# Opinion on Parelli



## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

Never have like them. Smoke and mirrors.


----------



## DanisMom (Jan 26, 2014)

Do a search for threads on Parelli and you'll get a lot of opinions.


----------



## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

Lol this is a loaded question. Search the threads and you will find hundreds about them, most saying the same thing.


----------



## PandaJinxes (Mar 4, 2014)

I don't like them. I saw a video of them riding and their legs were flapping all over the place, even when attempting to do dressage. As funny as that was, it kind of was sad. 

If you talk about their 'natural' nonsense, I really think they don't know what natural horsemanship IS. I read an article on their site (How to Catch a Horse - Parelli Natural Horsemanship - Horse Training) that kind of shocked me with the way they woded stuff. "... Fling the halter toward their hindquarters repeatedly" just doesn't sound like a very professional way of teaching people how to deal with issues. But if you look at the 'abuse video', you'll see that it's the same thing. They aren't bad people, they just don't have patience. 

But my main issue with them is how they are pretty much just out for money. They expect you to buy all their bells and whistles to train horses, and spend hundreds of dollars and whatnot to do something you easily could have done for little to no money. I don't know a lot about their methods, and heck I don't know. You might try their program and be really successful. I don't know because I don't know much about it at all. I just dislike the parelli's as people and as equestrians.

I've been referred to Clinton Anderson a lot, and I really like his accent so win-win. I've watched Monty Roberts some as well. Both seem to be pretty knowledgeable and patient. Honestly if you can figure out what makes NH work so well, you can do it yourself instead of having a method to follow. Well, until you get stuck with something. :lol:

Good luck!


----------



## moderncowgirl89 (Jun 12, 2014)

I believe every horse is different learns different and as a good trainer you will develop a variety of training methods. 

That being said I have paint from a lady who trained him all parelli. The paint had serious walk all over you issues and a rearing passion. We are still working on his issues mind ya he side passes amazingly on the ground and turns on forehand and hunches. 

I had a job interview at a parelli barn. Just about died. The man said they never yell or get in their face. He showed me how he brought horses in and it was by opening back door and letting them wonder to their stalls. One horse just about ran him over and pinned another in a stall. He went in the stall while the one horse had a hold of the other by the neck and was all hushy hushy. Next thing you know the man up against back stall wall trying to get a hold of the culperate. I walked away from that job.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

There is a big difference between training from videos and books and hands-on sessions with Pat. When working with a trainer the handler will be constantly critiqued whereas with videos and books what are seen and read are open to the handler's interpretation.


----------



## Rialto (Dec 12, 2013)

I agree with Saddlebag here. Anyone can read a book or watch a video about horse training, but there are things such as developing feel or bringing up the life in your body that are hard to translate over these medias. 

I have been a Parelli Savvy Club Member for the past several years. It is set up in a way that makes it easy progress - there are step by step instructions in order to achieve specific goals. But as I said earlier, if you are serious about learning their method, I strongly recommend finding a Parelli Professional to work with, as well as keeping an open mind to other clinicians/methods in order to find what works best for you and your horse.


----------



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

There is a time and apace where throwing your leadrope at the horses hind quarters is exactly the thing to do. If you are asking your horse to stay standing while you approach and he decides to blow you off , turn tail and leave, throwing the lead tail end at his hind us saying, "nope. Not that. Don't put your hiney in my face. Get your head and mind back here!" Horse made wrong choice so that is made "hard" and when the horse turns to look at you, you make that choice real quiet and nice.


----------



## danny67 (Nov 27, 2012)

The Parelli's are 'savvy' people who have simply taken the basic principles of marketing and applied it to horse training. Personally I find that their schtick (carrot schtick?) of games and levels get in the way of any real learning. Best to find yourself a competent local trainer.

Hopefully you did a search and found all the other Parelli threads. Good luck in your training!


----------



## PandaJinxes (Mar 4, 2014)

tinyliny said:


> There is a time and apace where throwing your leadrope at the horses hind quarters is exactly the thing to do. If you are asking your horse to stay standing while you approach and he decides to blow you off , turn tail and leave, throwing the lead tail end at his hind us saying, "nope. Not that. Don't put your hiney in my face. Get your head and mind back here!" Horse made wrong choice so that is made "hard" and when the horse turns to look at you, you make that choice real quiet and nice.


