Handling & Haltering Your Foal Without Trauma : Using the Tellington TTouch Method

Taking a 3 week old, un-handled Arabian filly through the Tellington TTouch Method of handling & haltering a foal for the first time. The low-stress, safe, and effective way to interact with your animal. For more information please visit www.ttouch.com

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Haltering Foal YouTube
• handling foals
• foals
• tteam
• ttouch
• tellington
• horse training
• natural horsemanship
• horsemanship
• bitterroot ranch
• robyn hood
• arabians
• arab horses
• catching a horse
• haltering horses
• horse lover
• equine bodywork
• horse trainer
• horse clinics
• horse lessons
• cute foals
• gentle horse training
• linda tellington-jones

[TellingtonTTouch]

Hi

I realize that my long reply may be difficult to read given the way YouTube configures its post responses. Begin at the bottom and work your way up--in other words, read from the bottom up--backwards!

[TellingtonTTouch]

I hope this gives you a good introduction to the TTouches you can use to help your filly and to help get your relationship off to a good start.
Thanks for watching our YouTube channel!

[TellingtonTTouch]

You've probably noticed that the roof of your horse's mouth has ridges in the soft palate. With your fingers on the top of the horse's nose, your thumb can do some TTouch on the palate. This will also give you a sense of how much room there is inside your horse's mouth. Does he have thick lips or tongue, or a low palate? This can help you to determine the thickness of bit that might be comfortable for him to carry.

[TellingtonTTouch]

Since most male horses and some mares have a single (canine) tooth between the molars and incisors, use only two fingers to reach in to tap the tongue. With your free hand holding the halter, rest the thumb of your working hand in the chin groove, and use your index and middle fingers to reach in at the corner of the mouth and tap the tongue gently.

[TellingtonTTouch]

Once you can lift the upper lip, keep four fingers lightly together and slide the side of your index finger back and forth over the gums between the front teeth and upper lip, leaving the thumb on the outside. If your horse's lip is tight, lift it up with the back of your hand. In some cases, it may be easier to start with your thumb. Tapping the top of the tongue is good preparation for getting your horse to accept a bit.

[TellingtonTTouch]

To start working inside the mouth, you may find it easier to start with the lower lip. Place your fingers in the horse's chin groove and use your thumb to work the lower lip. You may start by lightly rubbing the lip or making circles with your thumb. Working the inside of the top lip can be approached in several ways. You can start with the side of your index finger, making contact with the inside of the upper lip, where the gum meets the upper lip.

[TellingtonTTouch]

The outside of the mouth and chin is generally a good place to start. You may use Abalone or Lying Leopard TTouches around the muzzle, and Lying Leopard or Clouded Leopard TTouches around the chin. Pay attention to every part of the chin. Notice if it is soft and flexible, tight and hard or somewhere in between. Stroking the nostrils teaches horses tolerance, feels good once they have accepted it and prepares them for tubing, should the need ever arise.

[TellingtonTTouch]

Third, when venturing inside your horse's mouth, work mostly in the natural space between teeth known as the bars of the mouth. Finally, work the corners of the mouth carefully to avoid having your thumb pinched by the molars. Where you start depends on your horse. 

[TellingtonTTouch]

they discovered a noticeable shift in their relationship with their horse almost immediately. Still, a few safety ground rules will help you. First, whenever working the mouth, it is safest and usually most effective to hold the side of the halter in one hand while doing the mouth work with the other hand. Second, keep your fingers together to prevent being bitten.

[TellingtonTTouch]

Although it seems contrary, horses that are mouthy, nippy or who bite also benefit greatly from mouth work. There is a real difference between "messing" with your horse's mouth--perhaps in a way that makes him even nippier--and mindfully doing these non-habitual techniques. Most people find that although they may have been uncertain or nervous about putting a hand into their horse's mouth, not only was it not so difficult, but