13. January 2012 by admin.

Its time to start packing up my cottage and set out for the long drive home.  I am pleased that I have made some headway with the horse book and should have time tomorrow to write some more. I am doing a radio interview with the 3Geese on BBC Radio Bristol on Saturday, working on the yard on Sunday, then heading to London on Monday to see a shelter dog that has a problem in the neck combined with some unwanted behaviours which are limiting her chances of being re homed.

I also need to spend some time on the computer sorting out flights for my upcoming trips and have to see a veterinary specialist with one of my dogs on Tuesday. She was diagnosed with a tumour in the mouth just before Christmas which came completely out of the blue and has been quite a shock and although surgery is a viable option she is almost eleven and I am just not sure whether I can put her through that at her age due to the site of the tumour.  Of course I will discuss all the options before I make up my mind but it’s not going to be straight forward and I hope that I make the right choice for her and not let my own feelings influence my decision.

It’s been wonderful spending some time up here and I met up with two inspiring friends on Sunday who work with animals with physical problems so had a social and educational evening out as well as spending time firmly attached to my keyboard.  The renovations here are coming on well and my interest in another little cottage has got the better of me and I am going to view the property on my way home.

The diary is filling fast and I suspect that 2012 will fly past as quickly as 2011. Christmas already seems a long time ago and I am looking forward to new adventures in the coming year.  Spending my time writing and renovating properties certainly holds a certain appeal but in reality I cannot imagine a time when I don’t do hands on work with animals. It is the best; rewarding on so many levels and the people that I meet are really second to none.

Happy New Year to you all.

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13. January 2012 by admin.

I am up in Suffolk attached to my computer.  Miss Cookie Dough Dynamo is with me and I have actually made good headway with the writing I have come here to do.   It’s the only way that I can have consistent uninterrupted hours and as my cottage is so small I don’t have the usual excuses that stop me committing those first paragraphs or even words to paper as I am highly adept at finding ninety eight things that simply must be done before I can sit down at my desk when I am at home or at the farm.  I remember an author once saying he was always compelled to sharpen a ridiculous amount of pencils before he could start work and I can certainly relate to that.

It’s so peaceful here and I hope that I can really utilise this space.  The challenge is finding a good block of time in my diary to drive up here but this year (and I think I say this every year) I am going to try to pace myself to allow more time to write.

I have however managed to find one small distraction whilst driving to Snape Maltings to take Cookie Dough for a walk.  Property is my other great love and I have discovered a small cottage that is in need of renovation and repair.   Restoring and developing property is not dissimilar to working with animals. You should listen to the owner but make your own observations. You never know what you are going to uncover once you start peeling back the layers. You should always be flexible and be prepared to change your approach. Nothing is ever guaranteed. You should have a game plan but not panic if things don’t go according to plan.  If you focus on building a solid foundation and ensure that the basics are all in tact everything else will naturally fall into place.  You should be prepared to work with qualified professionals where necessary to enable the property to be the best it can be.  And having written this I see that it’s no different at all in fact.

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13. January 2012 by admin.

We are back in London and staying at another of our favourite hotels.  Tony, Emily, Daisy and I attended the premiere of The Iron Lady at the British Film Institute last night which is well worth seeing regardless of your political persuasion as Meryl Streep is phenomenal in the role of Margaret Thatcher.  Tony is also brilliant as Geoffrey Howe and even though we have been together for around 28 years I forgot it was him which is a testament to his superb acting skills. He has already left as he is working on another television project so Daisy and I will head home on the train.

The holidays are definitely over and it’s now back to some serious work as the deadline for the next horse book is looming.  I have more work coming in then I care to think about right now and it will take some good juggling of dates to fit everything in so for now I will enjoy this last hour of luxury free from work stress, mud and animal hair.

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13. January 2012 by admin.