I wasn't saying that was a wrong thing, by the way, I was saying it seemed unprofessional for them to post, especially worded that way, on their site. I wouldn't do it myself, but to each their own. I just have higher expectations of professionals


----------



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

But, it's one workable technique, and it seemed as if you thought it had to have been either a misprint on their site, or some really typically bad advice.


----------



## ShepherdsField (Jun 14, 2014)

I'm not one for a lot of drama or judging. I have learned a lot from Parelli, and Clinton and Buck. My opinion is to take what works for you and leave the rest. I don't follow their every move, but have been part of the Parelli Connect community for a few years now and find it to be a very friendly and supportive community.


----------



## kinseyloveswillow (Jun 17, 2014)

I haven't seen the "abuse" video, but Parelli is what started me working with horses and looking more into natural horsemanship. I looked into more and found Clinton Anderson. It's best to find what fits owner and horse, and you don't have to follow every move in the program. You can even pick and choose from different methods and apply whatever works for you.

Edit: For example, I really enjoy the seven games that they have. Some other methods, not so much. But that doesn't mean that they're all good or all bad, you just apply what you believe is best.


----------



## pchamer (Jul 1, 2014)

I have never really agreed with them. While i have worked with a woman and her horses who are either parelli trained or in the process of being trained one is a SASS. he bights, he bucks, he is lazy and disrespectful in any way thinkable. No the parelli way to stop the biting is to flick your hands in their face or something. He blinks and tries to bite your hand again. The lady had her friend out who is not a Parelli person and when he bit her she punched him hard in the nose he only tried to bite her one more time. 
Now i normally don't condone head hitting but with a sassy over controlling monster that had been given free reign. I have never seen any of their methods work. even with fully trained parelli i see endless signs of disrespect in their horses. ear pining head and tail swishing. just signs i normally wouldn't condone but according to Parelli we are not allowed to strike or discipline the horses. but even in the wild thats how the horses gain dominance is by physical dominance.


----------



## Rideabighorse (Jan 12, 2014)

There ate a lot of complaints about Parelli marketing. Pat used to travel the country giving clinics Like a lot of guys. His wife Linda has a background on corporate training and got the idea of putting Pat's lessons in a box and selling them. They ran into financial trouble and sold 51% of the business to Mark Weiller. He started the heavy marketing and corporate feel to the whole operation. I don't know as much about Clinton Anderson, but he puts out a catalog with more stuff than the Parellis.
Some people don't like Parelli because they are too gentle with horses. Others don't like them because they are too rough with horses. Just shows you can't please everybody. As far as letting a horse run over you, that is never ok and one of the first things in the Parelli program is how to prevent it. There are unfortunately a lot of people who say they do Parelli who don't really have a clue about the program. I do it and find that it works. I only have a few horses, but in have helped a lot of people with their horses and trailer horses for other people.


----------



## anndankev (Aug 9, 2010)

soulcal said:


> Since the video leak of what can be considered as horse abuse on the behalf of both Linda and Pat Parelli



What leak?


----------



## Iseul (Mar 8, 2010)

Subbing.
I personally don't like them. Granted, their opinion on never physically correcting a horse was the first thing I found out..and it was the last. I haven't even looked into them much, but the few "Parelli horses" I've seen look disrespectful and I probably wouldn't take them if I were offered them free.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I do feel if you want to say, "I don't like him" it's only fair to say why. And if you've only ever met a few Parelli folks/horses, your opinion is based a narrow sample.
that's my case, in a way. However, I can say that a large percentage of the horses that I've seen trained by Parelli fans DO have bad attitudes. 
this has a lot to do with being "half" pushed around by people who do not really demonstrate the clarity of intention to a horse so that he feels comfortable obeying. when you aren't clear, firm, and consstent, the hrose starts to feel put upon by a lesser being , who is pushing the boundaries just enough to make the horse irritated, but not enough to reset the relationship so that the handler is clearly on top and the hrose will give up any sense of entitlement, and thus resentment.

to be honest, I ve only ever seen a few riders/handlers who really projected the kind of believability in their leadereship that the horse obeyed without resentment. when I am working with a hrose, I can often feel resentment , and that's when I know that I am nagging and not doing ENOUGH.


