What do you think about Parelli?

donnabubs

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It saddens me that such strong opinions are aired when so little is known about the subject matter - that is clear form many of the comments. Ever heard of 'dont knock it till you've tried it?'

Yes, Parelli is common sense, it's nothing new. In fact it's all the things that Pat Parelli's mentors taught him, which they learnt form others - it's just written down and demonstrated on DVDs. Parelli name checks all his mentors in his books and trainig sessions - he's not pretending he invented the techniques, he's just spreading the word on a large scale.


The philosophy is to be able to develop a partnership with your horse and educate them to
be able to help you reach your equestrian goals using appropriate communication and body langauge rather than force, intimidation and mechanical means.

The training packages are there to help you develop at your own pace rather than have expensive lessons in a school when the trainer has the plan, and not you.

Parelli is a business - they train horse and people for a living, as do many others in the equestrian world and no-one expects anyone to do it purely for the love of it - when did your instructor last give you a free lesson because they love teaching so much?? When did your livery not charge you for grooming because they like to see the horses nice and clean. Be reasonable!!

All the big names have expensive equipment, training packages, books etc and I dont see them being lambasted in this way.

The truth of the matter is that Parelli is very effective when applied correctly. if you want to retain the dignity of the horse and not have a fight every time you try and do your thing, then Parelli is one way you can achieve that naturally with the full agreement of the horse. It's not the only way.

If you dont like the idea of Parelli, fine dont do it, no-one is forcing you to follow the program or agree with the philosophy, that is up to the individual.
 

Stella

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Typical Parelli answer - making patronising assumptions that people who don't hold with Parelli are just fools who know nothing about it. I have looked into it. Watched several demos, done some reading, watched individuals working wth their horses. I even found the 'catching game' DVD gave me some useful tips when I bought a difficult to catch mare. Yet I still think it is over-rated, over-expensive showmanship for the most part!!
 

donnabubs

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How odd that you should firstly take offence and secondly assume I was talking to you personally?? How interesting!

I was just pointing out that the Whitackers and the Fredericks and the Fox-Pitts and those like them of the world make fortunes out of their own branded products and no-one complains. Why bash Parelli for doing the same thing?? It seems unreasonable for people to work in an inducstry without some financial gain.

I am not a Parelli-ite as such, I understand the concepts, as I do of many other 'natural' approaches, and find them to be useful - the techniques are valuable, but the animal behaviour aspects much more so in my experience.

Patronising is an interetsing choice of description - that is how you took it so it must be true. What you communicate is what people receive after all. that was not my intention.
Point taken - lot of people on here know sod all about it and knock it because they beleive it is dangerous or expensive or whatever without having the first clue. That riles me.

Use what is useful, dont use what isn't.

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Stella

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I was niether taking offence, nor assuming that you were addressing me personally
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I was simply expressing my opinion on the opinion that you expressed!!
 

donnabubs

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I think you are being a little harsh.
Perhaps the 'newbies' as you call us joined because at last there was something we wanted to join in with talking about?? THat is why I am here - I was interested to see what people do think about it. I love the idea that we have probably been told to get on here and 'up' Parelli!! That is hilarious. I wish it were true - that we are all drones doing their bidding!! Ha, ha! I know some take it on as a religion but I don think they have extended it to brain washing just yet

Every approach to training has it's positives and negatives. Parelli shows are a circus, they show the extreme of what you can do, and who wants to do most of that?? Not many, but lots of us want to understand our horses and not use fear and intimidation to control them, which is what is important to me. I also Like MOnty Roberts but I would not try and mount an unbroken horse in 30 minutes of being backed like he does - he's just showing what is possible. Most of it is beyond my skills or ambition, but if I can understand why my reluctant mare is behaving as she does, maybe I can make things better so she wants to be more productive in future. That is fair I think, and I'll use whatever information and training that seems appropriate to do that. At this moment in time Parelli is doing that for me.
 

donnabubs

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You are very lucky indeed. Whatever it takes, if you have that relationship, then bloody well done to you.

I know that this 'common sense' isn't something that comes naturally to me, and you may argue that I shouldn't persue equine activities if that is the case, but I do and I seek information from anywhere I can find it - Parelli is one stream of information, Monty Roberts is another, other owenrs who have what I consider a good relationship not based on fear and intimadation is another.


I think that is fair.
 

