AS Linda Parelli canters effortlessly around on her
beloved horse Remmer, spectators look on keen to find out more
about how she has trained the 17hh warmblood to such a high
level, sometimes riding bareback and without a bridle or simply
with a halter and rope. Read on to find out more about
how Linda has used Parelli techniques in her dressage training.........................
What is it about Parelli that would help dressage riders?
You learn how to put the relationship with the horse first -
not just love your horse, but know what is important and fulfilling
or enjoyable for him too.
We learn to put our principles before our goals. We care
as much about him. You also learn how to communicate with
horses using their body language and typical interactions. Most
horses are subject to one-way directives, they don't get to share
or express themselves.
Parelli helps horse owners and riders to realize that there is
a foundation even below dressage basics (and dressage is in itself
a foundation for other disciplines, like jumping for example). This
foundation develops a horse mentally and emotionally, increases
their confidence, quality of response and establishes a true
bond between horse and human. It also teaches them the
basic skills on the ground and under saddle.
Parelli Natural Horsemanship gives you a deep understanding
of horses and horse psychology so you know how to adjust your
training according to their needs.
The foundation is very thorough, and most times when Pat has
been called in to work with a top level horse that has 'lost
it', he finds gaping holes in this foundation.
Never ending self improvement - is also what it takes to be
a great dressage rider. You learn how to overcome difficulties,
solve problems, take a fresh start, solve equestrian puzzles. You
also learn that the horse can only be as good as you are. You
become more mentally, emotionally and physically fit. This
is way more than a horse training program!
Dressage is something that requires a lot of precision and can
sometimes cause a rider to become critical of their horse. Parelli
helps you learn how to balance that, to be particular without
being critical and how to keep your principles in front of your
goals for the horse's sake.
How does it fit with a competition mind-set - what are your
views on dressage competition?
With dressage competitions the rider becomes more mentally and
emotionally fit and not so nervous. They learn how to
manage the horse's emotions too and to set themselves up for
success.
You learn how to specialize without blowing the horse up and
to prepare them properly way ahead of time.
Thanks to the use of equine psychology - you understand things
from the horse's point of view and how to prepare - the perfect
warm up for this horse or that horse, without wearing them down
or burning them out.
Parelli teaches people to be non-predatory, and that if they
get the fundamentals right the fancy stuff will follow. All
too often we focus on the fancy stuff and the horse becomes too
tense.
Anything is possible so long as we allow the horse to be in
charge of the principles and the time line.
Competition - competition isn't healthy, only healthy competition
is healthy! Win-win, the horse has to win too. When
it's at the expense of the horse's well being we don't approve. Horses
can be your perfect partner if you know how to cause that.
Discover the inner game of horsemanship / dressage - where it's
about personal achievement, personal best and how much you can
do with the horse instead of being the best of the worst that
was there that day. Check your ego at the door! Parelli
gives you a macho-ectomy.
When I was competing in Sydney my horse was nervous and often
it was an awful, tense ride and yet I'd win. It didn't
feel good to me and I know it didn't feel good to my horse. It
was Pat who gave me the perspective on being the best of the
worst that was there that day - I lost interest in that. I
wanted it to be the best both me and my horse could do without
nerves or external issues affecting us. I actually began
the Parelli program while I was training and competing and my
scores went up by more than 10% in the first two months.
What I love about coming back to dressage after all these years
living and teaching Parelli, is that it is fun. It didn't
used to be fun. I was so over-focused, in some ways it
was stressful and if not for me, I know my horse didn't enjoy
it. 
Now my horse tries like crazy, and I feel his sense
of accomplishment and how he enjoys our harmony together. Dressage
was always so difficult and Walter Zettl has taught me how you
can do the most difficult manoeuvres and yet your horse shouldn't
even know they are difficult! It's all an extension of
the primary manoeuvres, even piaffe.
What are three simple things that dressage riders could do
to incorporate
Parelli techniques into their training?
Play the Seven Games on the ground with their horse instead
of or in addition to lungeing, because circling is one of the
Seven Games.
Lungeing may develop the horse's body, but the mind goes to
pot. Mindless circles can make a horse dull or frustrate
them. It does not make them calmer, smarter or braver.
The Seven Games develops a horse mentally, emotionally and physically. It
develops their confidence, teaches them to think and solve problems,
helps them to feel like a partner rather than a robot. Plus
it prepares them for every single manoeuvre a dressage horse
would ever need to do because one of the games, or a combination
of them, can be found at the root of every movement, from transitions
to lateral manoeuvres to piaffe.
1. Play with your horse on the ground to build a better
relationship and fundamentals for performance / gymnastics.
2. Cross train - regardless of specialization, cross-training
is an important balance, in this case it could be hacking out.
3. Taking care of behavioural issues, realizing they
are not separate from your horsemanship / dressage endeavours. They
are part of grooming the equine athlete inside and out.
Commonsense behaviours often become secondary to performance
training. For example, many top equine athletes have trouble
with trailer loading, spookiness, impulsiveness, are hard to
shoe, scared of the vet, won't stand still to mount, hard to
catch, can't be ridden on a loose rein, run off if given the
chance, can't do anything "functional" such as ride
outside or jump over something, cross a ditch, or be in the company
of other horses, etc. They become hot-house flowers, or
brain-dead robots - obedient without exuberance and dignity.
Dressage horses tend to be over-ridden with contact and in
vertical flexion. This limits their vision and as result
they can lose confidence and get spooky.
1. People think you shouldn't / cannot "play" with
a performance horse. That you have to keep it serious. But
to truly achieve harmony with horses you have to think about
their needs, and 'play' is important to horses. Watch what
they do with each other when turned loose together, then think
about their life isolated in a stall. They need to play,
and sometimes we are their only outlet. In Parelli we keep
horses mentally and emotionally balanced by playing the same
games with them that they play with each other (a little more
constructively of course!) and that's the Seven Games. Pat
Parelli identified these games by watching horses interact.
2. Pat Parelli teaches us to see things from the horse's
point of view. We ask ourselves these questions every
day: Imagine being your horse - How's your world? What
do you think of your owner / rider / trainer? What do
you think of your routine? Are you excited to see them turn up
each day?
The more we want to achieve with your horse, the more we need
to find out about what achieving a real bond, a real partnership
involves. It by-passes all the performance horse problems
that most people have learned to expect come with the territory. They
are usually not behavioural problems, they are relationship problems.
What else would you call it when your horse greets you with pinned
ears or turning his back to you?
3. People are riding horses that are scared of them or
that are arguing with them. That has to change
in order for people to be safe, have fun and achieve their goals...
with the horse on their side.
For further information contact Parelli UK on 0800
0234 813 or visit www.parelli.com
