Ask The Trainer LIVE - Problem Solving w/ Parelli!

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Technique vs. Philosophy

Parelli Savvy Club - How Do You Use It?

At Parelli Central, we’ve been sharing a lot of content straight out of our Savvy Club through social media lately, and we have been delighted with your responses to our education-themed topics!

This inspired me to write a blog about all the fantastic things YOU can find in the Learning Library section of the Savvy Club!

First, you just need to be a member. The Savvy Club is the world’s leading horsemanship education club. Members have access to thousands of horse training videos and educational articles, direct access to Pat and Linda Parelli, and support from over 22,000 fellow horse lovers and nearly 400 Parelli Professionals!

You can choose your level of membership by clicking HERE and choosing Membership > Membership Options from the left menu bar.

Not sure yet if a membership is for you? Don’t worry! You can try the Savvy Club and ALL of its features for a 90-Day Free Preview! Click HERE, then choose Get Started and select Preview; use Referral Code P9610, with no credit card required and no obligation!

Now that you are a member and you’ve logged in, choose Learning Library from the top menu bar. You have arrived at a page that should look very similar to this, pending your level of membership:

This next step is the most important, and it’s a question only you can answer: What do you want to learn about today?

Horse-Man-Ship, it all counts!

For my personal growth this year I decided to join a Couch To 5K beginners running clinic.  It's a 12 week program that guarantees that anyone can go from having zero fitness and being a couch potato to running 3 miles (5k) at the end of the clinic.

I hate running.  It's hard, I don't like it, I'm not motivated in the least to run.  In fact, if you ever saw me running before this clinic started it was safe to assume I was being chased by a bear or something equally dangerous, like bees.

For years I've held this delusional idea that if you're running you better be consistently running 8-10 minute miles, otherwise you're failing.  I'd try to run, I'd do 4 minutes of solid sprinting and be worn out and out of breath.  So I quit.  I obviously wasn't meant to run, if I was it wouldn't be so painful and an 8 minute mile wouldn't be so hard.

When the opportunity came up to participate in this clinic I decided this would be a great emotional and mental fitness challenge and secondary to that, a physical challenge.

I paid my $120 to sign up and was motivated and inspired to begin... until the first day of class.  I tried to find any reason not to go to the first class but I had paid a lot of money and I owed it to myself to try.  So I showed up.

The very first thing our running coach said was that we were already 90% of the way there.  Showing up is the hardest part and we were all there.  Old, young, skinny, fat, all of us not fit enough to run a 5K.  But we showed up.

Yesterday was the half way point of the course!  Half way there!!  Hump week!!!  So naturally we got a great pep talk from our running coach.

She emphatically told us that simply the act of running makes you a runner.  When you're running you're a runner.  If you go out for a run and need to walk half of it you're still a runner during the parts you are running.  You're certainly more of a runner than everyone else that's not even trying!  

Who gave us these myths that we believe about running?  Who told us the 8 minute mile is the goal and if you can't reach it you're simply not a runner?  Where do we get the information required to ensure our own personal failure?

Technically speaking, running is when there is a moment that you have both feet off the ground.  During the walk you always have one foot on the dirt, but when you run there is a moment of suspension.  That's it.  

If you have a moment of suspension you're running and that makes you a runner!  It doesn't matter if you're running so slow that your small dog can walk next to you to keep up - if you're not walking you're running!

Wow.  That was a HUGE moment for me.  I'm already a runner.  I have permission to go at the pace I need because if I make the goal too big or too hard or with no achievable milestones along the way then I will undoubtedly fail.

Last Saturday I ran my first mile and a half ever!  I ran slow, slow enough that my dog was actually walking next to me at times.  But it doesn't matter because I was running!  I ran it.  It is an AMAZING feeling to be able to say that.  I never thought I'd run a mile and a half but now I KNOW I can run 3 miles by the end of this course.

Our running coach has given us something to believe in, at first it was the program and now it is ourselves.  

So now, horse lovers, I challenge you - are you a horseman?  What makes a horseman and what myths are keeping you from success and achieving your dreams?

Pat Parelli has said that horse-man-ship can be likened to putting a horse and a human on a ship going somewhere together.  If you're in the boat and you're trying, you're already there!  That's horsemanship.  It's effort, it's not perfection.