----------



## danny67 (Nov 27, 2012)

Come to think of it, I have met a lot of horses in Parelli training, but I never actually met one that was Parelli TRAINED. :lol:


----------



## Iseul (Mar 8, 2010)

I guess I worded my post wrongly, Tiny. I can't say I don't like them, as I've never met them. I do not like the horses I've seen trained using "Parelli techniques", I do not like playing games with my horse, and I do not like the fact that it's "wrong" to hit my horse if she's being dangerous. A better way for me to have worded it is that I do not like the majority of techniques used by the Parelli method and will not follow them. Granted, they're no different than any other big-name trainers that you see on TV, I have my own sleeve of tricks that I've gathered from experience and watching other experienced horse people.
I guess I'm doing a good job with my mare though, because I've rarely felt resentment while handling or riding her, she's always more than willing to do as I ask.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

I can't recall if I posted on this thread before, but I figured I'd interject my two cents here.

To be, it's just a fad... I can see these "games" as a supplement to training, or something fun to do with your horse... But I think that in person trainers should be employed whenever possible.


----------



## mslady254 (May 21, 2013)

Iseul said:


> I guess I worded my post wrongly, Tiny. I can't say I don't like them, as I've never met them. I do not like the horses I've seen trained using "Parelli techniques", I do not like playing games with my horse, and I do not like the fact that it's "wrong" to hit my horse if she's being dangerous. A better way for me to have worded it is that I do not like the majority of techniques used by the Parelli method and will not follow them. Granted, they're no different than any other big-name trainers that you see on TV, I have my own sleeve of tricks that I've gathered from experience and watching other experienced horse people.
> I guess I'm doing a good job with my mare though, because I've rarely felt resentment while handling or riding her, she's always more than willing to do as I ask.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Not sure where the 'wrong to hit my horse...' idea comes from...no wonder you're skeptical of Parelli methods. The principle is to 'be as soft as possible, but as firm as necessary'. Definitely to stay safe at all costs. Hit out of anger or frustration...hope not. Tag in a playful manner, yep! gotcha!.... 'whack' with the carrot stick when needed-you betcha. The lead horse in the herd delivers kicks much harder than any person could hit..and that's totally 'natural'. But,,,it's communication...done in phases..give the horse the chance to choose the right thing. In a safety issue, go straight to the highest phase needed to stay safe.


----------



## mslady254 (May 21, 2013)

moderncowgirl89 said:


> I believe every horse is different learns different and as a good trainer you will develop a variety of training methods.
> 
> That being said I have paint from a lady who trained him all parelli. The paint had serious walk all over you issues and a rearing passion. We are still working on his issues mind ya he side passes amazingly on the ground and turns on forehand and hunches.
> 
> ...


Being hushy-hushy in the situation you describe is most definitely NOT what is taught in Parelli Horsemanship. I guarantee it 100 %. This person seriously misunderstood PNH and/or used the Parelli name but really knew nothing about PNH. geeze,Louise...He needed to bring his energy up to match the horses, AND THEN SOME...

same with the paint horse, either she was a very beginning student who hadnt taught the very beginning basics to the horse, or she was one of those 'claims to be' Parelli students. Lesson #1 -the horse isnt allowed into your bubble/space unless invited in, but you can go into his space anytime. end of story. Heck, my horse spooks in place rather than come into my space if something scares him when we're walking....invite him to come to me with soft body languaage and he's 'Yes, Mam!! here I am! cookie???'


----------



## 6gun Kid (Feb 26, 2013)

danny67 said:


> Come to think of it, I have met a lot of horses in Parelli training, but I never actually met one that was Parelli TRAINED. :lol:


This exactly. My wife hates Parelli. Fully half the training horses we get in are Parelli "trained", so thanks to Pat and his circus we make a pretty decent living, and that means I love him.


----------



## palogal (May 30, 2008)

6gun Kid said:


> This exactly. My wife hates Parelli. Fully half the training horses we get in are Parelli "trained", so thanks to Pat and his circus we make a pretty decent living, and that means I love him.