I usually spend the first weeks of January without seeing clients and attempting to catch up with things that have been put on hold for far too long such as updating the websites and writing articles that I have been meaning to do for some time.  This year however, with clients already cuing, I have started work earlier than usual and it is already looking as though my plans to catch up are being thwarted once more.  Of course I have a choice as to whether I see new canine and equine clients but if I know there are animals out there in need of help a new article, or a new layout for the website is always going to take second place.  I am often asked what the most common problems are in the horse and dog clients that I see and although there are indeed issues that I see on a regular basis they usually involve something going on with the neck.  I have written about this before I know but am going to write about this again as the neck is so crucial for movement and well being and when it comes to horses in particular this important part of the anatomy is often over looked when talking about structure and balance.

The horse uses his neck to balance and any tension in the neck will impede the natural movement of the horse.  This is pure mechanics and unless the neck can telescope forward bringing the withers up, the back muscles cannot lengthen and ultimately strengthen.  The power muscles of the hindquarters cannot engage and a host of unwanted behaviours and poor performance is almost guaranteed.

When I look at a horse’s neck I also stand in front of him and note the position of his ears.  If one ear looks further forward or lower there is probably tension around the upper part of the neck.  If he cannot lift through the whither, he will develop incorrect muscles through the bottom line and around the upper part of the neck. There may also be a dip in the top line in front of the shoulder and this is often accompanied by muscle loss around the back of the shoulders.  Bracing muscles develop in front of the shoulder and the horse will usually be on the forehand because mechanically he does not have any choice. Tension around the base of the ears will also link to how the horse is working under saddle and most horses stand with their neck off to the left due to the habitual movement of the horse and our own habitual handling of him.

Some horses panic when you ask them to take their neck to the centre and become more tense in hand or under saddle. They often start rushing or find it hard to move off from the leg and one horse that I was working with my colleague Tina Constance actually took off when we asked her to straighten her neck. We used to use two lines attached to the head collar for horse’s that are crooked so that we can support them on one side but I have adapted this and now use a sliding line so that I can remove it quickly if the horse panics.  I can also gently vibrate the line by slowly moving it back and forward through the ring on the side of the head collar which encourages the horse to lower his head and start lengthening the neck.

None of this is rocket science.  It is fact and I do get demoralised when even well meaning people say that a horse that is muscled so incorrectly is simply ‘trying it on’ when he tires under saddle or cannot round over the jumps and so on.  

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13. January 2012 by admin.

Christmas was utterly perfect.  Our family festivities started on Christmas Eve afternoon with a visit to the Colston Hall in Bristol to watch Coram Boy. We also took my mother in law Helen, whom I adore, and the production was outstanding.  The play was directed by Melly Still, the director of the sold out production at the National Theatre, and it was one of the best pieces of theatre I have ever seen. With a cast of 140, a full orchestra and choir, the audience was taken on an emotional and, at times gut wrenchingly powerful journey through a period in history when babies born out of wedlock were left dying on the London streets and slavery was rife.  Not your average Christmas show for sure but Emily was incredible in the role of Melissa and I have a rekindled love for Handel’s Messiah.

Last night was spent in London at a party near the Thames and we stayed in the Haymarket Hotel close to Trafalgar Square.  We don’t usually do much for New Year’s Eve as I personally dislike seeing the end of what is usually a wonderful year but we had decided to accept an invitation from friends a few months earlier and I am so thrilled that we went.  There were so many people that we hadn’t seen for a while and being in London was jolly good fun.  Until the walk back to the hotel that is.  I was wearing lowish heels (as far as the fashion industry and my daughters are concerned) but given that I spend most of time in my outdoor Uggs or my Ariats, they were HIGH.

