About two months ago, I was reading one of Hempflings’ books and he stated: “You can be your horses problem or his solution.” Hmm I had for several weeks been growing more unhappy with Rugby Guy riding Z. I just felt we were going in the wrong direction. I could either give up on Z or help her. I had to trust my intuition and decided to let RG go and work on her myself.

I’ve already posted the how-to’s that I’ve been doing with the Masterson Method but what I haven’t posted about was that during our first session, time slowed way down. Z and I were enveloped in a bubble of stillness – both of us were quietly receptive, waiting yet listening all at the same time. It’s a hard thing to describe but I’m sure you have experienced something similar. It’s when time seems to stretch out but you are very much in the present. There is no rush, no goals, and no thoughts of the outside world.

During this time I started to realize Z’s inner nature and how difficult it was going to be for her to lay down her fighting nature. Even though she may seem to be outwardly compliant, inside she will have an instinctive resistance to any pressure or force. She will need to be first shown HOW to relax before I can expect her to access that state.

Since that time, I’ve been able to re-capture this slow sensitive, two way flow with Z and with two other horses that I worked using the MM. Doing this slow touch technique forces me away from my Type A personality and requires total focus on the minutae. It’s only through that laser beam, intent focus can I shut everything out and see inside my horse.

For the first time, I see the magic returning.

Intuitive Explorations with bodywork

Z and I are continuing to grope about for some sort of mutual understanding. I’ve reduced her actual work sessions to 30 minutes which are a 100 percent, concentrated focus by her and me on simple, but intense, tasks. We’ll be back to riding next week as I’ve got a saddle in mind to buy… you may notice that we ended our sessions with Rugby Guy – they were become self-defeating.

In an effort to take a step back and see what I can do with Z by relying heavily upon intution I’ve been playing more with the Masterson Method. Right now I am not doing it strictly as a massage therapy but intergrating it into the program as a mutual communication tool to further develop our relationship.

One thing that has kept me from doing Linda Tellington-Jones  TTeam work on a regular basis is because it is overwhelming. MM could become the same way because doing a full body massage would take me at least an hour. While I’ll try to set aside one day a week for a complete bodywork session, I’ve been doing shorter bursts, focusing on the neck, head, shoulders and forelegs for the last two weeks.  These are the areas where Z shows the most resistance to being touched, handled or having you in her space.

When I begin with an Air Gap to Egg Yolk touch (Masterson’s description of amount of pressure, see other posts), Z immediately gives a blink on the Bladder Meridian anywhere from 4-8 inches down from her poll. I’ll stay in this spot with pressure that does not allow bracing (more pressure = horse pushes back) and after about 60 to 120 seconds into this, Z wants to move.

Originally, I prevented the moving. The moving is a way for her to deflect feeling anything about what I’m doing -  a displacement mannerism. By displacing, the horse is able to disperse the negative tension into another behavior — for example, the horse who has a sore back, grinds it’s teeth rather then throw it’s rider.

If you’ve ever had your own massage you may know that feeling when an area of your body is worked that you are hesitant to have touched because of pain or sensitivity. You would also know that if you can let it be worked, that area releases in a huge way. Usually this squirming (according to MM and what I’ve seen and personally experienced) precurses a release.

As I experimented, I decided that I would allow the moving, but I would not remove my hand. Even this light pressure, especially on her right side, would start to cause a rushing walk (“get away from me! make it STOPPPPPPP!”). Eventually, I worked out that I would let her take about 3-5 walk steps before bringing her gently back to stop, all without removing my touch.

My reasoning was movement was needed in order to process some of what was happening. Far more than humans, horses must have movement. I’ve written before about how movement can increase learning and processing. Peggy Cummings in her Connected Groundwork talks about letting the horse walk (usually a figure 8 pattern) after a release in order to aid processing. LTJ uses concentrated movement through grid patterns to aid focus and learning in the horse.

Invariably, after walking and then stopping, the release happens. I’m now getting the releases faster and larger as Z comes to know what to expect. Perhaps it is an increase in trust or that she has less tension to release since we have been consistent on the body work this month?

After a release, I do spool out the leadrope so she can choose the distance she wants from me. This allows her body privacy if she would rather – something that is often very important to reserved horses.

I’ve already seen changes in her scapula area and a lessening of resistance when I enter areas of her neck which previously she should respond with very aggressive reactions (i.e. pinned ears, reaching around to bite) when touched or asked to bend. The flexion rotation on the right side has improved significantly. The forelegs are still a work in progress.

Yesterday, I added a small bit of Connected Groundwork. She was much more flexible and willing to participate.

I’ve been doing mouthwork to encourage her to open for the bit. I got it in on a couple of different occasions but each time she gave a minor panic after it went in by raising her head and starting to back. I went with her and just held it until she was ready to drop it out. Yesterday, though we had a good bitting session as she took it in and instead of being startled, mouthed the bit, dropping her head to feel it all out. She got a big carrot reward for that!