This is true. There is no greater BS than Parelli. The idiots do make me a lot of money fixing horses that have learned what BS it is and are spoiled, pushy and not trained properly.

Linda's version of "Dressage" is probably the hardest to fix, since it's completely opposite of correct dressage training and produces horses that don't know how to move properly but have learned to hold their head in a false frame.


----------



## mac266 (Jul 15, 2014)

PandaJinxes said:


> I don't like them. I saw a video of them riding and their legs were flapping all over the place, even when attempting to do dressage. As funny as that was, it kind of was sad.
> 
> If you talk about their 'natural' nonsense, I really think they don't know what natural horsemanship IS. I read an article on their site (How to Catch a Horse - Parelli Natural Horsemanship - Horse Training) that kind of shocked me with the way they woded stuff. "... Fling the halter toward their hindquarters repeatedly" just doesn't sound like a very professional way of teaching people how to deal with issues. But if you look at the 'abuse video', you'll see that it's the same thing. They aren't bad people, they just don't have patience.
> 
> ...


Ummm....did you know Parelli trained Clinton Anderson? Yep. Kinda shoots a big hole in that argument!


----------



## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

There are people who have done very well following the Parelli route - and there are those that don't - to be honest I think they would fail with whatever trainer or methods they went with
I open my gate, give a shout and my horses just come in on their own - beats walking around a field to catch them especially in bad weather!!! I never thought of it as a Parelli thing though since I was doing it long before I even heard of him


----------



## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

It boils down to how you interpret what either is trying to teach when using dvds.


----------



## kewpalace (Jul 17, 2013)

mac266 said:


> Ummm....did you know Parelli trained Clinton Anderson? Yep. Kinda shoots a big hole in that argument!


Curious where you found this ... neither of them says this as far as I could find.


----------



## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

kewpalace said:


> Curious where you found this ... neither of them says this as far as I could find.


And there is the big line of BS about NRCHA not allowing mules to be shown because Pat 'supposedly' kicked as$(lol) on a mule. 
Usually that is accompanied by a picture of him showing at Bishop Mule Days in CA not a NRCHA sanctioned show.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## mac266 (Jul 15, 2014)

kewpalace said:


> Curious where you found this ... neither of them says this as far as I could find.


It's in this book by Dr. Robert Miller: http://www.amazon.com/Natural-Horse...r=1-1&keywords=natural+horsemanship+explained


----------



## Notanequestrian98 (Apr 25, 2014)

Honestly, I think they have good intentions with the horses they train. I've never met them, (nor do I want to) so I can't say that I don't like THEM. I just don't like *their methods* 
Their methods have good intentions. But, I can't say they are using it correctly. Yeah, you shouldn't hit a horse. But if that horse pins you in a stall trying to bite/kick/rear at you, what are you supposed to do? Well if it were me, I'd be establishing my leadership role right then and there with a good smack on their nose and a Come To Jesus meeting. 
I used to like Parelli when I was younger and first got into training. Then I got my head out of the clouds and realized what their methods can end up like and stopped using them. I still use the Friendly game and Porcupine game, but I don't call them games, I call them basic principles every horse needs to know.


----------



## Notanequestrian98 (Apr 25, 2014)

Clinton Anderson was trained by Gordon McKinlay and Ian Francis


----------



## Avishay (Jun 14, 2014)

mac266 said:


> Ummm....did you know Parelli trained Clinton Anderson? Yep. Kinda shoots a big hole in that argument!



I'm no fan of either Parelli or Anderson, but the "Parelli trained Anderson" thing was the subject of much speculation for years, but both Parelli and Anderson have released official statements on their respective websites denying that they ever had a student-teacher relationship. 

