Celebrating Progress Using The Trust Technique

Ivan lets me walk up to him and I wait for him to touch me. We are creating connection with the Trust Technique.

Change is in the air. Fall is upon us. Autumn is a transitional season. I see the changes in physical ways, the coats growing longer on our animals, their metabolisms ramping up, the colder air that makes them frisky, the lower light in the mornings and evenings. This time is also reflexive for me as I think where we have come from this summer and where we stand now in relation to that.

Many of my equine clients have come miles due to the lovely mindfulness practice the Trust Technique offers and their dedication to helping their horses with it.

I think of Rebecca’s horse Ali, who when I first met him early this summer, stood in his stall giraffe-like in his hyper-vigilant, sleep deprived way, who has relaxed so much that the difference in appearance when one approaches his stall is so evident that it gives me goose bumps. Rebecca has been so dedicated to working with the Trust Technique with Ali that when he does still get freaked out by something in his pasture he runs to her instead of his pasture mates.

Ali has learned through Rebecca’s use of the Trust Technique that she is aware of him and his concerns and that she will help him to be calm with the things that worry him. Trauma takes a long time to fix all the way but Ali is definitely on a healing path. He is sleeping. He is eating better, and he is relaxing more and more and not always hyper-vigilant now. This is a lovely thing to witness.

To read two earlier articles about Ali’s journey click the links below.
Unfreezing Ali's Nervous System With The Trust Technique: Re-balancing The Sympathetic And Parasympathetic Branches
Two Different Vagus Nerve Responses To Longterm Trauma In Horses And How The Trust Technique Is Helping Both Horses To Re-regulate Their Nervous Systems

Ali in his hyper-vigilant, fight/flight dominate state the first day I met him.

A relaxed Ali in the rest/digest state you find him in more and more when approaching his stall now.

About a month ago I was asked to help Trayce and her borders gentle and halter train to feral horses named Izzy and Ivan, who Trayce had rescued out of a kill pen two years ago but had not done much work with besides caring for them. Read their initial story here where I present a slide show of the first work with Izzy. Building Trust With Ivan And Izzy Using The Trust Technique

Izzy and Ivan have come a long way in a very short time. Izzy now takes her halter peacefully and is starting to lead and have her legs picked up. Ivan the shyer, wilder sibling has progressed too. He is now accepting pats and is allowing people to come up to him in his pasture. We are going at just their pace and every step is full of peace and respect. I am so proud of the great job that Trayce and Dauby, Karen and Sue and the rest of the team at Renovatio Farms is doing.

Below are some pictures of the work with Izzy and Ivan and two little videos of the first work with Ivan and Izzy. Their progress speaks for itself, the dedication of their human support team and the effectiveness of the Trust Technique approach.

Izzy tips her head into her halter as Trayce imagines Izzy doing this.

Trayce does up Izzy's halter as Izzy remains calm and relaxed about it. Note there is no high head resistance from what Trayce is doing as she is truely working at Izzy's pace.

Trayce pauses for a moment, getting present and waiting for Izzy to be ready to follow her. Trayce will lead Izzy without ever putting any pressure on the rope.

Ivan now allows me to stand beside him in the pasture. I have not gotten here by using pressure and release but instead I have worked to increasingly gain his confidence with the Trust Technique.

First Work with Izzy: Getting her to follow me with the Trust Technique

First work with Ivan: Getting Touch Using the Trust Technique