GinniKipper

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Parelli's methods are simple. He is trying to convert all you "Belt 'em when they do wrong and accept it-and-take-it-for-granted when they do good" people, and trying really hard to make you understand the mentality of your horse to enable you to move forward. Love him or hate him - I don't particularly like him - the man is a superb horseman with more skill than we will see in ten lifetimes. It makes me angry to see so many people who are willing to discredit Parelli methods as profiteering and extortionate, to justify their own inability and inflexibility. Yes, Pat and Linda's methods ARE common sense, but for the vast majority of horse owners, common sense is at a premium. Very few of you know how to get the best from your horses because you still have the 1970's pennies between your knees and the saddle, and the whip to punish when YOU decide it is needed. I don't subscribe financially to Parelli, I don't need to. I already have 'Savvy' - which I gained just through watching him and his wife in action. I see cynics every day in the season - beating the Ess-Aitch-eye-tee out of their horses for not performing, or not "playing the game". Yes you! Just what are you trying to acheive? So if Pat and Linda want to make a living out of it, so what? Are they the Hollywood 'A' Listers you all read about in your silly magazines, or do they just want to make people aware that the whip and boot are not the way? For God's sake people, wake up and learn to know your horse. You can either do it by watching videos and DVDs to retrain yourselves - Join the Parelli Club - or just carry on the way you are. Either way, Pat and Linda get more out of their horses than you EVER will. Hmmmmmm.....envious????? I am.....
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Stella

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GMK - interesting that you go straight for rude, offensive and up your own @rse on your very first post. For your information. I never hit my horse. She is well mannered and on the rare occasions she forgets herself, I correct her using my body language. She respects me, but trust me too because she knows that I respect her and wouldn't hurt her. She tries to please me and we don't have any problems! When I take her to a competition, I always come home with the best horse whatever the result.

I don't think much of Parelli and find that many of their followers assume anyone who isn't a follower, including me, must have a poor relationship with their horses! Yet, I am not what you describe and I expect many other members of this forum who don't like Parelli are not either.

Probably time you went off to preen yourself now me thinks!
 

donnabubs

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I am finding myself agreeing with you Stella. I started posting here saddened by the negative opinions of the vocal few who appear to judge with little knowledge, however, I am becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the negative attitude from the Parelli side. There is no need to go for the jugular, and I think some of us are doing a disservice to Natural methods by posting at all if being rude about others is all we can do.

Common sense, in so many spheres isn't that common, and good horse sense is in short supply in some people, so getting help whatever way we choose has to be a good thing. Parelli does work, as does Mary Wanlass ,Monty Roberts etc.etc. blah, blah, blah.

Parelli is not for those people who have already found their way to good horsemanship - these people find it ludicrous that someone should pay for what you can observe and deveop on your own, and quite right too. Money for old rope for those that already have the 'savvy'. But so many of us dont!!

If you choose a different way to the norm, you will be criticised no matter what, that we have to accept.it's human nature. Mr P himself does not go out of his way to try and persuade those who really are not interested, and we should follow suit.

Seek it out if you want to, if you are happy as you are, then that is just fine and dandy. Ranting will not turn the tide, demonstration and continued improvement will.
 

SirenaXVI

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[ QUOTE ]
I am finding myself agreeing with you Stella. I started posting here saddened by the negative opinions of the vocal few who appear to judge with little knowledge, however, I am becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the negative attitude from the Parelli side. There is no need to go for the jugular, and I think some of us are doing a disservice to Natural methods by posting at all if being rude about others is all we can do.

Common sense, in so many spheres isn't that common, and good horse sense is in short supply in some people, so getting help whatever way we choose has to be a good thing. Parelli does work, as does Mary Wanlass ,Monty Roberts etc.etc. blah, blah, blah.

Parelli is not for those people who have already found their way to good horsemanship - these people find it ludicrous that someone should pay for what you can observe and deveop on your own, and quite right too. Money for old rope for those that already have the 'savvy'. But so many of us dont!!

If you choose a different way to the norm, you will be criticised no matter what, that we have to accept.it's human nature. Mr P himself does not go out of his way to try and persuade those who really are not interested, and we should follow suit.

Seek it out if you want to, if you are happy as you are, then that is just fine and dandy. Ranting will not turn the tide, demonstration and continued improvement will.

[/ QUOTE ]

Finally! A post from a Parelli fan that makes total sense!

Thank you!
 