My second apprenticeship was to a man who I still consider to be my mentor. Early in the 80s he attended a series of Parelli clinics to learn and be certified in his methods, back when Parelli first started working with horses (prior to that, he'd been president of the California Donkey and Mule Association, and trained long-ears). During my apprenticeship I worked with two horses who were "old school" Parelli trained up to his 4th level, and followed the program myself when starting two horses as part of my apprenticeship - I got them both to the old-school Parelli second level before I decided I wanted to get both horses certified/recognized for their level (I don't know if it's still true, but you used to be able to video yourself riding his "test" and send it in for critique and to certify that a horse had achieved a certain level in the system). I did a little bit of internet research and found that the manuals I was using and instruction I'd received from my Master Horseman were about 15 years out of date and barely resembled the then-current Parelli system. Frankly, he'd dumbed it WAAAY down. The more I read, the more disinterested I became, and after seeing some of what they were doing around that time (late 90s), I was DONE. Certain aspects of the groundwork program I liked, but even as a teen I was able to ascertain that they weren't really unique or revolutionary - it was basically the same things I'd learned in my first apprenticeship (which was to a retired jockey turned barn manager who made it a habit to buy last-chance horses, rehab, retrain, and resell them once they were sound and safe.)

Later, when I was training and teaching for a living, I, like others here have said, found that a fair number of "problem" horses I got in had first been subjected to their owner's attempts with Parelli (or another "trainer in a box"). Which was good for business, but terribly depressing - so many of them were angry or headshy or sullen. 

I feel like I'm in the somewhat unique position in that I had had a decade of riding lessons/horse experience and a two year apprenticeship under my belt before I was ever even introduced to PNH, and yet I've done the (old) version of the program to the letter. So I feel like I can talk from several facets of experience. Which is handy, given that most of the people who get upset that you don't buy into the Parelli cult will make the argument, "you just don't know, because you haven't actually TRIED it". I have, I don't like it, and I don't like the riders and horses it produces.


----------



## palogal (May 30, 2008)

There is nothing published about Parelli winning anything on a mule, or winning anything otherwise. They do not compete because they are both completely incompetent and not able to compete in the real world, against real riders. They are legends in their own minds and those ignorant enough to follow them.


----------



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I remember something like 20 (25?) years ago finding Parelli's first book, reading it, and being blown away. it was pretty amazing stuff to read, and the first videos were inspiring.


----------



## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

palogal said:


> There is nothing published about Parelli winning anything on a mule, or winning anything otherwise. They do not compete because they are both completely incompetent and not able to compete in the real world, against real riders. They are legends in their own minds and those ignorant enough to follow them.


LOL 
That is why I said "showing" not "winning".


----------



## palogal (May 30, 2008)

My favorite parelli moment was when he got his *** bucked of at RTTH, and it was promptly taken off youtube. Big surprise.


----------



## Trusty Rusty (May 2, 2014)

I strongly dislike Linda and pat because I saw a video of Linda backing a horse up and every time it would turn to look a another horse it would get slapped in the head. I saw another show where pat treated a horse like a dog. I also have noticed that when they shake the leadrope to back up the horse either rears or throws its head up In the air.


----------



## Trusty Rusty (May 2, 2014)

The trainer u like is Buck brannaman.


----------



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Trusty Rusty said:


> I strongly dislike Linda and pat because I saw a video of Linda backing a horse up and every time it would turn to look a another horse it would get slapped in the head. I saw another show where pat treated a horse like a dog. I also have noticed that when they shake the leadrope to back up the horse either rears or throws its head up In the air.



Well, that happens sometimes, with or without the Parellis. The horse may throw his head up, but that can be just the horse waking up and fiinally noticing the handler and the request to back up. If he'd been paying attention like he should be, he could have moved off of slightest little lift of the leadrope.


----------



## kewpalace (Jul 17, 2013)

COWCHICK77 said:


> And there is the big line of BS about NRCHA not allowing mules to be shown because Pat 'supposedly' kicked as$(lol) on a mule.
> Usually that is accompanied by a picture of him showing at Bishop Mule Days in CA not a NRCHA sanctioned show.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I did look into this at one point. The actual story which is confirmed by Parelli (I could find all the links if anyone wants) is that he competed in a non-sanctioned NRCHA class at the Snaffle Bit Futurity one year on a mule and won that class. It was a "fun" class - something that was not really a competive event the prize was "a million dollars" (which one link I found said was actually shredded cash). He and his mule won that class. Mules have never been allowed in the NRCHA, before or after Parelli "won" this class.



mac266 said:


> It's in this book by Dr. Robert Miller: Amazon.com: Natural Horsemanship Explained: From Heart to Hands eBook: Robert M. Miller, Patrick Handley: Books


Dr. Miller has some good theories and ideas, but doesn't always check his facts or provide sources for some of his comments. As others mentioned, the Parelli training Clinton statement is incorrect.


