Parelli helped me last night!!!!

[alison_oliver]

I'm shocked myself!! but young girl on yard showed me a couple of games to play with lad last night, and he was really good at them, quick learner and was really enjoying it!!!

So now i have a dilema, something i have been slating for months due to seeing crummy demonstrations and a lot of american hype and overpriced gadgets, seems to be good fun for my lad!!! aaaggghhh!!!!

So not being too proud i'm going to play some of the games with him, as last night for first time ever he allowed me to put an umbrella up and down, over both our heads etc and was fine with practice! Previously very jumpy and would run away if given option! just wondered if anyone else had had similar experiences? writing it off and then finding it better than thought for horse??

Ali x

 

[MrsMozart]

I've written if off in the past....

Sat with a very well known and respected race horse trainer and I commented on Parelli as being a pile of poo. His response was that Parelli's methods had worked very well on a number of horses and that until I had seen it properly I shouldn't knock it

So, I asked around, used some of the techniques, went along to a thing at Birmingham, bought DVDs (which I've sold on Ebay for at least what they cost me

) and had to revise my view to a great extent, BUT, I still consider it to be overpriced(!) and I've only seen one person with the connection with her horse that they all aim for.

The basics are 'natural horsemanship' (which to some is 'common sense' unfortunately something I missed out on) as opposed to how I was taught, which was more 'regimental'. Understanding how horses communicate with each other definately helps us in handling and working with horses.

 

[Morgan123]

hmm well it's good to think about different approaches but parelli is based on suppression - i.e. the horse is suppressing its natural urges because of the pressure on its head (from pressure halter) and because it's being negatively taught to do what it's told to avoid this pressure, and that of whatever other pressure you are using at the time. So although he might stand still when you hold an umbrella, he would still be experiencing the same fear response but just suppressing his emotions to avoid the reinforcement of the pressure. it's scientifically much more emotionally healthy for them to learn very slowly through habituation and positive associations with things, which is what they choose themselves if they have to learn (e.g. if you put something scary in the field, they slowly slowly edge nearer to it and it’s this that teaches them it’s safe, rather than essentially flooding and preventing escape which is the effect of the pressure halter). Sorry to be discouraging…

 

[alison_oliver]

I too still think its overpriced lol!!

But i also think bits of it may help me, like u tho i'm taking more from the watching him and learning about him, and practical common sense side of it.

I'm just surprised how well he took to it and that he really enjoyed it!!!

I suppose its like anything useful in the right hands, and terrible in the wrong ones!!

 

[alison_oliver]

Morgan as far i was told last night i wasn't to put any pressure on the halter, as that would be negative for him, being headshy and nervy, girl told me to start playing games by touching him all over and rewarding him for good behaviour with a scratch. This ended in us being able to flap and umbrella round him and him be calm and sensible, with no halter no rope on at all, and for him to follow me round with both our heads under the umbrella!!! in my eyes thats nothing to do with pressure, but i do understand having read up on some of the games where pressure comes in so get what u are saying

x

 

[Kenzo]

Agree I'm sure P is very good, its just over priced and I can't be doing with all the American cheesiness and silly music etc.

Pat if you really want to improve everyone's understanding of their horses and improve the bond we have with them, then do us all a favour and lower the prices on your carrot sticks and videos, surely then more people would give it a go and think arrrh yes it does actually work.

 

[T_K]

The 'games' are not something new(IMHO) they have just been 'repackaged' and they are the kinds of things people have been doing with their horses for years. Just don't buy anything 'Parelli' and you'll be fine.

 

[alison_oliver]

I've gone into it not bothering with any of that, i tried to watch a demo at the NEC in birmingham, i just laughed (a girl with a supposed connection with her horse riding him bareback and him doing exactly as she asked, i'm not bloody surprised she had SPURS on and a schooling whip)!!!! i have made do with bits on yard and young girls advice, i'll ad lib the rest but listen to her input!
$67 for a carrot stick!! i dont think so!!!!!!!!!!! haha!!

 

[T_K]

[ QUOTE ]
girl told me to start playing games by touching him all over and rewarding him for good behaviour with a scratch. This ended in us being able to flap and umbrella round him and him be calm and sensible, with no halter no rope on at all, and for him to follow me round with both our heads under the umbrella!!!


[/ QUOTE ]

Have you ever seen a Monty Roberts demo....?

This just proves my above point.

 

[alison_oliver]

I have yes, and did a bit of join up with my lad when i first got him, hence why he will follow me round, so i suppose u could say it wasn't parelli that helped me last night it was using my common sense and listening to someone's suggestions. Case proved t_k its all a money making scam repackaging age old ideas of communicating with horses!!!

 

[ruscara]

I have never 'written it off', though I must say I wouldn't actually pay money and buy all the gadgets etc. But, like you, I had someone demonstrate some of the games with my horse, and to my amazement they really helped his spookiness and he really enjoyed it. I would suggest you keep an open mind and use from Pirelli (and anything else for that matter) what suits you and your horse

 

[dwi]

My only objection to parelli is that they think they are the only way. There is a lot of good stuff you can learn from it but there are times when you need more traditional methods.

D being a g*t to lead is nothing to do with our bond and everything to do with her stomach. We are very close but she doesn't appreciate being kept on a starvation paddock and no amount of rope halters, carrot sticks will solve her being a bargy s*d when it comes to grass. I don't like being told that I'm evil or incompetent because I lead my horse wearing a pelham and I ride with a whip and spurs.

*and breathe*

 

[Donkeymad]

I never write anything off without investigating/trying it first, and take any bits that suit me. I do think all their stuff is well over priced and don't subscribe to the whole package, but wholehartedly suggest that any part that works for you, you use.

 

[T_K]

Sorry to resurrect this post but.....have just watched Monty Roberts on H&CTV doing EXACTLY the same thing you did with your horse oliver_twist, I mean EXACTLY - the horse is walking around loose with Monty under an umbrella...so either Parelli stole that exercise or your friend is confused....

 

[Chestnuttymare]

just shows that you should keep an open mind. Closed minded people learn nothing.

I used Parelli as a means to an end with the help of a respectied and talented horsewoman. to make my nervous/headcase ex racer a useful, sensible riding horse.
I would never have allowed my horse to be bullied or smacked with a carrot stick. It was done with sensitivity and common sense.
It is a shame the 'know it alls' can't see it being used practically, they would perhaps think differently.

Morgan123- i am not sure where you are getting your info from, but it is just a rope halter, maybe you are thinking of dually. There is no pressure on the head. Surely we supress their natural instinct every time we ride them. I am sure they wouldn't willingly walk calmly with a double decker bus coming up behind them. We don't let them use their flight instint.

Of course there are are the numpties who watch the dvd and think they are experts, they go on to mess up the horse because they are clueless. Surely these people have been screwing up horses using conventional methods for years.

I am pleased that opening you mind has had some benefit for you and your horse.
Just think, you will be nice and dry with your umberella on a hack if you get a downpour.