Passing Parelli Level 1

This is a follow up to my post Parelli Level 1 - What Do You Learn? because I forgot to tell you how I passed my Level 1!

Mocha and I are the 4th horse/rider pair from the left with Terry Wilson (in yellow) standing next to us.

The opportunity to participate in a clinic with 3-Star Parelli Professional Terry Wilson came up.  He was offering two clinics: basic Level 1 and Advanced Level 1/Beginning Level 2.  

At that time Level 1 had riding in it and the Audition (then called an Assessment) included 21 minutes of trotting!  I hemmed and hawed with where I was at, if I was good enough to take the Adv. L1/L2 clinic or if I should stick to the safe route and go with the basic L1.

With the support of my mentor I chose to go for the more advanced course.  It was perfect for where Mocha and I were at.

We learned so much but I still didn't feel ready to do my Level 1 Assessment.  At that time Parelli Instructors could do live assessments in the field with students so most of the clinic participants signed up to assess with Terry.

I watched person after person go before Terry with their horse and perform a lengthy list of tasks both on the ground and under saddle.

I wasn't ready so I just stayed in the background watching, wishing I was good enough.

At the end of the weekend Terry came up to me and asked why I hadn't assessed with everyone else.  I told him that Mocha and I still had things to work on and it wasn't perfect.  I needed to practice a lot more.

He smiled and then handed me my red string.  "Congratulations," he said, "I saw you playing and riding during the clinic.  You and Mocha should be ready to pass your Level 3 in a few months, you are more than ready for your red string.  Don't doubt yourself so much."

I was thrilled, flattered, and feeling a little undeserving but trusted Terry's judgement of my skills.  It was a big lesson for me in a lot of ways.  

First, assessing for your Level doesn't mean that you and your horse are perfect.  An Audition is all about showing your savvy and ability to problem solve, it's not about having each task PERFECT.  If you were perfect you'd be Pat Parelli.

Second, I learned to believe in myself a little more.  Fear and doubt will hold you back, so trust the process, trust yourself, trust your horse and take chances.  This is true for all areas of life.

With that, I was the proud owner of a bright red Level 1 string and a clear vision of where to go next in my horsemanship.  Level 2! 

Stay tuned for my Level 2 journey!  In the mean time check out my Facebook page for daily tidbits, fun photos, and inspiration! 

Since my Level 1 Audition was live I have a fun Level 1 Audition from my little friend Tristan.  He filmed this just days after his 5th birthday with my Levels horse, Aspen. :)

Parelli Level 1 - What Do You Learn?

For me, the Parelli Levels Program is THE most important part of Parelli.

It is the ultimate step-by-step pathway to truly understanding how your horse thinks and how you can bring out the best in him.  Naturally and without you even knowing it, the Levels Program will cause you to become who your horse needs you to be so that you may earn the role of herd leader.

This is the first in a series of posts, I'm going to be writing 4 blogs, one for each Level I have completed and share a little about that journey.

So, this post is all about Level 1.  The MOST important Level.

By the time you complete Level 4 you will realize that everything you needed to know you learned in Level 1.  Level 4 is simply Level 1 with excellence.

Here is a very brief overview of my horse experience before I began Level 1:

I got into horses as a very young child (around 2.5 years old) as I needed lots of physical therapy for various balance, strength, and sensory perception issues I had as a child.  My love of horses was born, a passion unlike any other was ignited inside me.

At 14 I had saved enough money to buy a horse and got involved with horses in a very "normal and traditional" way.  I worked at various barns cleaning stalls and riding my horse as often as I could.  Eventually I started volunteering at an off-track Thoroughbred barn and got into jumping.  Between 14 and 19 I learned a lot about how to make horses do things.   There wasn't a horse I was afraid of, nor was there a horse I couldn't find a way to make do what I wanted, whether it was bigger bits, tighter nose bands, or sedatives.  It didn't always feel good but I thought it was the only way to be with horses.

Enter one inspiring woman and her Parelli Levels horse at my new barn, playing at Liberty on a beautiful summer afternoon.  I was awed, dazzled, and totally hooked.

Under her tutelage I began Level 1 with my young, off-track Thoroughbred gelding (I now know he was a Left Brain Extrovert).  He was fast, dominant, pushy, opinionated, and mesmerizing.  He was like a Ferrari and I was in love.

Mocha, my first Levels horse, winning at Emerald Downs in Washington!

Everything he did I thought was beautiful and fancy, even if it was actually dangerous.  My new mentor, Terry, quickly made it clear to me he was not always to be admired, he needed to be controlled.

It was unacceptable for him to drag me along behind him, head braced in the halter and bearing down on the lead rope so that he towed me along like a skier.  It was also unacceptable for him not to stop when I was riding, to buck in the canter, to paw, to invade my space, to bite and mouth me, knock my hat off, head butt me, wiggle and twist, and the list went on.

Mocha being silly, as usual!

Terry loaned me all the gear I needed to get started: a Parelli rope halter, 12' line, and a Carrot Stick and Savvy String.  Gone was my buttery soft leather halter and flimsy white cotton lead.

