08/01/2025
2025 marks the 50th Anniversary of the Tellington Method. As we look back at some of the many articles in the archives, it is amazing to see what was happening and how much Linda traveled around the globe.
The "T.E.A.M. (Tellington Equine Awareness Method) Club" newsletter was first published by Colleen Rankin and later taken over by Linda's sister, Robyn Hood, who edited the quarterly until 2017.
These articles offer a fun look at the very beginning of the method as we know it today and really highlights how ahead of its time it was in terms of understanding and working with horses.
Below is an excerpt from one of the earliest issues I could find:
"In November 1981, the second Six Week Professional T.E.A.M. Course was held at the Nacimiento Ranch and Research Center in Paso Robles, California.
There was the frantic last-minute rush of trying to have everything ready and many things were completed the day the students started arriving. Some were returning for the second in the series, so there was also an exciting reunion. The students came from many places, their backgrounds as varied as their origins. This was our student roster:
MARIA BROSCHE – Nuremberg, Germany
(a trainer and riding instructor, specializing in working with handicapped children)
MORTIMER COHEN, V.D.M. – Pittsburgh, PA
(a veterinarian and instructor at U. C. Davis)
CORNELIA DICK-CONTEMPASIS – Freiburg, Germany
(a trainer and riding instructor)
HARRY CONTEMPASIS – Freiburg, Germany
(a farrier and Feldenkrais trainee. NOTE: Harry is originally from New York. He met Cornelia during the 1980 six-week course and they were married in 1981.)
ELINOR ELTER – San Gabriel, California
(a zoology student and a Feldenkrais trainee. Elinor’s first experience with horses was at the 1980 six-week course)
SUSAN GIBSON – Paso Robles, California
(Publisher & Editor of The Trail Blazer, a monthly publication for long-distance trail riders. Susan stopped by the ranch to help with some advertising material, became so interested in the T.E.A.M. work, she immediately signed up)
MARIA HUBER – Wolfach, Germany
(after meeting Linda in Germany, Maria came all the way to California to learn more about the T.E.A.M. work)
KATHERINE MEYER – Unterseen, Switzerland
(a physical therapist)
ROBIN PETERS – Paso Robles, California
(a trainer and riding instructor)
BERND SCHMID – Gross Reden, Germany
(a riding instructor who teaches the Bruns-Behr method for adults. Bernd's wife attended the 1980 six-week course and Bernd won the coin toss this year)
VAL SIVERSTON – Eatonville, Washington
(a trainer and riding instructor. Val is a graduate of Linda's Pacific Coast Equestrian Research Farm and was the organizer of the first six-week program held at Cottonwood Stables in Roy, Washington in December of 1980.)
JUTTA THOERNER – Melle, Germany
(Jutta’s family own one of the largest Arabian breeding farms in Germany. Jutta is responsible for the training and showing.)
JEAN WELCH – Enumclaw, Washington
(an Arabian breeder and a registered nurse)
Our students had some very interesting horses to work during their course (see Case Histories), but that was not the only thing they learned. Each day the students participated in a Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement session. Not only did this give the students a better insight as to how their touch was affecting the horses, but they learned a great deal about themselves. For some of the students, the ATM's became as important as the T.E.A.M. Learning Exercises. (Read about some of the exciting things ATM did for the students elsewhere in this issue.)
Upon completion of the six-week course, students received graduation certificates at a lovely banquet.
A few days later, amid tears and hugs, the students departed. It is so hard to say good-bye, but knowing we will meet again helps.
Things slowed down over the holidays, but right after the first of the year, we were busy again. In January, we packed the Video Tapes and went to Reno for the AERC (American Endurance Ride Conference) Convention. We spent two days showing our tapes, making friends and best of all talking about the T.E.A.M. work.
In February, we took the video to Scottsdale, Arizona for the big Arabian Horse Show. The response was exciting and we had a wonderful time."
