# Linda Parelli video, working with one-eyed horse...



## dianneS (Mar 8, 2010)

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/80925308

I personally own a horse that is blind in one eye.  I know that she can crowd me on her blind side at times, that's not her fault.  Groundwork can be difficult at times and challenging and I have to find ways to work around her blindness issue.  Mainly by using my voice A LOT when she's not able to see me.  Also, not using any aggressive or violent sudden movements so that she will earn my trust and know that she's not going to get smacked or something and not see it coming!

Very gentle and patient training is required when dealing with a blind horse.  They are very reluctant to trust if they can't see or hear what is being asked of them.

I don't agree with how Linda is handling this horse and I don't think she accomplished anything with him.  I'm very disappointed in her.


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## fadetopurple (Mar 8, 2010)

What the heck? That poor horse. Whether it had full vision or not, that was confusing and frustrating to watch. Can't imagine how much worse it was for the horse.


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## dianneS (Mar 8, 2010)

fadetopurple said:
			
		

> What the heck? That poor horse. Whether it had full vision or not, that was confusing and frustrating to watch. Can't imagine how much worse it was for the horse.
> 
> I also own a horse who's blind in one eye. It really doesn't cause any issues at all, as long as I'm not being an idiot. I've realized that she's spectacularly well-adjusted, though. Watching her run around, you would never guess she can't see out of that eye. It's only been an issue during handling a couple of times.


I also have a very well adjusted horse and her blindness is never really much of an issue.  Groundwork can cause some problems, but usually the only time its a problem is when my mare becomes nervous or anxious and not being able to see, increases that anxiety.

I agree, the whole thing was very frustrating to watch.


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## sterlng&sierra (Mar 9, 2010)

Regardless as to whether the horse was partially blind, completely blind, or could see normally, never should you start whaling on the horse with the loops of the lead rope, or loose your temper with one like that. She sent mixed signals throughout her little escapade, making the poor animal more confused and frightened. And the end result was: nothing but a horse who now mistrusts people, and has a bruised nose to go along with it.


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## Chickerdoodle13 (Mar 9, 2010)

I watched that video and I don't even know what she was trying to accomplish with that horse. I can't imagine how the horse felt if even I couldn't figure it out!

The whole video made me cringe. All I saw was her jerking that poor horse's head around. She definitely needs to start using her body language more than that lead rope! There were just way too many mixed signals. In one breath she'd say good boy and then she'd whack the poor thing the next moment. I couldn't believe how much she was smacking him in the head too! That's a good way to get a head shy horse reallll fast!


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## WallTenters (Mar 13, 2010)

I agree with the previous posts. Terrible demonstration on how to do.. anything... with a horse. What the heck was she asking? If she wanted him to back off her, why was she continually backing up, and then sending him in little half circles and yanking him towards her? 

I really hopes this wakes people up a bit to the Parelli madness. It's great when you have a horse you're bonding with, no so good for any actual training.


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## LauraM (Mar 13, 2010)

WallTenters said:
			
		

> I agree with the previous posts. Terrible demonstration on how to do.. anything... with a horse. What the heck was she asking? If she wanted him to back off her, why was she continually backing up, and then sending him in little half circles and yanking him towards her?
> 
> I really hopes this wakes people up a bit to the Parelli madness. It's great when you have a horse you're bonding with, no so good for any actual training.


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## ducks4you (Mar 15, 2010)

Very confusing.  When anybody--people or animals--lose one of their senses, in this case partial sight, the person or animal compensates with the other 4 senses.  I would expect this mare to pay special attention to sounds on her blind side, in order to protect herself.  I would think that she would be very sensitive to touch on her blind side, too.

First, I think it's kinda pointless to be riding a horse that is partially blind--too many opportunities to get hurt.  

Second, there are a couple of jobs she could do well, like a companion to weanlings.

Third, if you _HAVE _to use this mare for something, why not train her to take voice commands, starting with gentle but firm touch, then translate to just your voice.  You could start with the side she can still see, then, when she's mastered that, train the blind side.

