Help, help! MD wants to have a go at Parelli!

J

JAK

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 March 2005
Messages
1,733
Visit site
Yes, it's true! MD has been watching bl**dy Horse & Country TV & was utterly fascinated by Pat Parelli, though *ahem* rather less keen on his wife for some reason!
blush.gif


She wants to conduct a 'social experiment' with the Baggage, with whom she already has quite a good bond, as a lot of things she does now with her would come under the umbrella of Natural Horsemanship!
She is very instinctive & works a lot on body language now, though she doesn't always realise it! lol

She already works on the 'reward is useless unless the horse actually wants the reward offered' philosophy & believes, as I do, that a horse's main needs are to feel safe & secure, be free of stress & have trust in & respect for their 'leader'!

What shall I say to her? Yes, no, maybe?
The Baggage can't really be 'spoiled', as she already is about as unschooled & spoiled as it is possible to be really & only 'performs' & behaves for MD because she likes her & enjoys her company, I think!
 
[ QUOTE ]
I will push to Kelly Marks but that is IT!

[/ QUOTE ]
But I find her really annoying Weezy! Could she actually be the most patronising, irritating person on the entire planet?
tongue.gif
grin.gif
 
Totally agree Weezy. I had our local "natural horseman" (who is supposed to have something of a reputation in this field) over for an exploratory session with my new horse some months ago.

I can honestly say, poor boy spent most of the time totally confused, with his head high in the air wondering what the hell was going on. When I contrast this with the way I work with him on the ground just generally and lungeing, he is much more comfortable with this, softer and happier. I will stick with what we both know I think!!
 
I suggest hitting MD with a carrot stick until she says "ok, I wont get into Parelli"

Promise her some magic dust if she's a good girl
wink.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
I suggest hitting MD with a carrot stick until she says "ok, I wont get into Parelli"


[/ QUOTE ]
I haven't got a bl**dy carrot stick.......I can't afford one! Will a driving whip do just as well?
grin.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I suggest hitting MD with a carrot stick until she says "ok, I wont get into Parelli"


[/ QUOTE ]
I haven't got a bl**dy carrot stick.......I can't afford one! Will a driving whip do just as well?
grin.gif


[/ QUOTE ]


use a schooling whip...pretty much the same thing
tongue.gif
 
driving whip/ carrot stick - the same sodding thing arn't they?
wink.gif


Oh and tie some of those bells on to her too - she'll soon give up on the idea
grin.gif
 
Tell MD to step away from the Parelli NOW!
Let her carry on doing what she's been doing, but honestly Parelli.............. would love them to have a go with Sunny to see if they can stop him peeing off at a walk - not a cat in hells chance
laugh.gif
 
I think she has fallen for the 'relationship' side of it, which is her particular interest, or maybe she just wants to put a name to her own 'funny ideas' on how to treat ponies, as she is quite bloody-minded on this & can be very unconventional in her approach sometimes!
grin.gif
 
Lock her in a darkened room until she comes to her senses! I'm a bitter and twisted cynic but have had some results with one of Kelly Marks students. Parelli on the other hand ...........I don't think so.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Lock her in a darkened room until she comes to her senses!

[/ QUOTE ]
I will try but am not too hopeful it will work because:
1. She's 14.........she has no sense!
2. She's 14.........she lives in a darkened room anyway (like a vampire!), only coming out during the hours of daylight to play with her pony!
crazy.gif
grin.gif
 
Well, sarcasm aside...
grin.gif

I don't really know the background, but do you and MD both handle and ride this horse? In which case there is no point at all in MD "doing Parelli" because you won't be consistent in your handling and it will be very unfair on the Baggage. She wouldn't build a good relationship, just a confused horse.
You can show her this if you like, I have a pretty thorough background in Parelli and have even worked on their trade stands. The advice we would always give to people who share was - don't. Dave Stewart once said in response to this sort of question "It would be a bit like sharing your lover".
ALSO I stopped using the Parelli approach because there were some aspects that didn't sit well with me, I felt it was a very roundabout and indirect route to what I wanted to acheive with my horses. I have found other NH trainers to be much more sensible, less confrontational as well.
Unfortunately there are a lot of idiots claiming to be NH trainers with little experience, and they do a lot of harm. But then, I know a lot of idiots with little experience doing harm in all areas of the horse world, they just don't all claim to be NH trainers.
frown.gif

Kelly Marks book Perfect Partners gives some nice little groundwork exercises that wouldn't do any harm. I am not happy with some aspects of her training, but that book is sensible.
 
