ON THE ROAD AGAIN
I started this Newsletter in Czech Republic last, did some of it in Sweden and London over the week and am rushing through it now that I am back in Czech all within seven days. My idea of a summer break used to be just to kick back in the sand, swim a little, sunbathe a lot, catch up with an old friend or two, things have sure changed since I found ET, or should I say since all of you found it.
Wednesday we were in Prague, boy has this city changed since it entered the EEC, and not for the better, expensive especially at the airport, terrible food, and high prices. Thursday we start teaching in Sweden, Sunday lunchtime we flew out to Gatwick and drove through heavy traffic to meet up with Kelly Marks and Monty Roberts in Windsor for afternoon tea, and a very interesting chat which will ultimately help ET throughout the world. -------- perhaps we will make plans for a holiday next year.!!!!!! The UK is going great guns just now with the new NCC operation and IETA working full time at creating new standards of professionalism for everyone, and keeping Ivana and I busy.
The summer is proving quite interesting however, the book 'The Equine Touch' is completed and in the first stage of publishing. I would like to thank all of you who sent in stories which are of course half of the book. Unfortunately some of the photos sent in we could not use due to the quality when transferred. But it is completed and will be available, we hope, by the end of August. The book is designed for ET students as well as practitioners of The Equine Touch, it contains a few chapters in the life of ET as well as stories from students and clients from all over the world along with published articles from the Natural Horse Magazine. I sincerely hope you like it. As soon as it is available and we have a price for it we will let you know.
When we return to Czech we will be starting to work on the dissection clinic. Ivana has been in touch with the University and the pathology department will be contacting her as soon as some poor horse has to be put to sleep. Access to this facility is definitely going to help her make an outstanding success of her dissection clinics when they start next year. Emma Overend and the NCC in UK are working at securing a venue and as soon as everything is locked in there we will let you all know. We are also looking at holding these dissection clinics in Australia, New Zealand and the USA. As details and dates become more clear we will of course let you know.
After promising you all for several years (and not delivering), I am now being emotionally blackmailed by some of you into writing a 'stretching and mobilization' manual. I had always hoped to bring this in to Level 4 but time never allowed for it. So what we will be doing is teaching interested Instructors the 'Equine Touch' way, so that they can hold a one day stretching clinic for those who are interested. In the UK this class will also be submitted for national accreditation.
Jock
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A LOVELY BRUMBY ET STORY FROM WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
In 2005 I was living in Margaret River and became aware of the rescue of some wild horses from Earaheedy Station. After following the story of the first rescue for several months I contacted some work colleagues who I knew had been involved in the process, Katherine and Kevin Waddington and arranged to go and view some of these horses. Being a devout Arabian “fan” and I was totally unprepared for the amazingly positive impact that the heritage brumbies had upon me. Between the experience of Orange Grove Pony Club, and my Uncle who bred racing Thoroughbreds, I was completely surprised by these large, elegant moving, calm horses. I had expected that the “wild” horses would be treated more cautiously than they actually were – my point of reference being the more highly strung breeds in the showing and racing industries.
The clearest memory I have of that first point of contact with these beautiful horses was their eyes. Deep, dark, watchful pools of calm set in proud, beautiful faces. I was about to move towns, start a new job and actually had nowhere to keep a horse, but I found myself talking to those involved in the rescue with a definite intention to somehow make one of my childhood dreams come true and have a “silver brumby” of my own.
I was devastated the day that I was advised that the recon trip prior to the second rescue on Earaheedy Station had not gone well, without any horses sighted amidst the severity of the drought and de-stocking programs. I couldn't’t believe, after the emotional roller coaster ride I had been through to arrive at making the decision to take on a rescued horse, that I would miss out. Thankfully things did not turn out that way and Earaheedy Sophie came into my life, one of the two young fillies found under a tree, to weak to run away. Sophie’s mother, had died stuck in the mud at Spider Dam. Somehow this tiny little filly had managed to survive, escaping the muddy death, climbing out of the dam and finding a friend (possibly half sister).
Some friends had purchased property near the town I had moved to – Nannup – and the problem of where Sophie would live was solved. Sophie and Lilly spent six months recovering under the care of Outback Heritage Horse Association of WA members before parting when Sophie moved to her new home.
Now rising three, Sophie does have some permanent knee damage due to being compromised so early in her development, combined with what would have been an enormous struggle out of the muddy “dam”. Because of ET practitioner’s Mary Hitchcock’s commitment to working with the rescued heritage brumbies, Sophie has been the beneficiary of Equine Touch sessions and I have undertaken Level 1 Equine Touch. Still perfecting my technique Sophie is a willing recipient of that learning process!
The most amazing part of Sophie’s story however is her emotional journey. For two years she carried a haunted look in her eye, carried her neck in a low, hunched manner and was detached – from humans and other horses alike. Equine Touch has definitely helped release a significant amount of toxicity, stress and (to whatever degree horses carry it) her emotional baggage.
What has made the most incredible difference however is having been reunited with Lilly. Having lost her mother at such a young age, and then being separated from Lilly, it seemed Sophie’s detachment was associated with issues resulting from loss. Since the reunion Sophie has acted like a young, carefree horse. It is a joy to see my beautiful “silver brumby” finally content and free.
Early in June 2008 Mary once again visited Nannup and did a more advanced session of ET with Sophie. Mary noted that Sophie seemed to use her tail to help her balance far more than other horses and performed some ET moves to address this. Mary deduced that the overuse of Sophie’s tail was to compensate for her injured knee. Sophie has always been sensitive to her tail being touched, tensing up and locking it in. The mobility in Sophie’s tail is now amazing! Her tail seems longer on account of newly relaxed muscles and vertebrae, she walks more freely and gallops around with a great deal more confidence and a markedly higher tail carriage.
Equine Touch has had an amazing impact on Sophie’s quality of life and as a devotee of ET I plan on continuing to share the benefits of ET with future rescued heritage brumbies Between ET, working full time and being one of the Association’s fundraising and sponsorship officers live is busy, but I always have time to talk about the marvel that is Equine Touch.
Jock's Comments: This is a wonderful story, when you look at the two horses on the right and then look back at the two miserable, starving youngsters in the first photos you do not need words to tell you that this is what Equine Touch is all about. Whenever I feel like packing in and going back to the beach it is stories like this that make me know that what we are doing is so worthwhile, so I guess you'll all have me hanging around and grumping away for some time to come. the rest of you get these stoties in to us. No fiction advertising or bullshit can make they heart cry the way the truth can, and make us truly realize just how great a gift ET is for the horse.
For Jock and Ivana's confirmed 2008 September to December tour dates, venues and contacts just click on this link: Jock and Ivana's 2008 Tour
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