Meanwhile, I’ve been taking my Yoga ball out to the barn and while Z grazes. I roll about trying to open my sternum and gain  flexbility in the right shoulder and arm. About 14 years ago, I broke three ribs off my sternum so it is easy for me to fall into a habit of collasping my chest.

The injury to my right bicep (most likely I tore the muscle) is recovered but I have spent the year protecting it and it is also reluctant to fully extend, especially over the head or backwards. Strangely, enough it is my left side, which has been protecting the right all this time that is the most resistant to being stretched! Boy, does it hurt! OUCH!

Insight into Z

With husband at home, I’ve had more time to visit and work with Z. We’ve begun with baby steps on getting her to open her mouth in order to, eventually be bridled (another post about that is forthcoming), we got her feet done, and I’m working on teaching her how to turn and change directions to the inside while being lunged with a line. The last has always kinda defeated me so I’m taking it slowly at a walk to develop the “dancing” steps needed.

Today, I also did some Masterson Method (MM) with her and it gave me further insight into Z’s mental process and personality. As I’ve written many times before she is a dominant aggressive horse with other horses. She tries to take the lead in human-horse interactions. However, there is a cost to that behavior – it means she can never appear weak, she cannot give in, and she must hold her body in a state of readiness to defend her position at all times.

Nowhere is this more clear then when I was doing MM bodywork on her. MM work is done very slowly and requires a lot of focus both by the horse and human. You almost enter a Zen state of mind and when we finished I myself felt very quiet both inside and out.

During Z’s work I can feel the internal release of her body, but externally she shows little in the way of releases. For example, her eye will soften, her head drop and she will give a gentle exhale but she won’t give the big signs of head shaking, yawning or deep exhales/snorts.

While I was doing the hind end you could tell she wanted to release but simply couldn’t relax that far. This really gave me insight into how she holds herself in a state of tension and as I’ve written before this has been a big issue when under saddle. During our liberty work she is relaxed, listening and playful but put a saddle on her and her whole body starts to tighten. I’ve recently posted about that when Rugby Guy was riding her she shortened her step and it took relaxing them both to get the desired stepping out that I wanted.

What today has taught me is she needs it taken slowly, needs time to relax, will hold tension and be slow to let it go because this is her very nature. I can be more understanding of this because in some ways I am the same. I don’t like people getting into my vulnerable areas and I seldom let my own defenses down. From this knowledge, I can give her more consideration and taking it slowly is now put into perspective as to why it’s needed with her.

Combining Complimentary Methods

I’m making out a plan for Z and I for the next 8 to 10 weeks. This is bodywork and ground training I would like to do using the following methods that I feel are complimentary in nature. Here are the methods I’ll be using:

Masterson Method (Jim Masterson) MM : Bodywork to release tension during relaxed states, mentally and physically;

TTEAM (Linda Tellington-Jones) LTJ: Bodywork now and moving into riding;

Connected Groundwork (Peggy Cummings) CG: Groundwork movement exercises;

Klaus Hempfling KH: Mimicking Liberty and neckrope work, and taking walks together.

Mark Russell (Riding in Lightness) RIL: Groundwork prep first, moving into riding. 

Dr. Hilary Clayton Mobilization Stretches for Horses.

Before blending methods, the first question to ask is: are these methods compatible in their philosophy? For example, if you were using Montesorri methods (self-responsiblity, exploration, problem solving) to teach your child mathmatics, but then the teacher’s style was a micro-manager, dictator these methods would not be compatible. The same is true of horse training.

While the above would be compatible with Carolyn Resnicks ideas, they would not be with Monty Roberts Join Up, Clinton Anderson, or John Lyons, because these focus on a dominator-submission relationship between human and horse.

Congruent information should be supplied – not that which conflicts. Requests and rewards should be consistent. An easy example: the mother in the grocery store who keeps denying her child the desired candybar, but at checkout, worn out from requests, buys the child a candybar.

Next, examine how a horse learns. While horse training may be linear in that you start at point A and want to be at Point C (i.e. I will teach the horse to lead with a leadrope and halter), intergrating learning resulting in progress is not linear, but rather happens spontaneously with fits and starts of understanding (i.e. a toddler learning language).

For me, this means approaching the same problem with congruent but different exercises. For example, while I will use MM to release tension in the horse, after it is released, I’ll use some CG exercises to rehabilitate the musculature and nervous system to move in a better way.

Combine complimentary exercises, and add variety of tempos. Some complimentary exercises for a slow energy, bodywork session just leap to the minds’ eye:

Nose and Mouth work (LTJ) to Cheek Press and Cheek Delination (CG) then to Lateral Cervical Flexion (MM) finishing with Caterpillar walking (CG) then to Heart Press (CG) and Under the Scapula and Wither Rock (MM), to LTJ’s Lick of the Cow Tongue and Belly Lifts. MM’s Hindquarter point work, Front and Hind Leg Releases (MM) with Hoof circles (LTJ), and ending with a Middle Back Wave (MM). Afterwards, wrap up with some Connected Groundwork walking exercises (Slide Up and Down, Combing the Lines, Drawing the Bow) which could be combined with LTJ’s Labyrinth and Star patterns.