A snaky lead rope gets your horse to pay attention by sight, in which this mare's is comprimised--kind of pointless?  

I was surprised.  Every video of Parelli's that I've watched had useful training in them.  :/


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## dianneS (Mar 15, 2010)

The lead rope thing is to get your horse to pay attention by sight, which makes a lot of groundwork techniques really difficult for a partially blind horse.  I have yet to find anyone who's been able to adapt these techniques for a blind horse.

I have know of numerous partially blind horses that are very suitable for riding.  I've even known and ridden a totally blind horse that completely trusted its riders.  My mare is perfectly fine for riding, and I've never had any issues with her under saddle, she can do anything any sighted horse can do.  There are lots of people who don't give up on their horses just because they've lost sight in one eye.  The farm my mare came from had three partially blind horses on the property, two of which were show horses and they never had any problems with them.

I have not found that working my mare from her sighted side first until she's mastered something, and then switching to her blind side to be effective at all.  It only makes her more one-sided and more hesitant to turn a blind eye toward her trainer.  Switching back and forth from her good side to her bad side is the best way I've found to gain her trust and get her to connect the voice commands.  Just like you would work any other really one-sided horse, both sides have to be worked equally.  If I were to longe her only with her good eye toward me, she would love that, but after a lot of work in that direction, and she gets really resistant to go the other way.  When I get her to switch back and forth from one direction to the other rather quickly, its almost like she forgets she is blind!

My horse is very sensitive to touch on her blind side too.  She gets scared to turn a blind eye toward you if there is any fear she could get smacked!  That's why I don't understand Linda's method when dealing with this horse.


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## ducks4you (Mar 15, 2010)

> *dianneS wrote:*
> Switching back and forth from her good side to her bad side is the best way I've found to gain her trust and get her to connect the voice commands.  Just like you would work any other really one-sided horse, both sides have to be worked equally.


Guess I wasn't clear-I do agree with you.   MY POINT was that, as you said about your horse, there is a heightened sensibility to touch on a blind or partially blind horse.  I have, in my experience noticed that all of the horses I have owned and trained over the years are *soothed by the voice and can learn to take verbal commands*, which they do not forget.

I DID have a gelding go blind on me.  I didn't see it, but my Vet noticed  a degenerative condition.  He started to spook at the shadows he was seeing, and I was kicked in the head.

Regardless, it's good to have this discussion.


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## dianneS (Mar 16, 2010)

ducks4you said:
			
		

> > *dianneS wrote:*
> > Switching back and forth from her good side to her bad side is the best way I've found to gain her trust and get her to connect the voice commands.  Just like you would work any other really one-sided horse, both sides have to be worked equally.
> 
> 
> ...


Voice commands do help soothe my mare and of course its all she has to go on when she can't see.  I have found that if I have the same crowding issue like Linda had in the video.  I usually just touch my mare with a longe whip to sort of push her out of my space on her blind side.  I've tried flicking the whip of lead rope at her so she can hear and feel it, but on her blind side, that freaks her out.  If she can trust that I'm only going to touch her with it, and using my voice at the same time, that usually works a lot better than those techniques Linda was using!

Whoa, kicked in the head??  Wow, sorry to hear that, very scary.  You're very fortunate to be okay.


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## freemotion (Mar 16, 2010)

As an equine massage therapist, I have had the opportunity to work on several horses that have had an eye removed due to injury or disease.  They were all in work and doing quite well.  They all had chronic muscle issues that needed regular maintainance because of the way they need to swing their heads to see where they are going, though.

Yesterday I picked up a new client.  A Grand Prix dressage horse who is missing an eye, for many years now.  He was long-listed for the Olympics, one-eyed, when his owner was badly injured while riding another horse.  He is an amazing animal.  So yes, with certain considerations, one-eyed horses can have long and useful  and safe lives.


