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Horse Behavior Specialist
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20 / Sport and Trail Magazine
Coming Full Circle
offering help to others. Here, in this special place.
Linda had approached me with a proposal months earlier. She was going to do a survey to find out if there would be any interest in an extensive Horsemanship course on Competitive Obstacle Trail. And, if there was, would I be interested in leading the course? My answer? An immediate, “Yes!”
It turned out, there was a huge response to the survey! Linda also had people wanting to attend a 10 day course on Dressage, so on April 1, a group of excited Trail Riders and Dressage enthusiasts pulled in the front gate of the Florida Parelli Campus to see my smiling face! Half would ride with Linda, and the other half with me.
I had spent the morning setting up obstacles. I wanted to simulate sensory encounters that a horse might emotionally react to because a calm, connected horse is a safe horse. And, for the calm-by-nature trail horse, I brought objects that would test the mental aspect for those horses that tend not to move in desired directions or speeds, because a responsive, obedient horse is a fun horse.
There was more than one way to work an obstacle, as students found out. Everyone just wanted to ride forward, with the horse following their nose. My job was to show them how to use the 7 Games of Parelli, (the communication of the horse), to develop their horse for Competitive Trail. Using tarps, pool noodles, and other common objects anyone could find around their home, students learned to challenge their horses and their own leadership skills.
To support the Parelli Foundation’s ongoing work, please visit: www.parellifoundation.org/giving.
s I stood looking over the green pastures in the early morning glow, I took a deep breath and sighed. It had been quite some time since I brought my challenging mule to this place. I had come for help, and I found it here. Tomorrow I would pay it forward, offering help to others. Here, in this special place.
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My job was to show them how to use the 7 Games of Parelli, (the communication of the horse), to develop their horse for Competitive Trail. Using tarps, pool noodles, and other common objects anyone could find around their home, students learned to challenge their horses and their own leadership skills.
I reflected on my own leadership skills. Josh the mule brought me to understanding. The Parelli Seven Games were the language. I hung in there when things got tough. And so, I got it. I savvied savvy. Linda believed in me, and when I said I wanted to teach others how to get this glorious feeling of partnership, she gave me one leg up after another to follow my dreams.
After Josh injured tendons in his right front leg, I had to retire him. I immediately started putting what I learned to purpose:
1) I rescued Fancy, a biting and bucking 2 year old, who settled into becoming my amazing riding and driving horse for many years.
2) Shaman was a blank slate filly, who won Nationals in the pro division the first year we competed.
3) 2 young, wild Florida Cracker Horses stole my heart and have become superstars.
4) A “crazy” horse, named Miss Jewels, who was thrown away, tested my ability to heal PTSD in horses.
5) A horse sanctuary sent me an untouchable, older mustang, named Chevy, who proved to be extremely trainable.
6) For years now, horses and riders have come to me with “things” that needed correcting. Because of the Parelli Program, I can cause the “things” to go away!
Each horse and rider combination in the Parelli course was different. They all had “things” that could be fixed or improved upon. I have found that putting up with “things” is not humane, functional, fun nor safe. Each horse and rider at the Parelli course needed a prescription for that specific team. The prescription was simple, but not always easy. The obstacles made it challenging, yet fun. At the end of the Parelli Bridge to Equine Trail Sports 10 day course, there stood a group of happy horses and smiling riders, which told me I had truly come full circle.
Wow. What a ride.