We Ride Sport and Trail Magazine June 2018 | Page 41

Nancy Slater is a Parelli Professional who has dedicated her life to making the world a better place for horses and the people who love them. Her self-less passion for educating kids as well as demonstrating how a real partnership with your horse can lead to competitive success is what makes Nancy stand out. We could not be more proud to be represented by Nancy as she helps us to teach horse riders, trainers and owners to use love, language and leadership to reach their goals with horses. Thank you Nancy!

Pat and Linda Parelli

Follow me and the horses on Facebook.com/parellirocks and Nancy Slater Natural Horsemanship

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Pressure motivates, but it's releasing when you get points that teaches a horse. For the rest of her life, she will remember our lessons. Now Fergie has the potential to become a great saddle horse one day because of her understanding and acceptance of people's desire for speed control.

It was exciting to see the changes in

her behavior! She was getting so

curious and wanted to come to me.

Emotionally she was showing me,

with her head down, licking her lips,

3 points, that she didn't need to run

away from me, and it was safe to stop.

Mentally, she was learning to respond

and follow my suggestion to move

forward while blowing out through

her nostrils, a sign of relaxation and

another 3 points! Whatever she did,

stop or go, it was a good deal for her.

When I got points from her, she got

smiles from me!

Before long, Fergie accepted me, my tools, and the halter, so I attached the lead rope and asked Fergie to lead up with a small amount of steady pressure on the rope. Taking my time, I then asked her to back up with gentle

pressure on the halter. I repeated the

exercise while looking for points.

More points got her more releases

from my hands, and she progressed

faster and faster with each session.

Within 2 weeks of emotional and

mental training like these

groundwork exercises, Fergie was

leading up well. She could walk, trot,

and canter on my slightest request in

hand and at liberty with a happy look

on her face.

She also could slow, stop, and back up willingly without getting excited, once she understood and accepted my pressure, both emotionally and mentally.