This article was first published in an edition of “TTEAM Connections”, the Tellington TTouch ‘s quarterly publication that was edited by Robyn Hood for over 30 years.
Editor’s Note: Remember that MAGIC stands for – More Awareness Gains Interspecies Communication and here was another example of just that!
By Sue Falkner-March ( Tellington TTouch Senior Practitioner, Centered Riding IV Level Instructor & Connected Riding Instructor
After being “submerged” in TTEAM (Tellington TTouch Method) for many years it is sometimes easy to take the effectiveness of the method for granted. I’d like to share two experiences I had last year that reminded me of how “magical” this work truly is:
Little Eddie and the “Magic” TTouch Towel
I adopted a 10-year-old Quarter Horse gelding named Eddie, who came with a number of fear-based issues. He lacked trust and was difficult to catch, halter, shoe, and de-worm. When frightened, his go-to coping mechanism was a strong “fight” response. For instance, when stroked on the front legs with the wand, he would lash out, pinning his ears and swishing his tail. His body was extremely tight, especially around the poll and pelvis.
I began using TTouch immediately and incorporated the clicker to help Eddie feel confident enough to allow the halter. Tellington Method groundwork played a huge role in building his trust in people. When he showed signs of defensiveness—such as when I stroked his front legs with the wand—I would click before he reacted. This approach helped him overcome his fear, and the lashing out gradually stopped.
Connected groundwork also helped release tension in his body. Eddie was becoming noticeably more confident and genuinely happy to be around people.
Still, progress was slow. His body remained tight, and at times it felt like we were taking one step forward and two steps back.
The Deworming Dilemma
When it came time to de-worm Eddie, I quickly realized we had a problem. Although he allowed mouth work, he would not let the wormer anywhere near his mouth. The moment I brought it close, he would leap away. He wasn’t interested in taking it in food either. I’ve had great success using mouth work for de-worming over the years, so I felt at a bit of a loss.
And Then Came the “Magic”…
I remembered a technique I’d used before—placing a towel over the horse’s muzzle and securing it to the noseband to help them accept mouth work. I decided to give it a try.
Eddie instantly went into a contemplative state and allowed me to work gently all over his mouth and nose. His entire muzzle softened and expanded as he let go of the tension. After a couple more five-minute sessions with similar results, I was able to deworm him—towel on, no fuss at all.
The truly magical part? I began to notice a softening in Eddie’s hind-end muscles as well. It was as though the release in one area of his body had a ripple effect, allowing deeper relaxation and healing throughout.
Jella and the “Magic” Wrap
I regularly use TTouch Body Wraps in my teaching and training, and I’ve observed many horses respond positively to them—becoming calmer and more balanced. But last fall, I had a particularly magical experience with a body wrap that stood out from the rest.
I had been working with an 18-year-old Thoroughbred/Draft cross mare named Jella. She tended to be nervous, rushy, and carried a lot of brace in her body. TTouch work and Connected Groundwork—sometimes with a wrap—would help settle her. However, the wrap didn’t seem to make a noticeable difference compared to sessions without it.
Whenever I got on to ride, Jella would almost always get rushy again, and it would take about 15 minutes before she began to relax.
After several weeks of this routine, I decided to try something new: I left the wrap on while riding. Since it hadn’t made much of a difference on the ground, I didn’t expect much under saddle either.
Well… magic happened again!
Jella was quiet, calm, and soft from the moment I put my foot in the stirrup.
Being a bit of a skeptic, I wondered if this was just a fluke. But I continued riding her with the wrap for another dozen or so rides, and each time she remained equally calm and soft right from the start.
Safety Note: If I planned to ride through the bush, I would first ride the roads around our riding club for about 10 minutes, then remove the back wrap before heading down the trail.
It’s these magical moments that continue to inspire me to incorporate the Tellington Method into everything I do.
Thank you, Linda! Thank you, Robyn!