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How to get the most out of our first meeting (with the horses)

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Before we start:

Please send me good directions - I seem to spend a lot of time trying to find places miles from where the postcode sends me..... And make sure I have a mobile number for you.

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Make a list of questions - trust me it usually all gets forgotten as soon as we start otherwise! Also make a note of any illnesses you are currently suffering from so I can separate your symptoms from your horses, if you are in the stable I can pick your symptoms up too.

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It's important you and your horse are as comfortable as possible - so if they fret on their own, arrange for another horse to be kept in. I prefer a stable so the horse feels safe and we have some privacy rather than a field or open yard, if possible.

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Have tack available - so we can talk about it.

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Keep it private - I appreciate it can be fascinating to watch a session, especially once your own horse has been done, but please respect the horse and owners privacy and only have the relevant people you want watching. I don't meet many horses who appreciate an audience for my first visit. The first visit can sometimes be a little emotional for you and your horse and they occasionally have things to say that are only for your ears. Sometimes emotional responses happen from you and / or your horse, this is nothing to worry about and is very natural.

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Bring a Pen and paper - (or borrow mine as there is always one in my box) & take notes.

Recording - I don't mind you recording our meeting providing you set it before we start and its recording in the background - don't follow me round like a reporter, if it distracts me it will distract your horse.

 

Our meeting:

Remember it's a 2 way conversation - this is an opportunity to have a conversation with your horse so use it, if the horse talks to you, talk back, this may sound obvious but you be surprised how many people don't. Treat it as there are 3 in the room ask your horse a question, they can understand every word. How they give me the answers can be in very different ways, sometimes it's an emotional response, sometimes it's physical (a pain in my body, to relate to theirs), a picture - this is where I have to play 'catchphrase' and say what I see, sometimes they are very random..... For example I had a horse recently show me a roll of pink bandages to interpret. The owner didn't have pink bandages, the short answer once we worked through the image with the horse - they didn't like their travel boots which is why they had stopped loading, the boots would slip down and the horse would stand on them and panic in the trailer, the horse wanted bandages instead.

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I usually start with a full body scan on your horse which involves me touching and working around the horse detecting old/new injuries, I find this a great starting point to start a conversation with the horse, as horses, like humans, love talking about their aches and pains, and once we have a link we just see where it goes, no two meetings are ever the same.

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Usually the first appointment will take about a hour but it really depends on your horse, could take longer or not so long, some find it very tiring some don't. But I wont be rushed, so if you are in a queue of 5 horses be aware you could be needed 2 hours earlier or 2 hours later, I would rather text you when I start the last horse or when I leave the yard, rather than have you waiting around.

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I will need to link to the horse via touch, so I will need a rug off before we start so I can touch them on the withers and behind where the saddle goes.

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They can eat a haynet

They will need a Headcollar & rope on to start with.

Try not to touch the horse or the feelings I get will be yours as well, so I may pick up your bad back instead of your horses and I'm guessing you already know about that.

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Interact as much as possible

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Please listen to what they say, please see it as a privilege they are opening up you.

Try and act to help them, if they ask for a particular herb or supplement give it to them, little things mean a lot to these neddies.

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Afterwards:

Usually after the first visit your horses can feel relieved, tired, like you do after going round a friends house with a problem and talking it through, you usually feel a lot better afterwards, sometimes theses animals have been keeping this secret for years so they can seem a bit 'washed out' for a few days or else they can go a little hyper as they feel a weight has been lifted, so please be a little more aware. Their behaviour will no doubt change towards you just for helping them, by giving them the opportunity to have their say. Please acknowledge this to them.

 

Any questions or queries you have my number and its on my page.

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Follow up appointments:

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The second and subsequent appointments are usually more straightforward as both you and your horse know what to expect, the horse has usually found their voice and will be expecting me so may have complied their own list by now!

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Again let them know I am coming. Its up to you and your horse how often you want to see me, some have me ever 3 months, some every 6 and some every 12 there is not set time scale, do what suits you.

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You get out of it what you put in.

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