One thing I really liked about Klaus Hempflings’ second horse book: What Horses Reveal, was the idea that workout patterns should have different tempos – slow to fast – and be sequenced upon the type of horse you have.

For example, a high energy horse may need more faster paced work to burn energy off – or need slower paced work to focus attention. A horse with a short attention span may need shorter time lengths of demanding exercises and return to those that are easier to give confidence.

A faster tempo workout would start with Liberty work. I’d start in the roundpen using my clicker (CT) to reinforce desired behaviors at the walk, trot and canter. These could be head down cues, slowing within a gait (i.e. extended trot vs. collected), turning and transition cues. From there I would slow it down a bit and work with some CG work such as Connected Lunging or use the neckrope (KH), asking the horse to follow my hand and continue to reinforce body mimicry movements (KH). After that you could continue the session by riding (MR) and adding the balance rein (cordeo by LTJ) or going for a walk on the leadrope/neckrope (KH).

Unfortunately my current boarding situation doesn’t have any suitable and interesting places to walk a horse which is a bit of a downer.:(

I hope this gives you some ideas on how you can make your own training plan adding in complimentary methods that keep your horse interested while gaining results.

Masterson Method: Scapula, Withers and High End

Masterson focuses on three prime areas of the horses anatomy – 1.) The poll/atlas which I shared in the previous blog post; the wither/shoulder area, and the sacral/pelvis area. These are matrix areas where the skeleton has alot of movement and meeting of different anatomical structures (i.e. the withers/shoulders with forelegs and neck).

How does all this work and why does it work? There’s no guaranteed answer about that but I’ll give you my opinion for what it is worth. Touching areas of the skin in a gentle manner and holding that touch, can awaken the nervous system. The touch itself brings more blood and awareness to the skin/muscle where the touch is being applied. For the person who can use Reiki, it also directs energy and body heat to the focus spot.

Touching the Bladder Meridian

The same can be said with the basic TTouch by Linda Tellington-Jones which mimics the turn of a clock from 12 to 9 and then back again to 6. Any sort of brushing, stroking, etc… would do the same. However, where these methods differ from grooming is the focused intent upon specific areas for an extended period of time.

Of course, a bonus is the sharing interaction between human and horse. For example, on our sunny, warm Sunday the entire session seemed to go along very smoothly with no end time and no rush. It generated a sharing, lazy “hanging out” session that I think was beneficial to all of us. In our crazy world of bills, errands and must-do’s we can lose this timelessness. As I told hubby Sunday morning, I have a lot of do-nothing to do today!

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Under the Scapula release  – If you look at Big Guy he has a clearly defined edge of the shoulder bone which you can work with your hands. Z’s is tight and there is little to no shoulder groove. From the weeklong TTeam clinic I attended, I know this is because she has tight shoulders and that gradual work can produce a nicer groove, with more shoulder movement available to the horse.

This movement bends the nose towards the shoulder while your hand slides down and under the scapula ridge. Just as I expected the right side was extremely hard and Z showed some resistance by moving backwards. However, I did get more movement then I expected so I’m very encouraged.

Scapula Release with Leg Down and Back and Leg Down and Forward ~  The leg down and back was a bit difficult for Z. Not that she couldn’t bring the leg back but releasing the tension wasn’t easy for her. She easily released bringing the leg forward and down.

I did get the forelegs done on Sunday but didn’t get the hindlegs done. That will be something to work on next week when husband can help. With Z’s history of kicking, I am leery of working intensly behind unless I have a helper as there is no hitching or tie rack where I currently board.

Wither Rock ~ Tried it but didn’t get the feel of this one. Definitely one to work on at the clinic.

Under tail points ~ Under the tail at 1 o’clock and 11 o’clock are pressure points (Sacrotuberous Ligament) that are to be touched lightly, one at a time. Because of some personal history in having Reiki done due to sciatic pain, I used one of these points and combined it with one of  the hindquarter points. These are all done with light touches and are not manipulating  joint touches like the front end manuveurs.

There is another point under the tail (Pubic Symphysis) but I didn’t get to it on Sunday.

Hindquarter points ~ There are four points on each side of the horses hindquarters that are mirrored on the opposite: the Scroiliac Point (on top, at about the croup), the Hip Joint, the Pelvic Point, and at the inside point of the stifle.

The biggest reaction I received was from the stifle point. This will be something I’ll continue to work as she gave me an ear warning and with her history of kicking, it will need to be done slowly and carefully.

Spinal Wave (meeting the middle) ~ I did experiment with this a little to get a feel for it. With my right hand under the tail, at 1 o’clock, I gently rocked the body to see movement travel from the hind to the fore, resulting in the head at half mast and the nose making small, in rhythm circles.

If you are familiar with dressage, this wave like movement from hind to end is really helpful in connecting front to back, as well as helping the back to relax.