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## dianneS (Mar 16, 2010)

freemotion said:
			
		

> As an equine massage therapist, I have had the opportunity to work on several horses that have had an eye removed due to injury or disease.  They were all in work and doing quite well.  They all had chronic muscle issues that needed regular maintainance because of the way they need to swing their heads to see where they are going, though.
> 
> Yesterday I picked up a new client.  A Grand Prix dressage horse who is missing an eye, for many years now.  He was long-listed for the Olympics, one-eyed, when his owner was badly injured while riding another horse.  He is an amazing animal.  So yes, with certain considerations, one-eyed horses can have long and useful  and safe lives.


I have noticed my mare has muscle issues due to her blindness as well. 

How long have you been an equine massage therapist?  I've been a human massage therapist for almost 11 years now.  I was thinking of getting my equine certification, if for nothing else, the CEU hours.  My National Certification is due to expire in two years and I have to get caught up with my continuing ed in order to maintain my certification and license.

Where did you go to school?  I only know of Equissage in Virginia as the only school accredited by the National Certification Board for Massage and bodywork, so I guess that is the only place that would offer me the CEU's I would need.

Do you work on humans too, or just horses?  I wouldn't mind getting away from working on humans and replace a few of my current clients with clients of the equine variety!  Humans can be so draining some times.


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## freemotion (Mar 16, 2010)

I have been a massage therapist for people and horses since 1998.  I also teach at a massage school and teach advanced coursed for LMT's.  

I use Meagher Method of sportsmassage for both people and horses.  He only authorized two people to teach his work, Joann Wilson and Robert Altman.  They are the ONLY two people he taught his secrets to, although others claim to know his work....many people watched him work, but he kept his secrets to himself.  I say this because I took a course from someone who claimed to be taught by Jack Meagher, then I went on to take Jack's course, and it was night and day.

Anyways, Jack has since died, and as far as I know, Robert and Joann aren't teaching right now, but don't take my word for it, do an online search.  I did see Joann's name as an applicant for CE provider status with NCTMBA recently, so that is promising.  They are the only ones I can whole-heartedly recommend learning from.  They both really know their stuff.  You will have to travel....

I took all the courses offered and assisted some as well, when Robert and Joann were teaching Meagher Method together.  They would not accept an applicant who was not a licensed, practicing massage therapist with a solid background in horses.  The course was very intensive, and they didn't want to be defining words or trying to keep people from getting stepped on!

Check out the AMTA's research foundation site...Joann got a grant a few years ago on behalf of the Meagher Institute and did some cool massage research using horses.

I put in my CE provider application as well, and may teach an equine course myself.  

Oh, and the VA course....I met two other therapists who took it, then took the Meagher Method workshops.  They both panned the course.  They both said they learned more in one day with Robert and Joann than in the entire course in VA.  Just going by what I was told.  There is also a course near me in CT that has been offered for years that is a big joke.  So be careful in what course you choose to take.  

I am really not familiar with what else is out there, so I can only speak from my own experience and from the experience of people who I spoke to directly.

That is so cool that you are also a massage therapist!!!  I teach a CE course via teleconference called, "Maximize Your Performance Potential:  Factors Contributing to Energy, Inflammation, and Pain, Part I & II"  that is a total of 16 CE hours.  I've taught it twice so far to rave reviews.  E-mail me if you are interested in getting notified when I teach it again!  I plan on getting one going in the next couple of months.  I teach this one over a two month period, once a week classes of two hours each.  It is too info-intensive to do all at once.  Your head would explode, and so would mine!  This course leads into you teaching your clients how to manage lifestyle options that will keep them healthy and reduce chronic pain.  It is very satisfying....like massage therapy....but you can rest your hands for a bit!


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## Ashmeade (Mar 17, 2010)

I have never been impressed with the Parelli training methods, mainly due to the people I have personally come across that are self proclaimed "Parelli trainers" have been quite incompetent.  I guess after seeing this I guess they WERE trainers by that standard...