We had walked along the embankment watching the crowds congregating along the river in sight of the London Eye and the atmosphere was great. Personally I am not sure that I could ever be motivated to sit in a London gutter in the rain just to see some albeit spectacular fireworks some four hours on but it was nice being a part of the build up for a while.  We spent several hours at the party chatting and cheering in 2012 and decided to leave around 1.30am.  The walk had been effortless on the way to the do, but after five hours my feet were beginning to hurt.  I would have taken my shoes off but the crowds of jolly families waiting to ring in a bright New Year had dissipated leaving the hard core drinkers staggering around in their wake.  The streets were littered with vomit and broken glass and our passage was slowed by staggering drunks. It was gross. By the time we got back to our hotel I was crippled. My feet were on fire and I figured this must be the closest a human can get to experiencing the pain of laminitis.  I could barely put one foot in front of each other by the end of the walk and although Tony was being thoughtful in offering a supporting arm he kept taking me across cobbled areas which was making it worse!  I have never been so thrilled to see Landseer’s Lions in my life.

My feet still hurt this morning and my hips are now giving me grief as well. I am not even old but am clearly well past it on the party stakes.  Unless I wear flip flops of course.   If I was a horse I think I would probably be put to sleep as I can barely move.  Thankfully we decided to bring my truck up to town so I only have to shuffle round the corner to the car park and enjoy a leisurely drive home.

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22. December 2011 by admin.

It’s nearly Christmas! Hurrah!!!!! I love this time of year.  The presents are all wrapped and either delivered or placed under our trees and the house is pretty well organised.  I really enjoy the build up to Christmas Day and am looking forward to seeing Emily in Coram Boy on Christmas Eve afternoon.  We will then all head home, lock the door and settle down for a family evening finishing off the preparations for Christmas Day.

I have had a truly extraordinary year again and have made many new friends as well as working with people that I have met over the years who inspire and humble me with their dedication to make the world a better place for animals.  To all of those working in animal rescue that I have had the privilege to meet over the past twelve months, in a climate where welfare issues  are on the increase and funding is at an all time low, stay strong and keep up the brilliant work. Helping an animal will not change the world as we all know but it will change the world for every animal that finds his/her way to you.

There is nothing more to add now apart from to wish the Tilley Farm Blog readers a very Happy Christmas.  I wish you all success in everything that you do. I hope the coming year will bring you everything that you deserve and work so hard to achieve.

Thank you Liz for posting this blog and for keeping our websites up to date.  Your help and support is greatly appreciated.

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22. December 2011 by admin.

The Inbetweeners won an award for Outstanding Achievement at the Comedy Awards which was televised tonight.  It is a well deserved award as the film broke UK box office records for a British Comedy and the series has been hugely successful as well. Emily is currently in rehearsal for Coram Boy, Tony is working on a new series and Tony, Daisy and I met up in London to watch a private screening of Endeavour which airs on ITV in the New Year.  The show is a prequel to the wonderful Inspector Morse series and Daisy has a small part in the pilot episode so the year ends on a good note for my wonderful family.

It has been a great year with lots of travel for me and the diary is filling already with oversees trips next year.  We are all so lucky to be successful in jobs that we all adore.

I spent two days on a dog seminar at the beginning of the week with the gifted and inspiring Roger Abrantes.  Roger is a well known dog trainer and behaviourist and also works with horses. He is a very entertaining speaker and the two day seminar was information and great fun.  I love learning as much as I adore teaching and it was great packing to spend a night away without being under any obligation or dragging training equipment along with me!

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22. December 2011 by admin.

I had another lovely interview with David the Dogman for Radio Europe today talking about dogs and horses.  David’s daughter Sara has a horse and we have had a lengthy talk about her horse on the phone and David is a great advocate for understanding behaviour in all animals.  The show is co-hosted by a vet who works at a large practice local to the radio station and we are now hatching plans to organise a two day TTouch seminar/workshop at the veterinary centre working with all animals including horses as the centre is attached to a large equestrian establishment.  As it is freeeeeezing here a weekend in Spain holds a certain appeal although I do love these cold frosty mornings.

