After marrying her riding instructor at age 17, excelling in many equestrian disciplines, running a top riding school, and developing the unique system of TTouch (a system of touches to calm and heal) Linda Tellington Jones is still going strong at age 79, traveling the world to teach and lead her team of instructors.
I met Linda at Equitana, where she has been a regular presenter for many years. Between her demonstrations, talks, and the many people wanting to thank her in person for the difference her work has made for their horse, Linda and I snuck away so I could ask her a few questions to share with you.
In this interview, Linda shares what has driven her lifelong passion for horses, important turning points in her career, and the simple truth of what makes a person good with horses.
30 Responses
Ms. Tellington-Jones is a true blessing for animals and the humans who love them. What a nice interview; her comment about looking at the water glass as half-full is exactly what I would expect from her. I am sending her a huge “heart-hug” and a big “mahalo” for the kindness and knowledge she has shared with people throughout the years.
Thank you for posting your interview with Linda! I really enjoyed hearing what she had to say. I have one of her books but now I want to explore more about her and some of her other books too, like the one she mentioned in this interview. The best part, …approach your horse with gratitude and they will want to be with you. So wish more horse people would approach their relationships with their horses this way. I think it is so eye opening. Thanks!
Allison Bryant
I worked with Linda once at a three day clinic, and it was so wonderful. I have a beautiful, wonderful relationship with my half – Arabian trick horse because of her. She has priceless information for those with time to listen. Read her books! God bless her. Thanks.
Judy Badgett April 8, 2017
Thank you Callie, what an inspiring interview, which has certainly made me want to explore T Touch further to build upon my relationship with my horse.
Linda has given the equestrian world so much insight into the psyche of the horse. When you hit a wall with your horse….go back to Linda. We all must remember that the horse must want to be with us physically, mentally and yes spiritually in some combination to achieve a true partnership. Not only does this avail us to the most connected moments to our horses, it also allows us our most vibrant performances.
Thank you Linda for your continuing contributions!
Barbra Duvall Baker
Callie I am so glad you interviewed Linda Tellington Jones and shared with us. I just ordered the latest book she mentioned. — I too want my horse and I to have the kind of relationship she spoke of. NOT one of human dominance but one where we mutually want to work together.
Thank you for this wonderful post – what a wealth of experience she must have ” at her fingertips’, – this has inspired me to continue with my own massage/body work training & certainly intend to look more into her books, which I hadn’t gotten around to., until now. Thank you again & good luck with your own fantastic work too, Callie..
Beautiful!
Really enjoyed this interview – happy to know Linda Wellington Jones is still actively engaged with life and horses. Old horsewomen never die; they just get better!
Two things Linda said caught my attention. “Attitude of gratitude !” Love it. I thank my horse all the time for trying her best. And I believe it truly encourages her to keep trying.
Also, I just saw a post lately – regardless whether the glass is half full or half empty- it’s refillable!
What a great woman. In fact, two great women in this video.
Thank you Callie for bringing us people we would never have the chance to meet either in person or online. It openes my heart to hear people talk about the feelings of horses or any animals, to be considered. So much all you hear is too bad they have to do this or that. That is one reason I love your programs so much. Will look into her books.
Thank you Callie for sharing this video. I always thank the horse after a ride to show my gratitude as well as consciously sending love to them and I never underestimate the power of touch .. I haven’t been riding that long but so glad I am on the right track. This video with Linda was a treat . Off to buy her book Dressage Body Mind and Soul !
Very inspiring.
OMG!!! Just got the email! I didn’t know she was still around! I owned her retired endurance Morgan Reata until she was 31 and passed. Amazing horse (I adored her) who until her final year loved to go on “walk abouts” on the trails around my home in Placerville!! So looking forward to watching the video 🙂
Cally, thank you sharing the interview and inspiring us again.
I remember after seeing Linda Tellington Jones I couldn’t wait to try out the “small circles touch” on a 6 month Arab filly I just bought (wild as a march hare!). But in a few days, when I was able to get close to her, groom her, and touch her with a softness as I did the circling Ttouch. There was an absolutely amazing change in her entire body…and her eyes became soft! I’ve used many of LindaTellington’s techniques through the years such as the maze of rails on the ground to help horses learn where their feet are, etc. I had this lovely Arab for 24 more years and she turned out to be a real “gem”! Super trail horse! I’d say Linda Tellington Jones had a lot to do with it!
