Why get a little when you can have a lot?

I recently read about a Tail Detangling treatment being offered in the Austin area. The provider detangles every hair and notes what the surface of the tail itself is like where the hairs attach. The person who wrote about this said that this really relaxed her somewhat nervous horse and the next time she rode the horse the relaxation seemed to still be present. So is the horse training or equine bodywork? probably neither, but nice for the horse.

This was very interesting to me as a TTouch Practitioner. I have included work on the tail in my sessions with horses for many years, doing Tail Flexions, Tail Rotations and Spinal Tractions. As a groom and horse trainer I have taught people in how to remove tangles and keep the tail skin healthy in a way that makes the horse comfortable and relaxed. I’ve also recommended keeping the tail short enough that it hangs a few inches off the ground, as leaving the tail too long could be very irritating to the horse when it drags on the ground or catches in plants.

I can see the value of this treatment, but why not go all the way, and learn how to do TTouches, Tail Flexions and Rotations, and Spinal Traction. All of these techniques are part of the TTouch system and affect the horse on a much deeper level. While the detangling treatment can be useful in producing relaxation, especially for the sensitive or nervous horse, the above mentioned techniques can create a long lasting change in any personality type. If do –it –yourself is not your style, hiring a TTouch practitioner to provide a complete tail or mane treatment would give you more bang for your buck.

balance wrap video

http://www.horsehero.com/13908/75601

I recently received this link from one of my distant students and was delighted to see it. In it the young horse is wearing a band fastened to the saddle that goes around the base of the neck. I have never seen this equipment used in this way other than in TTEAM clinics.

I have been using this technique for many years and have seen it help horses who are heavy on the forehand lighten up, horses who don’t have good balance rebalance themselves, and help improve the halt with horses who push through the rein.

The band in the video can easily be reproduced by buying a heavy duty elastic bandage and simply tying it to the rings at the front of the saddle. It will give the horse a new awareness of it’s body, will support it’s neck and shoulders, and help it lighten up. Although it cannot be worn in competition, it can change the horse’s habitual posture and movement enough that it will become unnecessary most of the time, and can easily be put back on during training sessions to remind the horse.

The next step is the balance rein. It can be more effective because it is not elastic, and the tension and support are controlled by the rider. This gives more options, but also requires that the rider be able to successfully control two reins in order to choose when to apply pressure with the balance rein.

I highly recommend that you watch the video and experiment with the balance wrap. Whether your horse is high headed, or heavy on the forehand or, even both at the same time, using it a few times is likely to cause improvement.

I love it because it is another tool which can help our horses do their work in greater comfort and balance.