Natural horsemanship is a philosophy, a way of life, it's putting the horse before yourself.  It's not riding bridle-less, it's not about a Level 4 black string, it's not 5-horse Liberty, it's not fancy tricks.  

So what is keeping you from your dream?  Don't let some preconceived notion of what you think being a true horseman is deter you from getting off your couch and seeing your horse!  Don't let fear, or doubt, or lack of self-worth dictate what you think is possible.

Believing in the Parelli Program is a great place to start but don't forget to believe in yourself too.

What does a successful horseman look like?  It is someone who has simply shown up and is doing their very best to treat the horse the way the horse wants to be treated.  If you can do that you're a horseman.

Thanks for reading and be sure to share!

Interested in learning more about my Couch to 5K running clinic?  Check out GECKO at www.joingecko.org!  Kirsten Le Roux is our awesome, motivational, inspirational coach!  If you ever have the opportunity to meet her or run with her, do it! :)

Interested in getting long lasting results and developing a better relationship with your horse?  Try a  FREE 90-Day Preview of the Parelli Membership at www.ParelliConnect.com!  Click Get Started then choose Preview and enter referral code P9610!

Stick With Those Extroverted Horses!

A couple weeks ago I went on my first AERC 25 mile endurance race with Aspen!

The race was held in the beautiful national forest just east of Pagosa Springs, Colorado.  In addition to the 25 mile race there were also 50 and 75 mile races.

For those of you that don't know Aspen is my Right Brain Extrovert (RBE) Thoroughbred mare.  Being a RBE horse it doesn't take much for her to become unconfident and worried and therefore the need to move her feet (fast!) arises.

During the race Aspen struggled with maintaining gait and speed within the gait, not rushing up on or past the horse in front of us, spooking, being heavy on the forehand with her head in the air, jumping and leaping over bushes and puddles when she could have easily gone around, watching where she was putting her feet, and being generally out of control and afraid.

At mile 13 she finally had a slight mental shift and became somewhat manageable.  It seemed that she realized that she might not be able to maintain this level of energy she was pouring into her right brain behavior indefinitely.

At mile 18 she really made the mental/emotional change I was waiting for, turning into a thinking and left brain horse that might be interested in conserving her energy.  Between mile 18 and 23 she was a gem - I could ride her without risk of becoming jostled off or having to constantly bend her in some fashion to control the forward.  I could steer with my legs and we could maintain gait while doing so.

When we reached mile 23 she crashed.  She was so exhausted from her antics that we just walked back the last two miles, on a loose rein I might add.  She had expended all of her energy into being afraid and running on instinct rather than thinking about where she was going and managing herself through time and space.

The reason I share this with you today is because this experience gave me a huge BFO (blinding flash of the obvious) moment!

I have always struggled with finding calmness, connectivity, and responsiveness on the Parelli Cloverleaf pattern.  I've never been able to ride the pattern on Aspen without huge impulsion issues.  I've never been able to do even a single lap without having to touch my reins.

I figured I was doing it wrong but I didn't know what the problem was.  I would go until she was hot and sweaty and wanting to stop in the middle - looking for "X" - but she really never connected to the pattern.

After the endurance race was over it dawned on me...  If she could be impulsive and fight me for 18 miles (6 hours of riding) then just 20 minutes on the Cloverleaf certainly may not have been enough to find that calmness and connection I was looking for!

I realized how much energy she had and how strong and committed Aspen could be to her feelings and ideas over my (lack of) dedication to something like the Cloverleaf pattern.

I haven't had the chance to do try the pattern yet since the endurance race but I can't wait to do the Cloverleaf again with a better understanding of what "out-focus your horse" truly means.  It may mean 18 miles on that pattern (but I sure hope not!).  If it does though, I am ready to commit to it.  To promise her and myself that we will stick on the pattern until she truly understands it and is THINKING about staying on it without constant corrections to speed or direction.

Moral of the story?  Stick with those extroverts!  They need to move their feet before they can think which means that for every step they take you have to be prepared to use a ton of willpower and even more focus to keep on track, on your pattern, at the speed you want, and in the right direction.