:/


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## dianneS (Mar 17, 2010)

Ashmeade said:
			
		

> I have never been impressed with the Parelli training methods, mainly due to the people I have personally come across that are self proclaimed "Parelli trainers" have been quite incompetent.  I guess after seeing this I guess they WERE trainers by that standard...
> 
> :/


I agreee.  I've had the same experiences with "Parelli trainers"

I really lost a lot of respect for the whole Parelli phenomenon when I heard about the whole helmet saga. 

Long story short, they were questioned as to why no one wears helmets in their videos and there was some sort of response issued in the regard that relying on a helmet is a crutch of sorts and if you have a good bond with your horse and your horse is properly trained you shouldn't have to rely on additional gear for safety.  It was pretty ridiculous.  I'm paraphrasing of course but that was the general idea.


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## fadetopurple (Mar 17, 2010)

dianneS said:
			
		

> I really lost a lot of respect for the whole Parelli phenomenon when I heard about the whole helmet saga.


Seconded. I also strongly disliked their advice on curing a horse of biting. (Basically, wait for the horse to bite, and have a carrot ready in place of your tender flesh; they'll be pleasantly surprised by the carrot and never bite again!) I don't think it was actually given by one of the Parellis, but it was on their site and they defended it when someone emailed them about it.


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## LauraM (Mar 18, 2010)

> dianneS wrote:
> 
> I really lost a lot of respect for the whole Parelli phenomenon when I heard about the whole helmet saga.


I am absolutely with you there! 



> Seconded. I also strongly disliked their advice on curing a horse of biting. (Basically, wait for the horse to bite, and have a carrot ready in place of your tender flesh; they'll be pleasantly surprised by the carrot and never bite again!) I don't think it was actually given by one of the Parellis, but it was on their site and they defended it when someone emailed them about it.


Why does this not surprise me?    I often wonder if these Parellites even work with real horses.


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## dianneS (Mar 18, 2010)

LauraM said:
			
		

> > dianneS wrote:
> >
> > I really lost a lot of respect for the whole Parelli phenomenon when I heard about the whole helmet saga.
> 
> ...


The Parelli's cure for cribbing, although its not a training technique, and it does make sense, just isn't realistic in a chronic cribber.

Pat Parelli says that cribbing is caused by digestive issues and since a horse can't burp, it cribs to relieve the discomfort.  While this does make sense and could be the initial cause of cribbing.  All of the dietary changes, digestive aids and whatnot are not going to cure a chronic cribber that has a deeply ingrained habit.

I just wonder if Pat Parelli has ever dealt with a real cribber before?  I could see using his suggestions to prevent a cribbing habit before it starts, but I just don't see it curing a chronic cribber.


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## duckluck (Mar 18, 2010)

dianneS said:
			
		

> http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/80925308
> 
> I personally own a horse that is blind in one eye.  I know that she can crowd me on her blind side at times, that's not her fault.  Groundwork can be difficult at times and challenging and I have to find ways to work around her blindness issue.  Mainly by using my voice A LOT when she's not able to see me.  Also, not using any aggressive or violent sudden movements so that she will earn my trust and know that she's not going to get smacked or something and not see it coming!
> 
> ...


Heh heh, this video has caused quite a flap, other people are talking about it too.


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## duckluck (Mar 18, 2010)

dianneS said:
			
		

> LauraM said:
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I've lost a lot of respect for the whole Parelli thing, period, and I used to be a staunch supporter of the method. Some of the methods, the core methods, are sound, but I personally think it's gone off the deep end myself.


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## duckluck (Mar 18, 2010)

dianneS said:
			
		

> Ashmeade said:
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It absolutely is ridiculous. That's like saying an excellent driver has no need whatsoever to wear their seat belt because they won't need it to save their life. People can be excellent riders and have excellent horses, but things happen outside of the norm all the time. Equipment can break and ground can give too. We don't live in a perfect world and so we use safety equipment.


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## dianneS (Mar 19, 2010)

I agree that the Parelli thing has gone off the deep end.  Their core techniques are good, but it just seems like its all about money and fame now.