I now had a rope long enough to hang myself with and a giant, stiff whip that I was sure was meant to trip me or my horse (or poke our eyes out) at any given moment.

With Terry at the helm of my transformation I was ready to become a natural horseman!

15 Things To Do With Your Horse in 15 Minutes or Less!

We all lead busy lives, sometimes we only have a few minutes to spend with our horses.  It never feels like enough time.  Many of us will just bypass our available time thinking, what's the point?

I am here to tell you that even just 15 minutes MATTER!  Here are some ideas of things you can do with your horse when you only have a short while.

The important thing to remember is that each of these things take time!  Don't rush it!  Use your 15 minutes wisely by looking for small improvements and finding a good stopping place.  Don't expect perfection or get into a battle with your horse that you can't win, especially with limited daylight to burn.  Know that each of your short sessions are investments in your horse's future as the partner you've always dreamed of!

I highly recommend reading this second post about how you should be spending your time with your horse.  It's a short and sweet post- and will help put into perspective

1. Observe your horse in his pasture or stall, see what kinds of things he does when he's with other horses or alone.  Is he busy?  Is he quiet?  Did he notice your arrival?  Did he greet you?  The power of observation should not be underestimated.  Ask any great horseman how many hours they have spent watching horses in herds, in the wild, in their own in their backyard...
2. Take some time to sit quietly in your horse's personal space, this is undemanding time.  Be there for him if he'd like to come up for scratches or pets, and if he doesn't don't worry!  He values this time with you whether it is interactive or you are simply respecting his desire to maintain a larger personal space.  Horses hang out together A LOT, if we're trying to integrate ourselves into their "inner circle" of trusted herd mates then we should take some time to hang out with them too!
3. Groom them!  Check them over for bumps, scrapes, burs, ticks, dirt - whatever!  Gently detangle manes and tails, use soft, real horse-hair brushes to stimulate circulation and bring the oils up out of the skin and into the coat for a nice shine.  
4. Halter with savvy!  Does your horse put his head in the halter or does he stand perfectly still or even look away?  This is an area you can develop your horse's confidence as well as yielding to a feel (Friendly & Porcupine Games).  Teach your horse to put his head down and toward you, to seek the noseband of the halter.  Got kids?  Teach your horse to halter at their height (from your knees).
5. Develop your horse's hoof skills.  How responsive is your horse when you ask him to pick up his feet?  Teach him to do it from the snap of your fingers, a tap to the leg, a light squeeze of the chestnut, a tug to the fetlock - however you want to do it practice refining it!  Horses that have issues with their feet usually have some trust and/or respect issues with the human.  Take this time to see how your horse feels about yielding his only system of defense to you.  Giving one of your feet, your method of fight or flight, over to a predator is a BIG DEAL!  Don't take it lightly and respect how your horse feels.  Practice getting them holding their own feet up, simulate hammering on shoes (with you hand or rubber mallet), or putting them on a hoof-stand.
6. Bridling!  Same as haltering - is your horse bridling himself or do you have to bridle him?  Use cookies in your hand beneath the bit or molasses on the bit to invite your horse to take it voluntarily into his mouth.  Cause your idea to bridle to become your horse's idea by making this a fun, rewarding experience for your horse.  Keep this progressive by giving treats not just when he takes the bit, but let him take it and then treat afterward.  Then less and less.  It's not about bribing him with cookies to bridle, it's about giving him a reason to put that piece of metal in his mouth and feel good about it.
7. Get creative with teaching your horse to yield to a feel, the Porcupine Game.  Can you lead by the ear, lip, tongue, mane, tail, nostril, leg, hoof, from a neck or flank rope, or...?  Develop this over time so your horse maintains his confidence while you teach him new and interesting things.
8. Use simulations to get your horse thinking!  How can you simulate clippers, horse trailers, saddling, mounting, birds flying out of the bushes, etc. by yourself in 15 minutes?  Get a pedestal or object (even a paper plate) for your horse to put his feet on - something he has to do to get in a trailer, get an electric toothbrush for your clippers, get a plastic bag on a stick for your bird, get creative and use approach and retreat with rhythm and relaxation to help teach your horse to be a confident puzzle solver.
9. Heard of the Parelli Patterns?  In 15 minutes you can play one or even two of the patterns with huge success!  Aim to improve it each session with SADDLE.  A little more Speed, Accuracy, Distance (from your horse), Distance (you can go), Lightness, or Expression.  Read more about Lillan Roquet's SADDLE concept in the February 2014 issue of the Savvy Times!
10. On that note heard of the Parelli 7 Games?  Same as with the Patterns - pick any Game, get creative, and improve it with one of the SADDLE choices at a time.
11. Get savvy with Saddling.  What does your horse think about the saddle, let alone what he thinks about you putting it on him?  Go on, drag it out, put it down on the ground and send your horse to it.  Does he shy from it?  Hold his breath?  Try to attack it?  Ignore it?  Read his feedback and go from there.  Get him comfortable with your saddle on the ground before you offer to put it on his back.  Practice your technique and form, can you put it on your horse without the stirrup or billets smacking him on the side as you swing it over?  Does he move his feet?  Is he relaxed?  Practice saddling with quality in mind - quality of your horse's physical, mental, and emotional responses.
12. Get your horse and mosey!  Go for a walk!  Take him somewhere to graze.  Explore his thresholds and confidence around your property.  If it's hot, take him to shade.  If it's raining, bring him in the barn and let him dry out for a bit while you feed him some treats.  Herds travel together - even if you can only travel for 15 minutes, teach your horse that just because you catch him (and maybe even saddle him if you're ambitious) it doesn't mean you're going to get on!  It may mean a grazing extravaganza.... at least for a few minutes!
13. Practice your Mounting and Dismounting.  You don't even have to saddle!  Teach your horse to pick up up from fences, stumps, mounting blocks, etc.  Once you get on have him hurry up and do nothing!  Dismount smoothly, safely.  Do you know where your reins, hands, eyes, feet, and hips should be while you get on and off?  Is there a brace in your horse anywhere when you are getting up and down?  Assess him for pain, tightness, fear, relaxation, confidence, and willingness.  Does he want you to get on?  If he doesn't, practicing your skills and reward him for his efforts to be your partner.  This will help him realize you are doing this for and with him, not to him!
14. So now you're on - saddled or not - do you know your rein positions and techniques?  You can do this in your rope halter or bridled - lateral flexion, direct rein, indirect rein, jingle bell rein, suspension rein, casual to concentrated, California roll... the list goes on!  Get handy with these with your eyes open and closed, feel for a quality and positive reflex in your horse.  Another great benefit of this is that your horse will realize just because you get on doesn't mean it's going to be work, work, work.  This can be fun and relaxing for both of you!
15. Find your horse's itchy spots - and scratch them!  If your horse doesn't have any it may be that he just hasn't revealed them to you yet.  Earn his trust and confidence and all of a sudden some itchy spots will magically appear!