Tinypony

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I'm not a Parelli fan, but I am an "NH" person, and I too try to always speak common sense.
Parelli-ite's who patronise win enemies for their cause, not friends.
 

Nickijem

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[ QUOTE ]
I'm not a Parelli fan, but I am an "NH" person, and I too try to always speak common sense.


[/ QUOTE ]

Well said - I'd like to think of myself like that too. I do think the fashion for Natural Horsemanship since the 'Horse Whisperer' film was always bound to have some commercial spin-off for some entrepreneur types like Pat and Monty.
However I also think it has done a good thing by highlighting to horsey folk that we do need to 'listen' to our horses more. If its bucking, rearing and napping it just might be trying to tell us something so a good smack with the whip isn't always the answer.
Now before you shoot me down all you folk who have been brought up round horses and have always known that we should listen to our horse, there are a lot of folk just like me who do not come from a horsey background and therefore use a variety of sources to learn about horse-care and horse behaviour!
 

Tinypony

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I just do what I do and it seems to work. I learnt from a Monty trainer, then Parelli, then others. I don't think it makes me any more special or clever than other horsepeople, maybe just a bit different to some. I get frustrated by the adversarial style of posts on his sort of topic, because I know we all have something we can learn from each other.
Yes, some Parelli stuff looks daft, and yes they have some hopeless students (who doesn't?), but there is some good stuff in what they have to offer.
 
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Donkeymad

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Finally, I have reached the latest on this thread, I expect more will have been added before I finish posting. I am not for parelli but think that, for those who find it works, great, your choice. There have been some very good posts from both P and Non P people here, thank you. However, there have also been awful posts, again from both 'sides'.
Note, I say 'sides' in ''. I don't think there should be 'sides' but that all walks of horsemanship should attempt to work side-by-side. For me, I take good bits from all schools and leave the rest.
I have six animals, not all horses, who all come to me eagerly, who follow me around, because they want to. They all behave, give me space and are 'reprimanded' if necessary by simple body/voice language.
I do feel parelli is something of a cult, almost the latest fashion. However, like all disciplines in horsemanship, some like and follow one whilst ignoring the rest. Nothing wrong with that at all, and I believe the same attitude should be followed regarding using BHS/Parelli/NH etc
As for setting up at Stoneleigh, not overly happy.
 

Fantasy_World

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QR gosh how many pages was that all about.
Some good responses though from both Parelli fans and non Parelli fans mixed in amongst a lot of drivel with rude and or sarcastic undertones as well, imo.
I am a fan of Parelli along with natural horsemanship and conventional types of training too. I am open minded. I don't want my horses to perform party tricks but if by practising a mix of techniques from all quarters of horse training if it suits my horses and helps me to understand them better then great.
I won't pay over the odds for anything hence the reason I have not bought any of the Parelli training packs. I have listened to and watched friends and will either borrow what I may need or else get things I may find useful secondhand.
Someone mentioned the yo yo game earlier well for our cob in particular it has been great. I have not hit any of my horses with a stick in order to make them go backwards and I was appalled at the remarks in which someone had witnessed a horse being hit on its muzzle to go backwards. I really do not agree with that at all.
I will say why it has been great for me. I still use the conventional method to send a horse backwards in the stable, ie when opening the door etc but when leading from a field I found the yo yo game I have played only a few times with the cob has helped. Our horses have recently moved fields and the gates are very tricky to open and close. As I needed space to open the gate and the horse had walked up right behind me I just gave the rope the slightest wiggle behind my back and he took a few steps back and I was able to open the gate safely and quickly.
Did the horse suffer by the rope being wiggled? No. Did he understand exactly what I asked him of him? Yes. I could perform this whilst looking over my shoulder and was in complete control all the time. Instead of saying to him 'go back, go back' I was able to ask for space to open the gate properly in a matter of seconds.
For me personally Parelli is all about choice. You can take elements from it that you find interesting or that you might choose to employ in your day to day training and handling of your horse. I can choose to learn as much or as little about it as I wish to and that goes for everything else to be honest.
There is no right or wrong way to train a horse in my opinion so long as the animal is not being hurt or abused in any form then that is fine with me.
I don't have to go through all the stages of Parelli training if I choose not to. That is up to me, no one else just me.
Each to their own is what I would say.
 

Jazzelle29

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How come the likes of Mark Todd, the Funnells, Carl Hester etc etc can make a living selling horse riding tack and equipment from their names and reputation without inviting criticism when the Parellis get shot down in flames?