----------



## EGilbertson (Jul 22, 2014)

I know many people that it has worked for.


----------



## LadyNeigh (Jul 16, 2011)

My personal opinion is that Parelli is a load of circus tricks and general faffing about. I stick to Monty Roberts- his methods just make sense and gets to the point. Its all based on the natural behaviour of horses- body language etc which parelli just seems to brush over. Plus Linda really seems to have noo idea, and just goes along for the fame


----------



## PaintingPintos (Jul 24, 2012)

There's a lot about Parelli that you people don't understand.

If I had a choice I would use the methods of Monty Roberts, but considering I was working at a barn in exchange for riding lessons and being able to keep a horse there, I was fine with Parelli.

My trainer/mentor has pretty much all the Parelli equipment. It is ridiculously expensive. You want a carrot stick? Gimme $45. You also need special rope replacements for it which are $20. And the lead line is $35, but you need the special rope halter to go with it which is $50. Also we sell Parelli baseball caps, you don't want to get sunburn so buy this for $25. And for the Level 1 training pack it's ONLY $450. Since you've spent so much already you might as well get this! And we have a new exclusive DVD out every week which is $65. 

It's insane.

But Parelli's methods are stable, as long as you KNOW what you are doing. It's extremely confusing and a lot of his practices are based off of pressure/release of pressure. I had an abused mare go 180 from awful and kicking and snapping to docile and cooperative in a matter of days because my trainer knew how to teach me the methods. I had a ton of fun with it-- Parelli really teaches you how to let go. But the thing is, Pat and Linda aren't so great.

My trainer stayed at the Parelli resort and had a personal friendship with the Parellis. She stayed with them for a few months. They taught her a LOT, but he's more intent on selling his methods than really teaching. He DOES make way more mistakes than other natural horsemanship trainers I've seen....I don't really like that, but at the Parelli Horse World Tour of 2012 or 2013 (can't remember which year) he did some seriously awesome things with his horses, and with horses that were terrified of trailers, were always spooking, etc. He knows what he's doing but sometimes he gets way too distracted.

Parelli methods also are not a one-stop thing. There is not only one way to go about it. There are so many options you can have, but the basic foundations such as the Seven Games and the use of the lead rope and carrot stick are very important. The most liberating thing you can do is Liberty Work, which is off-halter and is super challenging if you don't know what you're doing.

A lot of people despise Parelli because they think he does silly things like "My horse keeps BITING ME, Parelli says 'oh wave your hands at him and he'll stop' but that's a bunch of crap so he's ridiculous!" well YOU'RE not doing it right. In the case of a horse biting you it's as simple as giving a quick pop to the lead rope a couple of times, but you need to do it hard so the horse gets the message. The reason people get so confused over things like this is because there is SO much information Parelli gives you, and it's really tough to decide what method you need to use to get the better of whatever situation you're in.

Now I'm not defending Parelli, I'm dispelling ignorance. And ignorance is one of the worst things I've seen around here :/


----------



## PaintingPintos (Jul 24, 2012)

tinyliny said:


> Well, that happens sometimes, with or without the Parellis. The horse may throw his head up, but that can be just the horse waking up and fiinally noticing the handler and the request to back up. If he'd been paying attention like he should be, he could have moved off of slightest little lift of the leadrope.


A lot of times when the horse lifts his head and shakes it at you and slows down (is that what you're talking about??) it's usually the horse just being reluctant to move (whether he's lazy or trying to get the upper hand) since movement of feet means less dominance...as I'm sure you've noticed very stubborn or "dominant" horses are more likely to not move their feet at your command, or they fly way off the handle and start stepping everywhere but where you want. I hope I'm not confusing anyone...


----------



## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Heh "You people" xD

I think that's a bit broad... There are a lot of people on here with vast amounts of knowledge. Everything from show jumpers to trail riders to people into natural horsemanship and everything in-between. To assume that no one on this site is familiar with the workings of Parelli seems equally as ignorant.