All of these ideas will help you build your foundation and your relationship.  The next time you do have a full hour or two to ride and play with your horse you will reap the benefits of all the extra moments you spent with your horse.

Teaching something new with a few extra minutes!

Going for a mosey on a day I didn't have time to ride.

Hanging out builds Rapport.  Rapport, Respect, Impulsion, Flexion...

Investing my time wisely has created a relationship with Aspen where she will leave her friends and grass and meet me in a 100 acre pasture on her own!

WHY Should I Do Parelli Natural Horsemanship If I'm Not Having Problems?

Here's a great Q&A from Parelli Natural Horsemanship!  Why should you do Parelli if you're not having any problems at all with your horse?

"I have a 3 horse step up, slant load trailer. My horses load and unload great. They walk in, with me by their side. I hook them up, say "get over", they move into position often without me even touching them and I close the gate. Exiting they walk out quietly, they can back out quietly also. Why should I ask them or teach them to do differently if this system works? I believe in "Murphy's Law" - if it works, don't fix it.


We tend to agree... if it isn't broke, don't fix it! If you are happy doing what you are doing, then don't change. If this is only about loading into a trailer, you don't need to know any more. What we are presenting to you is a philosophy and program that extends well beyond what people can normally do with horses. Many people can lead their horses into a trailer, but when they ask the horse to go in without them... uh uh! By Pat's estimation, that's a problem! It's not what you can do with horses that's important, it's what you can't. That is what separates the ordinary from the extraordinary and Pat just happens to set goals for horse lovers that have never occurred to us, just to test that level of savvy and partnership. We're in the business of teaching people to teach their horses to become calmer, smarter, braver and more athletic in all kinds of situations: on the ground and on their backs, with a rope, without a rope, with a bridle, without a bridle and in situations that defy normality in what's normally done with horses. It's redefining the norms of horsemanship in every way and by the way... horses love it! Loading a horse into a trailer while standing outside of it is not so much about getting the horse to load, it's about making a profound psychological change in the horse in terms of his mental and emotional capacity to not act like a prey animal, and to follow the direction of his (human) alpha and do things prey animals would never do (like loading into a metal cave on wheels by himself) because his level of trust for the human is so high. And this translates into everything you ever want to do with horses and then some. Pat often quotes his mentor, Troy Henry, on these issues... "when you truly savvy trailer loading, you'll truly savvy the horse, mentally, emotionally and physically". So, it's not about the trailer. In Levels 3 and 4, you'll have your horse loading at the trot or canter, forwards or backwards...and at liberty, from boggling distances, in complete confidence and with enthusiasm. There's nothing cooler. It's about trust, respect, communication at higher levels, imagination and creativity, stimulation of the horse's brain, a close connection and greater sophistication of language. Let me tell you, horses dig it! Not to mention the humans!" - PNH

Some photos of Aspen and I playing in all Four Savvys - shooting for excellence! 

LIBERTY

ON LINE

FINESSE

FREESTYLE