What an experience of a life time for you to have been able to attended this unbelievably educational event!!! I appreciate your sharing this fabulous experience with us!
Judy
Callie…You are in a class with Linda. Your love for the souls of horses (and your own wonderful soul) are infectious. Not to mention your knowledge and ability to clearly/eloquently and interestingly/humorously communicate it. Discovering the CK Training site has been the highlight of 2017 for me so far! I am 70 years old so know what I’m talking about :>). And speaking of cavalries (as per Linda’s husband), although I had always loved horses from a very young age, my first real chance to learn to ride and to get to know the same horse well was my last year in the Marines in 1968 in Quantico Virginia (I was helping to train young officers after I returned from Vietnam), where I took lessons at the remnant stables of the Marine cavalry. I believe they’ve been torn down since. I really got to know my school horse, Eniwetok (named after an Island where the Marines had a battle in WWII) well, and to start to make my horsey dreams come true there. He was a big Gray (a Q horse/TB mix) and a gentle soul always willing to give a newbie rider the benefit of the doubt. My main thing now is simply to spend as much time as I can hanging-out with equine friends, but I don’t do much riding. However, between the CK Training videos, and looming Spring weather, I may just be getting inspired enough to get back in the saddle to keep learning in a more serious way than I have the past few years.
Hi Kent, thank you for your kind words and for sharing your story, they are very appreciated 🙂
lovely to see, has been finally dawning on me, now I KNOW this is THE WAY!
thank you so much for sharing 🙂
Thank you so much! She is a real inspiration to me!
A very generous interview, and thank you for sharing. This is just a small opinion from my perspective, but Linda’s point that horses do not have the same fundamental usages and importance for daily living and society as in ‘her day’ (e.g. the cavalry, getting to school) made me think that this may be one of the reasons that we today can view horses with greater compassion and make friends with them as there is more time for this activity. As a new rider, I am establishing the place of a horse in my life and this interview has relaxed me into a better relationship already! Much appreciated.
I like this view, Alixandra – a good perspective!
Callie,
I thoroughly enjoyed your interview with Linda Tellington-Jones. Before this interview, I knew of her in name only, primarily from listening to Wendy Murdoch discussing her as one of the people she trained with. She is a fascinating and inspirational horse-woman! I love that she approaches life and her horses with a sense of gratitude, and at 79 is still going strong. Thanks for sharing with us.
Callie, Once again you have given us a really important, inspiring, video! Loved this interview! Linda is an amazing person and practitioner.
Callie,
Thank you so much for sharing your interview with Linda. Truly inspiring and heart warming. I could see she was itching to lay her hands on you and when she demonstrated the circles on your arm, I instantly felt sooooooo relaxed and calm. Absolutely incredible. Two fabulous equestrian ladies together. Thanks again Callie.
Kindest regards
Briony x
Glad you enjoyed the interview Briony! It was an honor to meet Linda!
Loved this interview! Thanks, Callie.
Thank you so much for this video. It is indeed inspiring. I shall check out Linda’s work. I am commenting here becaue your work and videos have been and are a huge help to me as I return to riding after an absence of 40 years and then a rather traumatic fall (I am so lucky to have found the right people and the right horse to allow me the space to regain confidence and regain all my love and joy for horses and riding). Your videos are a tremendous help (of all the hundreds of videos I look at, yours stand out as truly accessible and helpful. I had already discovered the importance of the “gratitude attitude” in my life, and it is wonderful to hear this lady talk about it in connection with horses. Thank you for all you do at CRK training to create a better world for us and for our horses.
Great interview. Enjoyed watching and learning. I’m glad to have been introduced to Linda Tellington-Jones!
Thank you so much for sharing this interview, Callie. I did a summer course with Linda Tellington-Jones in California in 1965. This brought back so many good memories, and to hear her now is a real inspiration. Now to read her books…!