I bought a few used DVD's of theirs and thank heaven they were used and I didn't pay full price!  They were informative, but the cost of their materials is outrageous!  Unless you pay $20 a month to belong to their "Savvy club".  And the cost of those tickets to their "rock concert" style horse clinics!  Unbelievable how much they want for a ticket, just to try and draw you into their phenomenon so you spend more money!


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## greenfamilyfarms (Mar 19, 2010)

If that was MY horse she was doing that to, I would definitely have some ugly things to say. I'm as confused as the horse is. I don't understand the logic behind the yanking and slapping.


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## SuzannaR (Apr 4, 2010)

freemotion said:
			
		

> I have been a massage therapist for people and horses since 1998.  I also teach at a massage school and teach advanced coursed for LMT's.
> 
> I use Meagher Method of sportsmassage for both people and horses.  He only authorized two people to teach his work, Joann Wilson and Robert Altman.  They are the ONLY two people he taught his secrets to, although others claim to know his work....many people watched him work, but he kept his secrets to himself.  I say this because I took a course from someone who claimed to be taught by Jack Meagher, then I went on to take Jack's course, and it was night and day.
> 
> ...


Thanks for your comments regarding the other training programs. I've ordered the DVD's that are available on Jack Meagher's work. 

Some other programs...I just took Jim Masterson's weekend training and it was great!! www.mastersonmethod.com.  I'm also exploring TTouch. www.ttouch.com

Best, Suzanna


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## freemotion (Apr 4, 2010)

Just a word of caution on the dvd's....Jack made those videos and wrote his books when he thought he could teach this work to amateurs.  Later, he only taught to licensed MT's who had a thriving practice with humans, as he discovered that these were the only ones who could apply his work correctly.  So there are some.....er....inaccuracies in the materials.  He says to stimulate the points for something like 5-10 minutes...can't remember....but in his courses, he said 3-5 seconds ONLY.  If you are accurate and strong, you can do damage if you work longer than that.  The law of diminishing returns.  He figured that the horse owner would take 10 minutes and might accidently get the right spot for 3-5 seconds.

And many secrets are not in the published materials, but still LOTS of great information.  Love his stuff.  Check out the used book sites for Sportsmassage.


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## dianneS (Apr 5, 2010)

SuzannaR said:
			
		

> freemotion said:
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I am familiar with Jim Masterson's work.  I really like some of his techniques and would like to look into his program further as well.  I just wonder if his courses will give me the continuing ed credits that I need?  

I like the fact that Joann and Robert only accept working professional therapists though, I think that is great!  I did send Joann an email for more information regarding any upcoming courses.

Ooooh, it looks like Jim Masterson also requires certification students to be equine or human massage therapists as well!  Excellent!


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## ducks4you (Jul 19, 2010)

Here's more...
http://forum.equisearch.com/forums/t/79193.aspx


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## w c (Aug 24, 2010)

Once a guru type guy told me, 'Beware of self declared flesh and blood saints'.

It looks like there finally are a few cracks in the Parelli armor, but not before they really built an empire and a huge army of cult followers.  

Pat and Linda both had a problem.  They couldn't cut in in competitive riding, even at the local level, so they had to come up with something else to make money off of.  They made a religion out of it.  Very successfully.  Basically just like L Ron Hubbard, who very early told his friends he was going to make a HUGE pile of money by cooking up a profitable religion.

The koolaid drinkers were able to explain away or justify any danged thing Pat or Linda would do no matter how stupid it looked.  If it made people scream foul, it was just because 'they didn't understand all the nuances and subtleties of Parelli method.  TO UNDERSTAND, they need to buy carrot sticks, halters, DVD's and more than likely, attend a lot of clinics'.  

I'd say be very wary of celebrity trainers.  They are in it for the big money, and they love to hear themselves talk.  They all have flaws and shortcomings and limitations.  