I have found the Parelli methods work well on the horses that normal/traditional methods have failed.

How many of us know horse owners who have expensive field ornaments because they have found their horses behavioural issues to be too much to handle?

How many of us read the "problem pages" in horse magazines that always start with: "I bought my horse three months ago and now his behaviour has changed for the worse. I've had teeth/back/saddle checked to no avail"...

How many horses get sold down the road to an uncertain future when their behaviour can't be solved...

The competition horses who never reach their true potential because they "blow up" in training?

or worse still, bred from if they are mares- to allow the cycle of behaviour and issues to continue?

We BE event and do RC stuff and constantly see examples of poor and dangerous horsemanship due to a lack of understanding of the horses' innate characteristics.

Things like BHS instructors screaming "MAKE HIM cross the ditch MAKE HIM"!! Where is the dignity and humanity in doing something like that- what about the positive and progressive training we should all be working toward with our horses?

A hard hat and gloves will only save you once you're in a dangerous situation. Why not learn to read a horse and avoid ever getting into the situation in the first place?

Why not embrace the opportunity to learn something new and interesting? "If you do what you've aways done....you get what you've always got".

In addition, we have found that desensitizing our horses to spooky things using approach and retreat, learning trailer loading etc etc makes for a calmer, smarter and braver Eventer that has a less stressful day at a competition... and loads happily into the lorry at the end of the day!
 

Jazzelle29

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What I should also add is that its high time the BHS produced a series of up to date, accessible multimedia training materials too.

Their literature does not reflect current practices or new research and whilst it caters for the physical wellbeing of the horse, does little to address the horse's psychological needs- the source of many training and stable management issues!

Having sat my BHS stages I also found that the manuals are inaccessible for those who may have dyslexia, adult learners or those who just learn in a more visual way.

Whilst the instructor training is becoming a little more geared towards a positive,"coaching" approach there are still many, many BHS instructors with poor communication skills who insist on shouting and belittling their pupils and "keeping them in their place". Some CPD retraining needed perhaps?

If the BHS produced these things and addressed their more "traditional" instructors then I would happily buy the materials and take a look... its all good info... but they seem to be lagging behind as a training provider. Maybe they could take a few lessons from Parelli on marketing, quality communication and presentation...???!
 

Reinback

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I studied Parelli as part of my Equine Behaviour course and think parts of it make sense (such as using imprint learning on foals to accustom them to humans and working with the horses instincts to desensitise them to certain situations like loading etc).
HOWEVER for a little while I subscribed to the Parelli newsletter as part of my research - the advice given to someone whose horse regularly bit them whilst being groomed was 'play the 7 games with him (which in my opinion are based on intimidation rather than working with the horse), if he still bites then give him a carrot every time & he will be so surprised he will stop biting' !!!!!!!
This turned me off it completely.
Also on the free 'live your dream' Parelli CD that came with Horse mag, the riding was atrocious.
Whilst I agree with some of their methods, I feel that some are based on intimidating the horse and the whole thing has become too commercial & aimed at the mass market to make money, rather than being researched more thoroughly and used to improve training methods in the industry.

You did ask!!!
 

anim999

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Hi i'm new to this forum.

I don't actually own a horse yet but i will be in 2 months time
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Anyway, my views on Parelli at the moment are all positive, however I haven't actuallly tried it out yet but I wouldn't mind giving it a go, I think Pat Parelli is amazing, I love watching him on T.V.

It doesn't matter whether you do it the Parelli way or your own, but as long as you are kind and fair to your horse, you will have a good relationship and thats all that matters

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anim999

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By the way I forgot to mention that I do think the DVD's and packages are very expensive and I can't actually afford to buy the materials at the moment which is holding me back
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Ezme

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Tina33- I love you.

IMHO paralli is for people with more money than sence. People who have made money then over horse themselves then think they are being kind by just confusing their horse with random NH and psydo-phychiatry rather than moving the horse on to someone who can really cope with its needs.

Seeing appalling videos on you tube of, frankly pissed off horses drives me mad and talking to other "remedial" trainers who main income appears from messed up paralli horses, mostly headshy.

I tend to pick and choose from different methods, whatever suits the horse, but i've found nothing usful from paralli. 7 games, why? Introverted and extroveted brains? If your around horses for more than 5 mins you know their different, when they get scared some need reassuring, some need pushing on, why pay so much for that and why pigion hole then. When they eventually work their horses they still seem annoyed and doing the bare minimum and not engaged, a horse working correctly is a comfortable one and is less likly to injure itself.