----------



## palogal (May 30, 2008)

PaintingPintos said:


> *There's a lot about Parelli that you people don't understand.*
> 
> If I had a choice I would use the methods of Monty Roberts, but considering I was working at a barn in exchange for riding lessons and being able to keep a horse there, I was fine with Parelli.
> 
> ...


*No there isn't. There's a lot of stuff YOU fell for. Put the koolaid down. *


----------



## STT GUY (Apr 23, 2014)

PaintingPintos said:


> There's a lot about Parelli that you people don't understand.
> 
> If I had a choice I would use the methods of Monty Roberts, but considering I was working at a barn in exchange for riding lessons and being able to keep a horse there, I was fine with Parelli.
> 
> ...


The mark of a GOOD teacher is being able to clearly and concisely transfer knowledge and methods to students is a format which they can easily understand and not overload them with data to the point of confusion. I have a saying..."just tell me what time it is, not how to build a watch"


----------



## Dashingbigred15 (Aug 6, 2014)

I think all horse trainers have their ups and downs, Pros and cons. :/ I like Parelli and Monty Roberts. never been a big fan of Clinton Anderson.  Probably my favorite is Double Dan Horsemanship.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## 40232 (Jan 10, 2013)

This will be the one and only time that I am going to take the time to type out my opinion on this argument that shows up constantly. (Thank goodness I can use copy and paste next time!)

Parelli has done nothing but good for me. I have not a single complaint about anything I have experienced with him, or his followers. I really like his products, his views on training, and everything else. Yes, he has made some mistakes, for example Catwalk and then Linda with the thoroughbred. Every trainer has faults of some kind, just like Pat and Linda.

So I will start off with his products. I have the level one discs from close to 10 years ago. The package came with little booklets with the shortened versions of exercises for having on hand, the dvds to watch beforehand, and then a goals chart. Everything is easy to understand, and well organized. In addition, I bought a halter and lead from them, and they are still in great condition. The only thing that broke was the special clip, but it held up for 10 years! I definitely got my moneys worth out of it, and I'm glad that I got it. I have tried other products from other Natural horsemanship trainers, but the quality just didn't compare. For example, I bought a Stacy Westfall halter and lead. The halter knots came undone the first time they got wet in a river, and the lead just didn't have the manageability during groundwork as the Parelli one did. After just a few weeks of being exposed outside, the Westfall rope became very rough to handle, and resulted in rope burns. My Parelli lead is still smooth and supple as the day I bought it.

As for what Pat and Linda actually train, I have found success, as have others around me. Nearly 10 years ago when I started with Parelli, I was working with a nervous, introverted mare. With the guidance of my neighbor, who has been involved with Parelli more than twice as long as I have, I brought my mare out of her shell. I was a complete beginner when I started with her, and managed to learn how to teach a very nice foundation of groundwork. Parelli was easy to follow and execute (keep in mind, I was around 9 years old when starting). Since then, I also started my current gelding, and then my mom's unbroke yearling to it. I took my horse from a greenbroke trail horse to a nearly bombproof all arounder with Parelli (when I was 10/11 years old). My mom's yearling went from a defensive, pushy yearling to a willing, safe horse.

My biggest success with the Parelli method was with my Arabian mare I have now. Her answer to everything is flight, flight, flight. She would travel with her nose in the air, using her forequarters to push through any of her problems. Sometimes she would just snap and either fly forward or up, leading to her running blindly or flying in the air trying to get away from the uncomfortable pressure. In just 3 hours of me and a Parelli Veteran (20+ years using the method) working with her, this nervous, panicky mare began to think, and look for answers in a calm way.

I will continue to stand behind the Parelli method as it does give results. I have not met a horse that has been ruined by Parelli itself. Any horse that I have met that has been rude, was not created by a training method, but by the person executing it. I do believe each horse should be treated as an individual, combining different methods or exercises for each horse to find what works. Parelli has many approaches to the same outcome, it just takes a bit of time to find which approach works with each horse.

Just my opinion


----------



## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Right, I wasn't even going to open this thread, resisted for quite a while... Then I was just going to skim it, not respond... 



PandaJinxes said:


> If you talk about their 'natural' nonsense, I really think they don't know what natural horsemanship IS.