Tell her to come and play chase the space hopper with Chancer instead. She can kick it around for him, or if he is a pest - at him. He has even had it bounced off his bum - was yet again climbing the shavings - think he is part goat.

Comeherehopper.jpg


He will also play chase with her, follow her everywhere and she can wave a stick at him - which he will take hold of and chew - lot of fun.

Actually I do like the Richard Maxwell book - very straight forward and has been my bible with Chancer.

To be honest the person who said if you share a horse don't do Parelli sums it up - what use is a horse that can only work/be handled by one person. Whilst a horse will often go better for a certain person, they need to be handled and behave with everyone and anyone in my book. This is what she should aim for - a nice pony that everyone can ride and enjoy - a mini Cairo, rather than one that does tricks.
 
That is a really interesting answer Tinypony, so thanks for taking the time to reply!
I am not a fan myself, as like you, some aspects of it make me feel a little uneasy & despite their 'stress-free' claims, much of it does indeed seem to confrontational, puts pressure on the horse & as you say, is a very circuitous route to achieving what you want!

Also, your point of it not being suitable for horses with more than one handler/rider is very interesting but no, I don't ride the Baggage - if I sat on a 13.3hh pony, it's legs would buckle & it would fall down!
blush.gif
shocked.gif


Like MD, I admire Pat Parelli himself for what he does but feel such an exacting method of training would be difficult for the average person to reproduce, being as most people have little or no idea when it comes to body language & have a shockingly awful sense of timing!
(Training people & their dogs for the past 30 years has taught me this & I frequently despair completely, as poor timing is the root of all evil quite often!lol)

I wonder if the above & the fact that the regime is so restrictive is why so many start & then give up & explains why there are so many horses on Project Horses that have been Parelli trained to some degree!
I wouldn't buy such a horse myself, as I would cynically assume that a lot of them have made a b*lls up of it anyway!

People also have a tendency to want to take short cuts & miss out things they don't consider necessary or relevant, which again, leaves them with an animal only partially aware of what it is supposed to be doing, if that! lol
 
[ QUOTE ]
Actually I do like the Richard Maxwell book - very straight forward and has been my bible with Chancer.

To be honest the person who said if you share a horse don't do Parelli sums it up - what use is a horse that can only work/be handled by one person. Whilst a horse will often go better for a certain person, they need to be handled and behave with everyone and anyone in my book.

[/ QUOTE ]
First point - this guy's name just keeps coming up, doesn't it? I think I will get that
book!
Second point - my thoughts exactly!
Thirdly - spacehoppers rule! I'm sure the Baggage would love one of her very own! lol
 
Another vote for Richard Maxwell
grin.gif
It is 'natural horsemanship' but he is still very practical/common sense and NORMAL about it, no brainwashing I promise!
tongue.gif


Have got both books (unlock your horse's talent and maximise your horsemanship). The first one is more of a 'how to' guide to his groundwork stuff, and the second is more about integrating his methos into your riding, and he has a 'pyramid' of training, which is similar to the original scales of training and you can't really go wrong.
I've got his DVD as well, which I think really helps you 'get' exactly what he is on about in the books.
I had the first book but didn't really pay much attention to it until I went to see him do a demo, which really impressed me.

He has a forum on his website too, so maybe MD could be pointed in that direction?

EEEK, I sound like a groupie...
crazy.gif
 
Thank you!
I have to admit, MD became a little put off the Parelli when the programme got to the bit about 'pedalling' & his fairly hefty wife thumping up & down on her poor horsey as she requested a bit of 'collection' - that was kinda scary!
shocked.gif


She likes the idea of riding 'naturally' though & was having great fun last night riding bareback & got some very good results from using body language to think trot, canter, turn or slow down!