As my schedule is quieting down a little our December routine involves an early morning dog walk after bringing the Shetland Pony in from his over night paddock, feeding cats and donkeys and then strolling around our fields with our three older dogs before heading back to the house to give them breakfast after liberating the donkeys from their stables.  I leave the donkeys in eating breakfast whilst we walk the dogs around the fields as donkeys don’t do dogs and I certainly wouldn’t trust Miss Poppy in the company of our dear old deaf dog Ginny who is ending the year fit and well despite starting the year having seizures.  That dog is a walking miracle for sure.

Miss Poppy is hilarious and is a bold and mischievous donkey. She is highly intelligent and when she causes trouble (which she is prone to do at times) it is because she is too darned clever for her own good and gets bored.  So many horses and dogs that have high intelligence are labelled as difficult because they get easily frustrated so if you are suffering with an intelligent horse through the shorter days it is well worth teaching your horse some clicker training techniques that will give him/her some necessary mental stimulation if stabled for long periods of time through the winter.  Poppy is suffering from Cobblers Child Syndrome so I am going to start clicker training her over the next couple of months.  I think she will take to it really quickly and I am sure she will provide some good entertainment as she starts getting the idea!

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4. December 2011 by admin.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmaaaaaas!  Our trees are up at home and Daisy is decorating the house whilst I work on the yard today. 

My friend Karen Bush has called in for a visit to exchange Christmas presents and to talk about a new horse book we are writing together and she has also given me a copy of her great new book entitled The Horse rider’s Hacking Handbook which will make excellent Christmas presents for some of my friends.

We have another new arrival on the yard in the (small) shape of a miniature Shetland who will winter here with us as he has come in from the RSPCA and needs a little work. He is tiny and very cute. Myrtle is quite taken with him and as he is a stallion he is naturally quite taken with her!

I have had some beautiful new post and rail fencing put in and although the mud is disgusting the farm is looking very lovely. If I didn’t own the land I would be suffering from paddock envy right now.  A beautiful buzzard was flying over the fields this morning and with the bulk of my work now done for the year I am looking forward to a quiet few weeks writing a book on the Difficult Horse with Karen, enjoying the peace here at the farm and revelling in the build up to Christmas which I thoroughly enjoy.

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4. December 2011 by admin.

A great result in court today.  Hurrah.  Another case resolved without having to put down a lovely family dog. Holland was brilliant and I had a truly wonderful time sharing my knowledge with 65 participants. I worked with a wonderful ex-police dog called Bullet who was a perfect demo dog.  He lives with someone who has been on the equine trainings with me here in the UK and she has already posted some wonderful feedback on the FB page about the change in Bullet and his relationship with her cat and Icelandic horses.  I always write this I know but I am so very very lucky to do the work that I do.  I stayed with my good friend Wilma who runs a small shelter near Amsterdam and at the end of the seminar we called in to her shelter so that I could see the dogs and cats that are in her care.  We walked into the staff kitchen and there were two small white dogs in a basket that shot under the table growling and barking when we opened the door.  It was the most bizarre situation as I recognised the dogs!  I had been shown a video of two street dogs rescued by a charity in Bulgaria in September when I was on a plane heading out to Latvia and they were the same dogs.

I sat on the floor and used treats to help them overcome their fear of me.  The little male dog was bolder than the female and took the treats but the female was too scared initially.  She sat at a distance and watched me as I started to use TTouch on her little friend.  She stared intently at my hand as I was doing small circular movements on the little body of her companion and then stared me straight in the eye.  Slowly she crept towards me watching my hand and then looking up into my eyes.  She was so, so sweet.  She got closer and closer and put her little paw on my hand as I worked on the boy. She kept her paw on my hand and looked at me again and this for sure was an invitation for me to work on her as well.  As I started to work on her she melted, and leant right up against my side with her head tipped back so she could continue to look me straight in the eye.  It was an incredible moment and Wilma and I spent quite some time working with both of them. Yup - I REALLY REALLY love the work that I do.

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