Ha ha! The more I see & hear of recent stuff, I'm inclined to agree there, but I think if you look at the basic principles... I think Pat did have a lot of value at the start, but he somehow lost some of it on the way... I'm far & away not a Parelli 'fan' these days, but I still credit a lot of my 'savvy' to him.... not that I couldn't have got it elsewhere - as others said, he didn't invent anything, just got excited about teaching it & marketing it(he used to say this too).



> But my main issue with them is how they are pretty much just out for money. They expect you to buy all their bells and whistles to train horses, and spend hundreds of dollars and whatnot to do something you easily could have done for little to no money.


A lot of people have this attitude. I personally think they're welcome to it! If they want to make things with ridiculous price tags & people are silly enough, or rich enough to spend money on them, go for it, I say! But personally I've never had enough money to throw around that I could justify paying the earth for something I can make myself or buy for a lot less:wink: 

Monty Roberts... his book, his own words, put me off him big time. That & the magic bullet of 'Join Up'.


----------



## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

I have friends who love to attend Parelli instructor clinics, trailering their horses sometimes great distances. To see their horses on a trail ride, they are no different than non Parelli trained horses. But this is what these people enjoy and have made many friends along the way, plus they've ridden in some breathtakingly beautiful terrain.


----------



## 40232 (Jan 10, 2013)

Saddlebag said:


> I have friends who love to attend Parelli instructor clinics, trailering their horses sometimes great distances. To see their horses on a trail ride, they are no different than non Parelli trained horses. But this is what these people enjoy and have made many friends along the way, plus they've ridden in some breathtakingly beautiful terrain.


Now as for the person I know who goes to these clinics, her horse is incredible :wink: She took him from a crazy, aggressive, dangerous horse to an almost sane one. He used to literally attack whenever he didn't want to do something (or when you went in his pasture, or this or that) but now he is turning into a more willing partner (slowly but surely). He is used as an Endurance horse, but can do the higher level dressage movements (for example, canter half passes). One of her friends got on him and was amazed at how good of a horse he was compared to her expensive, professionally trained warmblood.

Then again, the lady I know with this horse used to retrain problem horses and if I remember right, OTTB's. She is a person who knows what she is doing, instead of someone waving a carrot stick around hoping for results :lol:


----------



## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

^But these things can be done just as effectively without the Parelli methods?


----------



## 40232 (Jan 10, 2013)

Zexious said:


> ^But these things can be done just as effectively without the Parelli methods?


Yes, you can achieve the same thing in a multitude of ways, rather it be force, traditional methods, natural methods, etc. Just depends what method each person prefers, and what method the horse works best with.


----------



## iRide Ponies (Aug 10, 2012)

My opinion

A few years back I did level one and part of level two Parelli. When I started, it was a valuable way for me to learn about my horse, how much pressure she could take, how to relax her, how to get her to pay attention to me etc. But I soon became bored, and started to out grow the method. Why, I reasoned, should I spend hours following this method, when I could ignore it all and go riding? Soon, when my horse snorted at a hedge, my reaction became to laugh and tap her on with my heels, rather than do the Parelli thing, I had no need to dismount and play games until she 'became left brained'. When my horse 'happy bucked' on a transition, it worked better for me to roll my eyes and deepen my seat, rather than do the 'Parelli way' and one rein stop her. I soon found that as my balance improved, and my confidence improved, and my own sense of timing improved, I didn't need to groundwork her or one rein stop her, I didn't need to wander around in 'patterns' before I rode. I could just jump on my horse and get on with what I REALLY wanted to do, school dressage and gallop up hills.

This is not to say that my time playing Parelli was wasted. My pony now has gorgeous ground manners, a high tolerance for 'things that flap' and a useful ability to be ridden in even the most minimal of tack. 

Would I recommend Parelli? I advise you do this. Find your goal in horses, and then ask yourself, will playing Parelli directly help me to achieve this goal? Or would I be better off spending time on something else?


----------



## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Zexious said:


> ^But these things can be done just as effectively without the Parelli methods?


I just don't get why you said this Zexious, just sounds narky, as it wasn't as if Kylie said anything of the sort.


----------