It was gratifying for her to realise just how much attention her pony does actually pay to her, the subtle signals she is able to pick up & how quickly she is capable of responding when you really do give it 100% of your attention, rather than claiming that you are!
 
I was fairly open-minded about parelli until I realised just how much money they want from you for their pearls of 'wisdom'.
Have also had to watch one of my best friends (met at primary school, did PC together etc) get well and truely sucked in by it. She never leaves home with her horse (formerly a promising young pot. eventer!
crazy.gif
) anymore unless it's to go to a parelli convention, and just stays inthe field wiggling ropes and pointing sticks at him
frown.gif
.
Apparently, according to the levels, she shouldn't ride him until she can achieve this, that and t'other on the ground... he's now obese, and from what I've seen of him, more disrespectful than he ever was before
crazy.gif

Maybe I don't wear the same rose-tinted glasses as she does.....

Edited to add: 'Max' is a really 'gentle' guy, and I love his riding as well as his general manner. At the end of the demo I went to he rode his own horse (previously a nutjob) and it was so light and easy.
Watched the parelli promo DVD that came with HORSE last month and was also horrifed at Linda bumping around in the saddle. I've always been told to try not to ride like a sack of spuds
confused.gif

 
[ QUOTE ]
Have also had to watch one of my best friends (met at primary school, did PC together etc) get well and truely sucked in by it. She never leaves home with her horse (formerly a promising young pot. eventer!
crazy.gif
) anymore unless it's to go to a parelli convention, and just stays inthe field wiggling ropes and pointing sticks at him
frown.gif
.

[/ QUOTE ]
Oh don't Bounty, it's beginning to sound like (*looks round furtively & whispers*) some kind of cult! Eek, run away, run away!
shocked.gif
 
I would second steering her towards Richard Maxwell - he has a website and forum (can't remember the address though!). To me he has a far more rounded and common sense approach and has integrated different stuff into his methods.

The Parelli programmes on H&CTV leave me cold and its scary they are out there and having this sort of effect on youngsters!
shocked.gif
mad.gif
And I'm not even an anti parelli person, I had reservations, but was willing to be wowed and won over to the dark side when I watched them - I ended up aghast and winced my way through!

Can't you record some subliminal message on a CD player and play it on a continuous loop in her ear at night!!
wink.gif


Mind you, if black baggage pony is how you describe, then I think she may herself make it clear to MD that Parelli is not the way to go!!
smile.gif
 
JAK - I'll thoroughly recommend the Richard Maxwell book based on his "From birth to backing" book which has been a godsend with Ozzie!
 
JAK You have to let her. If you say no she will be more determined. You can set out arguements for and against and suggest alternatives but don't say no. And if she decides to go ahead you don't have to cooperate, let her save up for her own carrot sticks etc.
In my experience with teenagers if you don't say a lot and wait they come to see reason by themselves.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Can't you record some subliminal message on a CD player and play it on a continuous loop in her ear at night!!

[/ QUOTE ]
Easy peasy - she has her an MP3 player permanently attached to her earholes anyway!

[ QUOTE ]
Mind you, if black baggage pony is how you describe, then I think she may herself make it clear to MD that Parelli is not the way to go!!
smile.gif


[/ QUOTE ]
Friend tried waving rope at her last night - pony glared out from under a coal-black mane & forelock, with a 'Yeah whatever, f*** off or else!' expression & moved not one centimetre!
shocked.gif

She also has a history of turning & charging at people on the lunge when she's had enough (5 mins. max.) & folk have been to known to run for their lives to the nearest fence/gate! Awww bless, she has 'character'! lol

Druid - RM it is then!
laugh.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
In my experience with teenagers if you don't say a lot and wait they come to see reason by themselves.

[/ QUOTE ]
This is true! She already quite likes Mr. Parelli but can't stand Mrs. Parelli, so I'm hoping she will draw her own conclusions! lol
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top