Most of the method i find laughable but reading a post online (from pat himself!) that said to feed treats to an agressive biter is just down right dangerous. And don't get me started about them never wearing hats, do their horses never trip? No matter how "safe" they are theres always something that could cause you to slip from the plate. One of our horses never spooked at anything in his life until he saw a camel, then he went beserk. predict that why don't you!

As said before, patience and time are free. Lots of turn out, respect from both parties and time are all most horses need.
 

alicepettitt

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For your information, it is not a schooling whip, horses do not like to be whipped, would you? it is used as an arm exstenstion for saftey. when you see your horse galloping in the field back foward with a look of happiness on his face, does he pull then face when he/shes with you? or for your horse is it a chore for him/her? Does your horse do things cos you tell him and force him to? Cos parelli is being with a horse where he wants to be with you and is never forced to do anything, the teaching methods cause them to choose things for them selves and become your perfect parnter. Don't punish your horse from being a prey animal.
 

rlstokes

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I think it is amazing....for people who think it is just a money making program you are so wrong, there are so many hours of amazing videos and footage for learning..it is no quick fix in 3 steps as somebody put it, and the one of the most important things is safety...ignorance is bliss...

welcome parelli uk to stoneleigh..
 

LucyPriory

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I disagree with the comment about Western saddles. I have spent considerable time working with horses that have been crippled by them.

Its just that 'western' riders don't seem to notice because the preferred way of going for a western horse seems to favour horses that don't/can't move properly.

I recently went to a western show where one of the winning horses was very lame behind and could barely potter.

I am sure there are western saddles that do fit but I have not yet come across one.
 

lisaroguex

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So here we are again! Surrounded by the snobbery which comes with the Equestrian Society. "You can't do Parelli! How dare you all have fun with your horses! Horses are put on this earth to serve us humans and if they don't comply we'll bully and hit them and if that doesn't work we'll strap them down with £100's of pounds worth of "acceptable common sense!" ie de gouges, martingales, dr bristols etc.

Most of the people I come across don't have "common sense" just a big opinionated mouth. People can't stand to see other people happy and often voice their jealousy/superiority complexes through insults and gossip behind other peoples back. Incidently these people are normally the people I never actually see riding their horses just sitting in the tack room drinking tea and gossiping about everyone!

Why do you all keep going on about how expensive it is? I suspect you all turn up at your competitions in your latest caldene jackets and harry hall jodhphurs. Besides a dvd lasts as long as you look after it you can watch it again and again and actually you can get a rope halter for £6.00 that's less than most normal ones.

As for middle aged women with no common sense?! Well when you get to that age group you'll realise that actually you're a bit more safety conscious and it's more important to get on a nice calm horse and enjoy the riding experience than to be able to sit on the nutty horse that is likely to kill you.

So you don't like the Parelli methods that's your prerogotive but it's ours to love it. We get just as good a response from our horses if not better and it builds confidence in our horses and us as owners. Not all of us have been fortunate enough to have mummies and daddies who have bought us our horses. I had to wait 26 years for mine!

I've never had to use excessive force on my horse and he is much happier now than he ever was we do more and we've started really enjoying life together, so as far as I'm concerned that's the most important thing. I'm not really concerned about the narrow minded views that come from some of the people on here. The best horsemen/women take different parts of different theories and make their own conclusions without slating other peoples You should all be more open minded then you would be more successful.
 

carys220

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I guess you haven't read the whole of this thread. The majority of us don't disagree with the methods, in fact people like Monty Roberts have been doing them for years(Intelligent Horsemanship). What we disagree with is the media and marketing machine that comes with Parelli, the seemingly endless DVD sets for £45 each, the 'carrot stick'! It's a bloody schooling whip! when people talk about 'common sense' with regards to parelli it's about having the sense to see it for what it really is. You can use all of the IH methods without spending a penny on merchandise.
 

Angua2

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QR..... gave up reading most of the 20 plus pages.

Waste of money. It is common sense repackaged and then sold by very clever marketing to people that should not perhaps have horses. Why on earth is it a carrot stick and what on earth has a big green aerobics got to do with horsemanship.

Most of the horses on the problem horses site have all been "parelli'ed".
 
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