Why TTEAM?
WHY TTEAM FOR YOUR ENDURANCE HORSE?
TTEAM is useful in all aspects of working with your endurance horse, from training to competition.
During training
• Improve your horse's self-carriage & hindquarter engagement
• Increase range of motion & stride length
• Improve coordination & balance
• Discover sore or sensitive areas
• Speed recovery from injuries
• Overcome fear or resistance
The TTEAM body exploration is useful at home during training to detect any sore or sensitive areas on your horse, allowing you to relieve these areas before they become major problems. The leg exercises are great for increasing range of motion, stride length, and detecting any changes in the movement of your horse's legs. Tail work provides a connection from the tail, through the back and to the poll, which horses really enjoy. Working the tail is also useful for horses that are fearful of things or other horses behind them. TTEAM ground exercises can increase your horse's coordination,lateral flexion and confidence. The body wrap (shown here) can help a horse engage the hindquarters, lower the head and lift the back.
During Competition
WHY TTEAM FOR YOUR ENDURANCE HORSE?
• Improve pre-ride warmup
• Improve range of motion & stride length
• Speed recovery at Vet Checks
• Stimulate eating
• Provide relief to sore areas
• Calm the nervous horse
TTEAM exercises are really useful just prior to starting your pre-ride warm up in the morning. I do about 5-10 minutes of TTEAM just before I mount up. Your horse will be more relaxed and supple going into your warm-up.
At vet checks during the ride, I've used a number of TTEAM techniques to improve pulse/respiration recovery time. During the hold, depending on the horse's needs, methods can be used to stimulate eating, alleviate cramps, provide relief to sore areas, etc. Just a few minutes of work can produce amazing results!
Photo: Lee uses TTEAM on Fire Mt. Malabar at the AERC National Championship 100 Mile Ride at a vet check.
Post-Ride
WHY TTEAM FOR YOUR ENDURANCE HORSE?
Post-ride
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Using TTEAM after a competition can help speed your horse's recovery from the ride. Using these techniques will help you find any problem areas that may have developed during the ride, and quickly initiate the recovery process. Other important uses for TTEAM
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TTEAM has been successfully used for:
-nervousness or tension
-stress
-biting
-kicking
-resistance to handling specific body areas (mouth, ears, tail, etc.)
-resistance to grooming or saddling
-resistance to the vet or farrier
-stubbornness or laziness
-stiffness
-sore backs
-cinchiness
-head tossing and tail wringing
-inconsistent performance
-unevenness of stride