The bottom line is that there is no short cut or substitute or formula that takes the place of practice, experience, learning to ride, and read the horse's reactions.  The more mumbo-jumbo-y the explanations get and the more complicated it gets, the farther afield you know you are straying.

Most of them don't have enough respect for their audiences to admit that they are selling a line of hogwash, and sadly, their audiences swallow it. They live off the old PT Barnum saying, 'There's a sucker born every minute'.


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## adoptedbyachicken (Aug 24, 2010)

If you followed the Parelli stuff years ago, the core stuff had some value although I never liked the presentation even then.  The price, religion of it, and the rules even telling you how to hang up your halter when your done, whatever, who needed that?  Read the original book with a grain of salt and it has some value, the original games do foster respectful groundwork.  Don't go any further IMO.

Anyway in this I see the original core of getting attention and respect from the horse, but clearly this horse is not ready for the lesson in the situation given.  I know several horses blind in one eye and one in both.  I don't feel if the horse was ready to be in the situation that would be a huge factor.  Their ability to compensate is amazing as mentioned.  This horse is clearly not schooled to EVER pay attention to or respect the space of the human at the other end of the lead shank.  I think it's totally unschooled or worse spoiled in this regard.  Work needed to start in an area where it has less distraction and work upward to wherever this is.  

That this horse has a saddle on is a joke, seriously would any of you get on this horse and ride?  There?  Anywhere?  I don't ride horses that don't have any ground manners, and I certainly would not ride that one there.  Probably not anywhere yet.

I don't agree with how Linda handled it, if the horse is not ready take it out.  However having been at many clinics (not any with them, but clinics in general) I can say that many horses are brought into clinics that have no place being there.  So I also lay blame on the owner, not for what Linda did, only she can take that on, but for what s/he did in showing up way before they had the skills to be there.  Untack, get into a place the horse can work, and gradually move up.

I think in the end the horse does show that it's getting the message to stay back and pay attention.  There are glimpses there of it doing the right things, however I'm not impressed at all with the other things it might have learned along the way, fear, headshyness, conflict, feeling overfaced by handlers, stress, insecurity.....

JMO from the slice seen there.  I'd like to see what lead up to this, or how it went afterward.  It is possible this is a very spoiled horse that is ready to be there, or lives there, or works there and really needed the work, but I still don't agree with the escalation.  The impression given with the audio makes it seem like day one, first work which really makes me shake my head.


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## w c (Aug 25, 2010)

I'm sure that horse was fine to ride.  She just was not handling the horse correctly.  The local pony club instructor could do a better job than that.

I think where the Parellis went wrong is they tried to tap into the sport horse market.  That is one market where they are out of their league.  But they wanted the money, you see.  Everybody who gets a load of what some sport people pay for training and horses wants to get in on the deal.

The horses are bigger, more active, stronger and they are trained different, though the bottom line is that the P method just doesn't work with that type of horse, that is a type of horse that needs to move and go and be forward, they don't understand that concept and can't ride well enough to do them how they need to be done.  

I think the P's need to stay where they've been successful for so many years - with smaller, quieter, less strong horses that are easier to intimidate.  But they are a little high on themselves and they dearly want the money, so they won't admit they're over their heads, so you will see a lot more scenes like this. 

Parelli's are always telling everyone everything has to be done on the ground.  The way I see it, that's because of their own limitations with riding.

Most sport horses would do the exact same thing when treated like that, it would really confuse the heck out of them.  I think the horse would be fine with someone that handled it better.  

Perhaps someone had bought that horse that wasn't ready for it, messed it up,  didn't give it enough exercise for a couple months, then handed the lead over to Linda P, I don't know.  But the horse didn't look at all difficult.

Like the horse who 'couldn't be bridled' that Pat had the video dustup with.  I think the same little 83 year old, stove up, withered old standardbred trainer that I learned to bridle from could put a bridle on that horse(if he was still livin').  He'd just be standing there perfectly still letting the horse chill out, holding the bridle, say, 'now, now' a couple times, and all of a sudden the bridle would be on the horse.  He'd say, 'atta boy', lead him away on a loose, flapping rein and 'ain't no one gonna have no trouble again'.

