TRT method- anyone had success with it?

[I don’t like mondays]

Hi
So has anyone used the TRT groundwork method for an anxious/reactive horse and had success with it? I’ve signed up and have started the patterns and my horse has responded extremely well to the patterns and he finds the relaxation and it seems to really calm him (while we are doing the patterns). So far I’m feeling really hopeful that this could help him learn to manage his emotions and his reactions but I’m confused as to how and why it works. I don’t understand how teaching the relaxation and pressure release can help when you take it out of context? Thanks in advance

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Lots of people really rate it! I signed up but couldn't watch any of the videos because buffering!! I mentioned it to them as it was completely pointless but was never offaly sort of refund so a waste of money for me!!

 

[planete]

I have only seen a few short clips on Youtube so my understanding may be sketchy. The little I saw it was just a way of making the horse disengage from the environment and concentrate on the handler as well as pre-empting an unwanted reaction by making him move his feet in a way that makes it awkward to overreact (you can't run away when you are suddenly having your head bent towards a solid wall and your hindquarters are swinging out).

 

[Laafet]

Mine hated the basic patterns, but as we have gone through the course is definitely getting the benefits of it. The most useful thing I have taught her so far is the drawing towards me - the park. Recently I had to get off on a hack which was not planned. She's 16hh plus an a fairly newly out of racing TB. I am rubbish at mounting from the ground. I found a small bank only a few inches off the road and stood on that, she started to move away, I asked her to draw to me and she did and stood like a rock while I clambered on. All thanks to our work with the TRT stuff.
I will do more work before we start going out again to help her. I did loads before I first started taking her out and found that having a routine to go through helped her cope with all the new venues we went to. She remained calm and focused.

 

[Shoei]

It has made a huge difference to my neurotic and at times dangerous horse! My husband paid for the life membership for my birthday after I came home in tears one day and it has completely changed the way we work together!

The online community is also really helpful and supportive

 

[I don’t like mondays]

It has made a huge difference to my neurotic and at times dangerous horse! My husband paid for the life membership for my birthday after I came home in tears one day and it has completely changed the way we work together!

The online community is also really helpful and supportive

That’s a good endorsement, and amazing it helped your horse that much. I’ve had a particularly bad day with my horse today, it feels like I’m running out of options so would be great if this could help him

 

[I don’t like mondays]

My horse isn’t sellable (due to having had KS surgery) and there are times that I don’t enjoy having him because he’s so challenging at times on the ground :-( We’re stuck with each other so something needs to change (plus he’s borderline dangerous when he gets upset). I tried an expert to help with loading but that went so badly wrong (he was heavy handed and tied my horse directly to a metal ring) so my horse is mentally in a much worse state so I don’t feel I can trust anyone coming out to help with him

 

[Shoei]

Definitely have a look at the free videos available on YouTube so you get a feel of what it's like. I then started working on the steps once I'd got the membership because I could rewatch and he works with a couple of different horses showing their reactions.

He even did a foal work session recently which will be great as I have a new foal coming once weaned so I will use TRT from the very start for all his education

 

[I don’t like mondays]

Definitely have a look at the free videos available on YouTube so you get a feel of what it's like. I then started working on the steps once I'd got the membership because I could rewatch and he works with a couple of different horses showing their reactions.

He even did a foal work session recently which will be great as I have a new foal coming once weaned so I will use TRT from the very start for all his education

How long did it take for the ground work to positively influence your horse’s behaviour? Thanks

 

[Shoei]

Literally straight away.

I'm not saying he is a Saint my any means but he just 'got it' and he deals with things in a much more normal way.

A good example is that I worked on him with an umbrella. Previously, having seen an umbrella he bolted and jumped a 5 1/2 ft fence. I did the groundwork exercise then got the umbrella out, let him investigate, rubbed him all over with it, led him around with it. This was about 3 days in!

 

[Slightlyconfused]

My sister backed her horse with the trt method. With no school in a feild. Brilliant method

 

[I don’t like mondays]

Thank you Shoei and Slightly Confused. That’s exactly what I need to hear today (had a bad morning with my boy; he’s now terrified of the school). I’m going to stop all riding and lunging etc and focus completely on groundwork for a week or two to see if that helps. So far he seems to have responded really well to the patterns (when he’s in his safe area- his field)

 

[JackFrost]

IDLM - I am interested in this thread, considering signing up, so would love to hear how you are getting on.
Is it difficult to do ? - I mean for the human, not the horse, if the human is also clumsy and disengaged from their body ?

 

[I don’t like mondays]

IDLM - I am interested in this thread, considering signing up, so would love to hear how you are getting on.
Is it difficult to do ? - I mean for the human, not the horse, if the human is also clumsy and disengaged from their body ?

There are free videos on YouTube that give you an idea of what it’s all about so I started off with them before joining. So far I’m really impressed and I’m not that coordinated but the patterns are easy to do (backing up, turning the hind legs which is a turn on the forehand). Not sure if it’ll help my horse to be more relaxed in the face of pressure (he’s quite a challenge) but so far we are both enjoying it. There’s an online forum too where people help each other. The online paid for course has loads of content including double lunging, piaffe in hand, teaching flying changes etc so if you master the groundwork there’s dressage content too

 

[JackFrost]

There are free videos on YouTube that give you an idea of what it’s all about so I started off with them before joining. So far I’m really impressed and I’m not that coordinated but the patterns are easy to do (backing up, turning the hind legs which is a turn on the forehand). Not sure if it’ll help my horse to be more relaxed in the face of pressure (he’s quite a challenge) but so far we are both enjoying it. There’s an online forum too where people help each other. The online paid for course has loads of content including double lunging, piaffe in hand, teaching flying changes etc so if you master the groundwork there’s dressage content too

Thank you so much IDLM. He is a bit of a showman and makes it look so easy. I see there's also a 7 day trial.
I will have a look at the prices (gulps ?!)

 

[Shoei]

One of the first things that I took away is to look at your own 'energy' you give off. I'm quite a stressy, high energy person and if I am like this with my horse he becomes quite reactive. I have to really focus on my breathing and behaviour when I am stressed. There is a reason Tristan speaks in such a chilled out manner he occasionally puts me to sleep lol

 

[I don’t like mondays]

One of the first things that I took away is to look at your own 'energy' you give off. I'm quite a stressy, high energy person and if I am like this with my horse he becomes quite reactive. I have to really focus on my breathing and behaviour when I am stressed. There is a reason Tristan speaks in such a chilled out manner he occasionally puts me to sleep lol

That is so true and a good point. I definitely need to be mindful of my own energy (esp when my horse plays up so I don’t get nervous or frustrated)