What is "Parelli" all about???

D

dobbin27

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 April 2008
Messages
310
Visit site

Hi Everybody!

Sorry to show my complete ignorance yet again, but I have just had a chat with a lovely lady who is coming to look at my horse at the weekend with a view to maybe taking him on loan.

She asked if I minded her doing Parelli with him, which in theory I have no issue with, because he is a sensible chap and I'm sure he won't object as he generally takes everything in his stride, but I haven't got a clue what its really all about!!

I know it involves lots of ground work, and fits in to the natural horsemanship category that is a complete mystery to me, (I stick to the old way and a lot of patience!!) but thats about it!!... Any info/experiences gratefully rec'd!

Thanks
 
Its a licence to print money!!!
On the other hand it uses great techniques for respect and general handling issues. Its a bit 'tree huggy' for me but i certainly wouldn't mind if it was used on my horses!!
 
hello,

i thought i would copy and paste the information of the parelli website for you, i hope this helps you hun.
smile.gif


"The Parelli method allows horse lovers at all levels and disciplines to achieve: success without force, partnership without dominance, teamwork without fear, willingness without intimidation, and harmony without coercion.

Founded in 1981 by lifelong horseman and teacher Pat Parelli, the Parelli Program combines common sense psychology and communication. Unlike many training programs, the Parelli method teaches the human, not the horse. Early on, Pat realized that horses already had all the skills they needed to thrive and relate with their kind. It was adding the human element that complicated things.

Horse owners who follow the Parelli program have found the greatest gift is discovering that Parelli enhances not only their relationship and communication with the horse, but touches every other relationship in their lives.

"It's more than just about the horse," reflects Linda. "It really dips into the personal development side of things. You learn about yourself, you learn about communication, about leadership, about truthfulness, about consequence and responsibility. You learn about love and imagination. The horse becomes the animal that tells you the truth about yourself in all these categories."

"People realize this is what they've been looking for in all their relationships," adds Pat. "It's balanced with love, language and leadership in equal doses. The program and their horse give them a living model so they can practice and become fluent in their abilities in all relationships, not just the horse relationships." "

xxxx
 
Well, it's not hunting it's parelli!! Lol... Only joking.

Go on youtube and put in the search Parelli - this will give you a good visual idea of what it's all about.

It's basically doing all sorts things via groundwork and riding without a tack and just a whole different world to English riding methods.
xx
 
Making money from the misfortune of others, it seems to me.......

But that's just my opinion. I don't see that it would do any harm, just don't part with any money for anything yourself unless you're totally convinced it'll work!
 
JM07 you're very naughty!!!

Without wishing to be disrespectful to anyone who's found it useful, but in my experience the people on our yard who pay parelli instructors to visit all tend to be ladies of a certain age who are new to horse ownership, wonder why that is! Oh hang on, could it be that they have rich husbands and nothing better to spend his money on. I bad
smile.gif
 
Must admit IH and Parelli can seem to be a bit 'smoke and mirrors '
I have used some IH stuff but I find to some people these methods almost become a religion and have to be followed religiously and nothing else is any good .
Me I use bits and pieces of everything I think the best horse trainers are open to everything but not 'narrow' following religiously only one route.
 

I definitely won't be paying for it!! Much too new age for me, and he doesn't really have issues so it all seems like money for nothing. But it sounds like he'll just stand and look a bit confused!! A bit of a 'what is this idiot trying to do to me now!' moment. Or hopefully quite enjoy the excuse to play in the school rather than do proper work!!

He already has lots of very efficient ways of communicating..... bangs stable door for breakfast, waits scowling by the gate to be come in if you're late etc...
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
JM07 you're very naughty!!!

Without wishing to be disrespectful to anyone who's found it useful, but in my experience the people on our yard who pay parelli instructors to visit all tend to be ladies of a certain age who are new to horse ownership, wonder why that is! Oh hang on, could it be that they have rich husbands and nothing better to spend his money on. I bad
smile.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

that wouldn't be the same people of a certain age who are actually too scared to RIDE their horses, would it?

[/ QUOTE ]

he he he...I believe there to be much flapping of ropes and pointing of sticks rather than actual riding
grin.gif
 
I know someone who is very much into Parelli and her horses are happy, respectful and willing individuals. Now before anyone says anything I know you don't need to do Parelli to get that from your horse but it works for her and her horses and it works for a lot of other people too.

I don't really follow any form of NH but I do believe in common sense and from what I've seen and heard I would say a lot of NH/Parelli stuff is based on common sense, some of it is stupid too but its down to you to take what you need from it.
 
"Sounds like an ideal candidate for being biffed on the head by an orange painted stick, then!!!"

???????!!! Hmmm... Not sure he'll take too much biffing in his stride!!
 
it folk that con money out of the gulliable and lead there horses round in halters they have made out of there shoelaces but yet charge £40 for and teach you to play games with your horse for a further £££££
ill send you an old scrabble for free!!
 
[ QUOTE ]
it folk that con money out of the gulliable and lead there horses round in halters they have made out of there shoelaces but yet charge £40 for and teach you to play games with your horse for a further £££££
ill send you an old scrabble for free!!

[/ QUOTE ]

You can't play scrabble with a pony!!!! Honestly, the one time I tried it all he kept trying to spell was C.A.R.R.O.T
blush.gif
 
My personal problem with Parelli is that it can tend to confuse a horse. Say your horse understands 'conventional' cues, Parelli is just a different language. Not all bad, but a bit too dominating and in your face for my liking.

