Seventy-Five Twenty-Five: More than a Theory

The following article appeared in the TTeam Connections Newsletter. Here I reiterate what Icelandic Horse Farm owner Robyn Hood claims, that quite often, direct correlation can be made between our own, and our animal’s physical and mental state of being.

I live in Alaska, so the TTeam Connections newsletter, is a lifeline for me. The articles reaffirm what I already know, and also provide much-needed insights. The most timely article ever was Robyn Hood’s article “Seventy Five –Twenty Five. (Volume 10, issue 3, July-September, 2008). Early on in her article, Robyn cites Susan-Faulkner March who writes, “The idea of 75-25 refers to a concept that F.M. Alexander calls “First Pupil, Second Pupil.” Mr. Alexander . . . came to the realization that if he used his own body well when teaching lessons, his pupil’s bodies were more able to release and rebalance.” In other words, a direct correlation can be made between our animals’ actions and reactions and our own physical and mental states of being. Furthermore, the 75-25 ratio indicates that we’ll see major differences in our own, and our animal’s behavior if we are more self-attentive.

A case in point: This past summer I attended a five-day TTeam clinic which was conducted by Mandy Pretty, and held at Bernie Willis’s Wasilla-based Arctic Arrow farm. This was Mandy’s second visit-last year she came did a four-day clinic in Fairbanks, which I also attended. Raudi, then four, was, to put it mildly, a handful. I was eager for Mandy to see the progress we had made in the past year. I’d started her under saddle, and she now knew her basic commands, walk, whoa, over, and stand. I was most proud of the fact that she’d stand, she got this after six months of clicker training. Understand, Raudi is a green horse, and I’m a green rider. But unbeknownst to Mandy, Raudi and I had recently come to an impasse. I suspected, but did not want to believe I was keeping us both from moving forward.

During days one and two of the clinic Mandy did as she did last year, and worked with the eight of us on TTeam and Connected Groundwork exercises. I was then unaware of it, but Mandy was laying the foundation for what was to come. She repeatedly reminded us to breathe and pay attention to our body posture. For example she told us all to stroke the lead line when asking a horse to lift its head, AND at the same time, relax, turn our hips, and slowly walk in the direction we wanted our horse to go. And prior to riding, Mandy set a saddle on top of two hay bales and adjusted us. So it was here that we learned what neutral pelvis felt like, and how to reposition ourselves, should we fall out of it.

I’d signed up for two riding lessons with Mandy. The first, which took place in an arena, ended with me in tears. Raudi shuffled around the arena and focused her attention on Bella, who was in heat. All I, who was thinking of outcome, grew increasingly more tense. I’d hoped that Raudi would tolt, and that all who were watching would oww and aww. It did not help that a bystander suggested to Mandy that I try using spurs. Mandy, ignoring this comment, suggested at the conclusion of the hour, that we try an on-trail lesson.

“Sure,” I choked. I kept what I was thinking to myself, that I feared that Raudi, who too was unfamiliar with the local trail system, would bolt. However, I was not going to pass on this opportunity. Raudi might learn what she now needed to know, how to go down hills in a less pacey fashion, to move fearlessly through puddles, and to move with greater confidence.

When Mandy indicated that it was time for our lesson. I saddled up, and mounted Raudi. Once I was on her, she began bouncing around like a ping pong ball. Mandy, riding Bernie’s Undren, fell in behind me. Minutes later, we came to a mud bog and Raudi lurched to a stop.

“What’s the matter?” Mandy asked.

“Raudi doesn’t like mud bogs,” I said.

“Relax and think forward,” Mandy said.

We turned our heads in the direction of movement. Two ATVs were heading in our direction.

“Raudi doesn’t like ATVs,” I said.

“Relax and think forward,” Mandy repeated.

I ignored her, and did what I figured any sane human should do. I leapt off Raudi, let the four-wheelers pass, and then attempted to get back on her. She spun around and pulled me back in the direction of the clinic site.

“You aren’t going back to Bernie’s are you?” Mandy asked.

“No, no. I’m getting back on her.”

“Here. You get on this horse, and I’ll ride Raudi across the creek.”

This worked. Once on the far side, we swapped back. Raudi resumed her ping pong ball routine. I tensed, and she moved into a fast trot.

“Relax your back. Think neutral pelvis,” Mandy said.

I did as I was told and Raudi slowed to a fast walk.

“Now breathe.” Mandy said.

I inhaled and exhaled slowly. Raudi slowed to a slow walk.

“It works,” said.

“Of course,” Mandy replied.

We continued on. Every time I tensed up, Mandy commanded me to relax. This self monitoring worked so well that by the end of trail ride, I was doing it on my own. And because it worked, I was able to focus my energies on the moment at hand, rather than on the fictive future. Nothing bad was happening, so nothing bad was going to happen. Furthermore, I could, by doing as I was told, get me and my horse safely, from Point A to Point B.

I was eager to put what Mandy taught me to practice, and so, the day following the clinic I went for a ride. I began by pretending that the instructor was behind me, telling me to relax. This worked. We were soon moving at a nice trot, down our favorite wooded trail. The next day, I took Raudi on a five-mile ride, to a place called Grizzly Camp. This ride has several puddle crossings, and a significant downhill stretch. As I had the day before, I repeatedly self-monitored, and put myself back in neutral pelvis. As I later told my husband Pete, for the first time ever, I felt at home on Raudi. The effect was synergistic. We’ve grown more confident together. The adventures and life lessons have continued. One day, on our way up a steep hill, we came to a large overturned tree. Raudi’s head went up, and she hollowed her back. I reached into my pocket, and pulled forth two dinner mints, one for me and one for her. This, along with TTouches on her crest and neck enabled us to walk past the multi-limbed demon.

Reading the 75-25 article confirmed what up until then was an unarticulated thought. Mandy had over time, taught me to both on the ground and in the saddle to use my body to communicate my wishes to my Raudi, and the horse responded in kind. This raised a question. What might I do to further improve the quality of our rides? Every so often, Raudi threw a hop in to the mix when I asked her to trot. Might my getting my core muscles in shape help us both to be better balanced? I began taking a Pilates course, and noticed that we did much better on the days in which I rode immediately after class.

I then got to thinking further. Might Raudi and do even better if I got in better shape? I had nothing to lose by giving this a try. I joined a local gym, and began working with a personal trainer, so as to both increase my strength and build up my endurance levels. I’ve now been at this three weeks, and I have to say that this has making a considerable difference.

Raudi is becoming more light and supple underhand. And I’m way more in tune with my physical self. Even Peaches, my goat, is happier when I milk in neutral pelvis. My experiences have lead me to believe that yes, there is something to this 75-25 dictum, and that it will do us and our animals a world of good if we keep all of the above in mind when working with them.