Parelli... Who falls for it, and why?

[CastleMouse]

I can understand that many 'novice' horse owners, and those with little experience may fall into the trap; being coaxed in with claims of enjoying your horse to their full potential etc. and also 'guided' along the way with a set of DVDs may be appealing to them.

But why do professionals or those competing a higher levels revert to it? I was very surprised to see the thread about Robert Whitaker bringing a stallion (who I'm sure is also rather valuable) down the Parelli route. Unless I missed something in that thread, Robert didn't intervene either, or was he watching the demonstration at all? I know if anyone subjected my horse to that, I would be horrified, especially if they were at risk of injuring themselves, as the stallion seems to have been.

I also recall a 4* eventer (although I forget her name) using Parelli/NH methods in a Your Horse magazine feature.

And those of you who have fallen in the trap, what lured you in initially? Did you eventually scramble out of there as quickly as possible, or are you still using carrot sticks and glued to the TV watching Parelli DVDs?

 

[Ladylina83]

To be honest I've had a little go I hunt and show - I've had 2 dealings with natural horseman ship

1 was at horse camp about 8 years ago and my especially difficult little mare had taken 2 and a half hours to load. There was a practicioner there participating in camp - it took her 45 mins to get said mare in the trailer by the end the little cow was loading herself and has done ever since - THE BEST £60 QUID I EVER SPENT !!!

... now the 2nd time - there was a Pirelli instructor type on our yard who I hot friendly with and pancied having a little go with the mare that responded so well with the loading lady - next thing I know she's hit me round the head with her front hoof and slamed back in her box ! Never been to be attempted again

Lady said " ooh don't think you'll be dominating that mare " you don't say

 

[mja]

Check out Linda workng with horse on youtube that caused a kick up recently and it will put you of Parelli!!

 

[caitlin95uk]

Not another post ....

 

[Shay]

Very good marketing and insecurity.

As to why the Whittakers at the demo - Money. Sorry but true. They were paid enough to loan the stallion to give very badly needed credibility to the Parelli brand. In a way I'm sorry they did becuase parelli has - quite rightly in my view - suffered massively from the growing realisation that this cult can in fact be very violent toward the animals used.

I have no objection to the basic principles of either NH or parelli - at thier heart they are nothing more than things good horsemen have known for centuries. (In fact I have no objection to NH at all - it has at least retained its credibility.) What I do object to is the way parelli has marketed itself. It is nothing more than a cult and that is very dangerous. It offers the insecure a "magic bullet" to thier horses and they latch onto it without thinking - and spend vast amounts of money in it.

On one hand - all power to them. They have found a marketing niche and expolited it until it sqeaks. Just like any other cult. On the other - I would prefer that they not abuse animals in the process!

 

[RolyPolyPony]

I know someone who has recently become a big fan of parelli. She showed what she had been working on so far and it was clear her horses hated it! They are the sweetest horses ever, so well behaved and never put a foot wrong. Until this day. She started off with what she called the 'yo-yo' game. She asked the horse to back up and then when far enough back asked it to come back to her (i'll admit i found this useful when feeding her horses in the field) but she moved onto making the horse walk sideways down by the fence. Horses ears were back not listening to owner much, next thing he turned round and kicked her. You could tell from just looking at the horse he didn't like it but she just carried on pushing him to the edge.