If I had a happy, well behaved horse then, No, I would not be at all willing for someone to be waving a stick in his face, or his rope around his ears just so they can have a play. What purpose does it serve?

I recently bought a mare that was completely, and I mean completely, submissive. I thought it was just the new scenery, herd etc, but after doing some digging I found that her previous owners (lotsadosh, no horse sense) had been heavily into Parelli and the reason the mare was sold was because she attacked one of them after they made her back around an arena by swinging a stick in her face, the fact that at the time she had a month old foal at foot could also have had something to do with it.

She is figuring out that she can actually move or think without being corrected or positioned, I have never seen any sign of viciousness at all, but then I have never waved a stick or a rope in her face. Incidentally, the mare backs up (ground ties, loads, walks, trots, lopes, halts, yields etc) on verbal cues, so she has obviously been 'conventionally' trained at some point.

I think that you have to talk to this potential loaner and SEE exactly what she plans to be doing, get her to show you what she plans, you have to balance that with whether, ultimately, it will be a good home for your horse too. At least she has asked you, I am sure a lot of loaners don't bother to even do that.
 
I used to be of the majority opinion but thought instaed of bashing the whole process without really taking the time to study it I would have a go (got lent the DVD's for free).
What I discovered is that PNH is certainly NOT fluffy if carried out correctly.
It's success or failure relies (as does all horsemanship IMHO) on the the ability of the person to read the minute clues a horse gives.
Playing the 7 games should only be a brief stepping stone, not the end result.

So to answer your question - would I let the loaner do PNH.
NO NO NO NO NO.
Not because it doesn't work, but more because if carried out correctly without the ability to 'read' the horse then you will end up with one seriously screwed up horse. If it is carried out incorrectly and focusses on the 7 games all the time then you will end up with a very switched off horse that may just decide to find its own amusement.

I'm not saying it doesn't work because frankly, done correctly it does.
What I'm really saying is those that need it dont have the horse experience to do it correctly. Those that do have the ability to do it correctly generally dont need it.
So either way NO!
 
Yep a licence to print money. Basically its just good horsemanship and being able to communicate with a horse on a deep level. I had to laugh, I am a first horse owner of a certain age, LOL, but I wouldnt pay for it. Its too tree huggy for me, plus I get really irritated by those converted disciples of the likes of Pat Parelli and Monty Roberts treating it like another horsey discipline, cos it aint one. As i said above, its nothing that a good horseman/woman wouldnt practice anyway in the course of days work with horses. On top of that, do you really need a special halter? A pressure halter with correct instruction will work just as well.

My instructor, who has met the illustrious Mr Parelli tried some groundwork on my cob just to see what he would do. He thought it was totally hilarious and looked at us both in bemusesment (my horse, I mean). I've got friends who do 'Join up', and I pee myself with laughter at them chasing their horses around the arena.

On top of that, having sat through interminable 'Natural horsemanship' displays at places like HOYS, Gatcombe et al, its dam boring.

No, I aint a fan and think its a waste of money.
 
It so pisses me off that people take the ridicule out of Parelli and use the excuse that it's just a money making scam. Rubbish, any professional horseman whether they are Mark Todd or The funnell collection make money out of putting their name to a product.

Take away all the showmanship and money making side of it, " Parelli" ( which is not the only form of this method of training) is a very workable, symapthetic and effective way of training a horse. I do it with my own mare and am astonished at the results. I also ride " conventially" and keep my horse in a stable.

For those who think it's rubbish, I would challange you to do with your horse, in your " convential way" what I can do with mine,using the slightest bit of pressure, body language and silence.

Rant over lol
 
[ QUOTE ]
the ability to dupe the gullible by talking total bollox....
tongue.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Oh Boy - I really need a new dicitionary! How does yours definte "carrot stick"?!!
smile.gif
 
Body pressure, body language and silence......yep.....thats me, but I aint Pat Parelli.

Its called knowing horses, being empathetic whilst at the same time being aware that half a ton of horse needs to know its boundaries.....

Jesus- my 70 year old dad understands and reads horses , he can spot a 1/10th lame horse from half a field away in walk - he aint called Pat either........many of us 'know' horses but we haven't put a DVD out.......
 
I do 'join up' with my boy. Stick a carrot in my pocket and he'll follow me to Timbuktu and back :-)

To be fair, I've never studied it and I've never used it so I can't comment on its effectiveness. However, some of the people I have met who have used it, I wouldn't let near my horse with a bargepole - or a carrot stick for that matter
wink.gif


However, that is not to say it couldn't work if used by somebody experienced and capable - although how that is defined is sometimes interesting, one persons experienced is another's novice etc etc

(Tic tac, this wasn't aimed at you, I just hit QR)
confused.gif
 
Yes, but done wrongly you end up with at best a confused horse, and at worst (personal experience) a frightened or aggressive one. As you can with any method, conventional, 'branded' or otherwise.

I don't actually give a stuff what other people choose to spend their money on, or do to their horses (within reasonable boundaries) none of my business, but I wouldn't send a horse of mine away to any old bod who may just want to play about with a piece of twig in one hand and a book in the other. Perhaps the OP's potential loaner knows what's what, but it seems to me that an awful lot of people go off half cocked and end up in a pickle.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top