It may have taken us 18 miles to find calm, connected, responsive but I bet it won't take that long next time.  Maybe 16 miles, then 10, then 7, then 3, then pretty soon I can just get on and have it right away because she knows I am there for her, as her leader and alpha, and am willing to stick with her until she TRULY finds peace within herself and her brain kicks in.

Go with your extrovert, every step, every mile.  It will be worth it when you win their mind and emotions!

Early Horsemanship Education for Children

I wrote a fantastic blog for Parelli titled Early Horsemanship Education with Mini Magic!

What do you think?

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Parelli Natural Horsemanship Memorial Day Sale - BIG SAVINGS ON EQUIPMENT!

CLICK HERE to shop and save
25% OFF ALL PARELLI EQUIPMENT! 
Use Promo Code THANKYOU at checkout!

 

Thank you for supporting me as an instructor by shopping through the link above for your authentic Parelli equipment!

 

Questions on what equipment is right for you and your horse?  Don't hesitate to email me at SMThorning@gmail.com!

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!

Parelli Instructors visit Best Friends Animal Society

I just put a blog together for the Parelli Central page about our recent trip to Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, Utah - check it out HERE! :)

We came home with 2 ducks (for Ashley), a mini horse (for me), and a whole new perspective on taking care of our animal friends one day at a time!

Horse Thresholds and Confidence (and how to score leadership points!)

Have you ever left the barn to take your horse out for a ride or to play with in a new place and 10 minutes later he's spooking, jigging, and prancing about? Or perhaps he gets slower and slower and eventually won't go forward, then when he does he explodes soon after?

What you're experiencing is your horse blowing by threshold after threshold until he can't manage to stay calm, confident, and connected to you. Not only does this cause him to give you zero points for leadership, it can also be a huge safety issue!

Think of a threshold as a line on the ground that your horse is not 100% sure he will survive if he steps over. It may start out as a slow decline in confidence, however the more lines you cross that your horse deems dangerous can quickly cause him to become unsafe, unwilling, and unmanageable.

Any Horsenality, confident or un-confident, can experience coming to a threshold. Often times it is only a moments hesitation for an extrovert before they blow by it because they can't stop their own feet. For an introvert it can be them slowing way down, holding their breath, or stopping and refusing to go forward.

Regardless of how your horse tells you he's come to a threshold, where he won't feel safe one step beyond this imaginary line, it is up to you to recognize and honor this for your horse.

Retreating a few steps back to where he has confidence and waiting for him to release his tension and fear before proceeding will prove to him you are a leader he can count on to keep him safe. It shows him that you'd never push him off the edge of the cliff he feels he has come to when he hits that threshold and can't go on.

By being aware of the first hesitation or tension you feel in your horse and addressing it at that moment you are helping extinguish a spark before it turns into a raging fire.

The sooner you notice the reaction, the less you have to do for your horse to feel confident.

Remember, as we seek relaxation while riding it is important to account for the horse's confidence every step of the way!


If you enjoy these blog posts don't forget to subscribe to my blog or like my facebook page to see more from me!

Parelli Zones of a Horse

Do you know what the Zones of a horse are?  They're different sections of a horse that will influence his movement either forward, backward, left, right, up, or down.

Zone 1 is the horse's nose, and everything in front of it for a mile.  Pat always says "nose, neck, maybe the feet".  The nose is usually the first part of the horse to touch an object or go under, over, or between something.  The first part of the Touch It pattern is helping the horse become confident putting his nose on something.  We direct the horse on our Circle Game by sending his nose (Zone 1).  We encourage horse horses to follow Zone 1 when we're riding.  Zone 1 is the first part of the horse that we use for direction and building confidence.

Zone 2 is from right behind his ears all the way down to the break of the withers, where your neck string would sit, is Zone 2.  Any pressure here will cause the horse to turn or back up.  Often times more dominant, confident (Left Brain) horses have trouble yielding Zone 2.

Zone 3 starts at the break of the withers and encompasses the horse's front legs, shoulders, back and ribs, ending at the point of the hip.  Everything from your neck string all the way back to his flanks and hips is Zone 3.  Pressure in Zone 3 will cause the horse to go forward or sideways.  Building confidence in Zone 3 is important because this is the Zone you will be in when you're riding.  That is why we encourage playing a lot of driving games On Line in Zone 3 - it helps prepare the horse for a leader (you!) in that space of his body.