People should get a look at a couple regular old horse trainers at work, expending 1/10th the energy, taking 1/100ths of the time, stressing the horse out a whole lot less, and getting a whole lot more done.  

I feel the Parellis make a huge stink out of issues like trailering and bridling and leading that could be worked out briefly, with a whole lot less drama.  

Aside from that, from the look of the horses and how they act, I don't think I've ever seen them take on a horse that was really at all dificult to load, for example.  Every time I see a video of them 'mastering' some horse that won't load, it looks like a horse that has been loading for about twenty years without any problems and they are just running it around and trying to get it hurt for no reason.  I never have seen them take on anything even remotely 'vicious to trailer' as the old saying goes.  

The main impression I get when I look at the Parelli's, is, 'why are they making that horse so nuts and causing such a big drama?'  To me, they just don't look like they know what they're doing.

But I guess I ain't drunk the koolaid.

I think the best trainers work with the horse, not so against it.

A horse always tells you every day what he needs.  If he's having a day where he's restless and can't stand still, then sure, that's a great day to pick a collosal fight with him and try by force, screaming and/or yanking to make him be absolutely immobile when he comes out the barn, and not even move an ear or look over at something.  Great idea?  Nope.

If he's restless it's probably because the owner hasn't been doing his job and getting the horse out and working him, that's not the horse's fault.  If he's restless at a new place, well then what do you expect?  He's only got one good eye, he needs to look around and be sure he's safe where he is.  

Or maybe it isn't his eye at all, maybe he just hasn't been off his home farm routinely and isn't used to it.  Well you aren't going to make up for someone not doing their job and not getting the horse out for years by yanking and picking.

Further he's a type of horse you don't just ride once a month when you feel like it or just quit giving him exercise and then take him somewhere strange and expect him to stand there like a dead head.  There are 'family horses' and 'kid horses' that are just dead quiet flat footed when they go to a new place and this one just ain't that.  

So what?  He's a fine horse for someone who wants to ride and is going to keep at it.  He is a type of horse that needs to work, stretch out and move his muscles all the time.  The more you pick and fuss at him and don't let him get moving the worse you are going to make him.

If someone doesn't want to ride every day and ride actively and work, and give the horse something to do, then they shouldn't get that type of horse.  A lot of people think, 'ooh, how pretty' and they get over horsed.  That isn't the horse's fault.  The horse tells you every second who he is.

First of all, I would get the horse away from all those trees where he can trip or run into a tree and more importantly can't see things he needs to see with his good eye.  He needs a line of sight.  

If he's not used to the place he can be worked to a lot more benefit over where some other horses are, you can't fix everything in one session(Parelli sure can't either, look at what is going on).  If he's partly sighted he relies on sense of smell more, and he will act better if he's some place where some other horses have been worked, so he can smell that it's a safe place where other horses are willing to hang around.  They don't have to be right there at that minute, they just have to have been around there.

I'd put him on a longe line, let him look around all he wants, call, and kick up his heels a little bit.  Not for too long, he shouldn't be worn out before riding.  There are two kinds of horses you can't train on, a tired one and a fresh one.  Once he was a little loosened up in the back, get on, let him move, let him canter, let him have a good time.  If he looks at something just get him turning and bending a little (not to extremes) and get him back focused, and mostly, go the heck forward, stop fussing and picking and just let him move.  Keep him moving forward and praise him for being good.  That type of horse, you want to solve a problem, just about any problem, you get them moving....but not with the reins flapping, up into the bridle.

Then get the heck off and let him relax, if he was worked right he will be better the next day.  Then you can let him stand still and praise him, how about standing still for one second, then put him away and be done with it without getting all freaked out about what he is doing.

The more you yank and jerk and punish and pick pick pick and make a huge production out of it, on a horse like that (on just about any horse), the more problems you have.


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