Zone 4 starts at the point of the hip and encompasses the hind legs, hips, and rump ending at the tail.  Pressure in Zone 4 usually sends the horse forward or yields the hindquarters.  Horses that lack confidence or are fearful of the human have a more difficult time yielding their hindquarters (Zone 4) because it causes them to cross their hind legs (a very compromised position for a prey animal that relies on flight for survival) and face the human with both eyes.  Having good control of Zone 4 is paramount for safety both on the ground and in the saddle.

Zone 5 is everything from the tail and behind it, for up to a mile in distance.  Pressure in Zone 5 sends the horse forward.  A presence in Zone 5 can generate curiosity and cause the horse to turn and investigate if they do not feel threatened.  Building confidence in Zone 5 is also important for safety both on the ground and while riding, and often helps horses that have bucking issues.  Remember when you're in Zone 5 to be aware of the Kick Zone and always stay safe!  Your Carrot Stick is 4 feet long and is a good indicator of a safe distance to stand when in Zone 5. 

Delicate Zone is everything between the nose band of the halter, the eye area, up over the ears, ending where the halter sits right behind the ears.  This is a sensitive and delicate area and should be treated with care, you should not use your Carrot Stick in this area.

Helping your horse develop confidence in each Zone not only improves overall safety and control, it will help bring your communication to new heights and cause your horse to have more comfort and enjoyment during his outings with you.

Did you know you can play the Seven Games in ALL 5 Zones?  It's a great way to build your creativity and your horse's puzzle solving skills in each Zone!

--
Stay connected with me on FACEBOOK or INSTAGRAM (@pnwhorsemanship), or on my site at samanthathorning.com. ♥

FREE Parelli Lessons

Are you interested in developing more Savvy, more skill, and more relationship and rapport with your horse?  Interested in doing this for FREE?

I am a brand new 2-Star Junior Parelli Instructor and am Licensed to teach both the On Line and FreeStyle Savvys of the Parelli Program.

Part of the requirements for all new instructors are to teach free hours as we gain experience and develop our confidence and skill in teaching the Parelli Program.

What does this mean for you?  It means you can get some free lessons!  I need to teach 50 FREE hours!!

Want to take a lesson with me?  Email me at SMThorning@gmail.com to discuss your options!

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

Parelli Inspirational Minute - Parelli Kids and Horses

Fantastic Inspirational Minute this week with Parelli kids and their horses and ponies! 

Parelli Kids ~ Undemanding Time

That's my beautiful boy and our mare B.G. spending some undemanding time together.  B.G. can be a little tense around humans so Tristan spent time last summer just hanging out with her to help her develop confidence and peace while in our company.  I'd say it's working by her big, relaxed yawn and Tristan's excited smile!

Parelli FreeStyle & Finesse Play with Aspen

Thank you for stopping by my blog!  I have had some awesome mini-breakthroughs with my lovely mare, Aspen.  I can't wait to share all the details with you - check back soon!

Below is a little video of some of the things we are working to improve!  Be sure to check out my YouTube channel (link to the left!) and comment, like and subscribe!

oxox - Samantha & Aspen

Parelli Videos!

Have you seen the latest Parelli Inspirational Minute - Fun & Creative JUMPING?

Also - be sure to subscribe to My YouTube Channel for fun, educational & inspirational videos!

Here is a lesson I took in 2013 at the Parelli Ranch in Colorado as an Extern!

Parelli Inspirational Minutes!

I've joined the Marketing Department at Parelli Natural Horsemanship and the first video is what I got to help create today!  

Working at Parelli is so rewarding and so inspiring! I hope you enjoy these two videos going into your weekend.  I'm planning on filming my last two Savvys in Level 4!

Challenging Trailer Loading

I got my first call to help someone trailer load a challenging horse last week.  It was a pretty cool feeling to show up sight unseen and have faith that my education in Parelli Natural Horsemanship would provide me the answers to all the questions yet to be asked by this horse.

I have in the past helped friends and barn-mates with their horses here and there, but it's different when you know the person and the horse already.  It takes out a lot of variables that way and I usually only offer to help a friend if I'm pretty sure I can solve their problem.  Not knowing the person or the horse or how extreme the issue is is kind of like Liberty.  When you take all the ropes away what do you have left?  The truth.  It's the same here, when you take all the history and familiarity with the horse out of the picture all you have left is the truth of your skill and ability to assess the situation accurately and correctly.

When I showed up I could tell from a mile away that this stunning Arabian/Paint gelding was a high spirited RBE.  This was going well already, my mare is an RBE so I've got a fair number of RBE strategies in my pocket.  As I walked into the round pen he was wearing a traditional nylon halter - way too big for him and slapping him in the face as he ran around the pen away from me.  We played the catching game until he felt fairly comfortable following me around at Liberty.  I then haltered him with my rope halter and 12' line over his existing halter before removing it.  As I reached up to unbuckle it and slide it down under my halter he started flying backwards, flipping his head up in the air, and half rearing.  After some approach and retreat I got it off, did some basic testing of the 7 games with him, and no surprise they were pretty much all broken.  But what I wanted to focus on was his confidence with me and my tools (Friendly Game) and ability to manage his emotions through tight spaces (Squeeze Game).

When we were ready to approach the trailer he wouldn't even go near it, he was so tense that I thought his lips would turn purple he was pressing them together so tightly.  We played approach and retreat towards the trailer, then the Squeeze Game as far away as he need to pass between me and it comfortably.  In between all of this he kept flying backwards, rearing, wrenching his head around away from me and trying to leave, striking, and running off.  I've never played with a horse that's learned so many ways to say NO in 5 seconds or less.  He was here, he was there, he was up, he was leaving, then he was trying to run over top of me.  It took every ounce of savvy, strategy, patience, and passive persistence in the proper position to finally get him to even think that I might have an okay idea and it didn't involve shoving him in the trailer against his will and slamming the door.

Two hours later I was satisfied with one front foot in the trailer WITH RELAXATION.  It was 100% his choice and he felt good about it.  He had solved the puzzle.  For me it was my primary focus to get this horse to trust me, to relax, and to think through this rather than emphatically say NO by throwing a colossal tantrum or throwing himself head first off the cliff and jumping in the trailer because he was feeling chased in.  In 2+ hours this was the first moment he really truly gave up the tension and let go.

I came back a couple days later to a horse that once again would not let me catch him in the round pen - but thankfully didn't have that crazy huge halter on to deal with.  15 minutes of catching game had him following me again and feeling less frazzled than last time.   I decided to just see what he'd offer so we went right up to the trailer - no fight to get there this time (score!!!) - and he put a foot in! Yay!  I felt so reassured I had done right by him last time and quit on a good note so that he felt good about going to that some spot straight away this day.  He confidently put his front foot in and looked at me, a little tense, but it was the first question he'd really asked me.  Yes, you did well handsome horse!  It was so easy to build from there, pretty soon it was two front feet with only two or three half tantrums.  The grass was so wet near the trailer that he kept slipping in the trailer as he would weight the first foot to get the second in.  I was cleaning his feet out every few minutes but if there wasn't wet grass packed in he was much more confident with testing his weight on both feet in the trailer.

I found one itchy spot under his tail and capitalized on this as a reward for his efforts to get in the trailer.  He was trying SO hard for me and kept checking in with me.  How awesome!  So I patiently waited with him as he sorted out what he needed to do to get himself in the trailer.  All of a sudden he just walked in - all 4 feet!  He couldn't stay in for more than a second and backed out.  After that it was only 10 minutes before all 4 feet were back in, then 5 minutes, then about every 20 seconds or so I could point at the trailer and he would load all on his own!  We found a good spot to stop for the afternoon and ended the session with A LOT of yawning, licking, and head shaking.  It was really awesome!  I gave the owner the homework of offering him the trailer and letting him back out as much as he needed until he could stand in there for some time with the main focus of all of this his relaxation and confidence.  Depending on if she needs me or not I may go back out to follow up and help again, but I think I left them in a good space to progress together now.

I left feeling so thankful for Parelli giving me the tools to help this horse learn that he could make a choice to be a partner, to try the trailer, and find relaxation inside of it.  It was also so rewarding to show up to an unknown situation and leave having helped the horse and the owner make big changes.  Success! :)

Warrior a little worried about having two feet in the trailer but trying very hard to stay in.