# Parelli Horsenality Dos and Don'ts



## JustDressageIt

I do wish I had the marketing brilliance Pat and Linda have.


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## moomoo

Misty doesn't really fit any of the horsanalities, she is just a happy inbetweener  I think there are more than 4 types of horse, there are more than 4 personalities and you can have a bit of both  They can probably change over time too!


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## Spirithorse

Keep in mind this was not intended to be a Parelli bashing thread. I posted this for those who were interested in it and who wanted to learn more about it. Thanks in advance!


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## kevinshorses

Ready.....Bash!!!


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## wild_spot

*



DON’T:
*Make him work. He uses energy only for the things he thinks are fun.

Click to expand...

Question, if you aren't supposed to make him work, how would you go about long fitness rides or a day campdrafting where they have to work?*


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## Sunny06

I don't know, Spirithorse. 

What if your horse dosen't fit in these catagories? Then what do you do? 

Or what if you do step A for your Left Brain whatever and he should do step B, but does step D? You simply can't stick a horse's reactions in catagories..


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## Spirithorse

wild_spot said:


> *Question, if you aren't supposed to make him work, how would you go about long fitness rides or a day campdrafting where they have to work?*


It's all about preparation. Get your horse WILLING at home BEFORE you have to do something more intense. Once the positive pattern of being willing is instilled in the horse, and the rider makes sure to take care of his needs, you'll be able to do anything you want and it won't be "work" to the horse.


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## Spirithorse

Sunny06 said:


> I don't know, Spirithorse.
> 
> What if your horse dosen't fit in these catagories? Then what do you do?
> 
> Or what if you do step A for your Left Brain whatever and he should do step B, but does step D? You simply can't stick a horse's reactions in catagories..


I've personally never met a horse that didn't fit into one of the categories. And really, each and every horse has each of these tendencies, it's just a matter of which one(s) are more intense....like with my warmblood, his right brain introvert side is burried very very deep, I never see it anymore but when I first got him he would sometimes go catatonic, which is an extreme behavior of a right brained introvert.

If the horse does step D when you asked for step B then it's either because you asked the question wrong, you asked the wrong question, the horse actually did think you asked for step D, or the horse is left brained, like you said, and is trying to dominate the situation. In each case it can be fixed.


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## Sunny06

Confusing.. 

I prefer the old fashioned way  

Clicker training is my friend.


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## Spirithorse

It's not confusing if you understand what's going on in the situation....if you are reading the horse correctly and know what you're looking at/for, if you know what to look for in yourself, and if you know without a shadow of a doubt what to do at any given moment when the horse does something unexpected. The Horsenality chart has given me a huge "arrow in my quiver" and has helped me be able to get results with horses ten times quicker.


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## tealamutt

I have to say, I don't think any one program has THE answer, but it is foolish to dismiss potentially valuable information because you don't like the commercialism of Parelli, or you disagree that horses can be pigeon holed into 4 categories. I have started approaching my horse differently, not because he fit into a neat description a la parelli, but because I figured someone who has trained hundreds if not thousands of horses might have some valuable advice to give. Do I think that Parelli is the only way? No way. Do I think I can learn a new approach and way of thinking about why my horse responds in certain ways? Absolutely. We have made huge progress in a very short time just from me changing my approach. Don't bash something because you think it isn't for you. Everyone you meet can teach you something, even if it is just about the way you DON'T want to be.


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## RoyalsRebel

My horse is EXTREME left brained extrovert! Except if we didn't give him heck for some of the things he does he'd be WILD. Always willing to learn new ways though, but for now discipline on the ground is my best friend or I'd be a chew toy and the cross-ties would be history.


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## Spastic_Dove

I can not for the life of me find one of those categories for Diesel. He varies between the four. =/


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## Scoutrider

Spastic_Dove said:


> I can not for the life of me find one of those categories for Diesel. He varies between the four. =/


Ditto for Scout. I went through the whole questionnaire and the circle chart and everything, and he's really evenly spead across all 4 as well. :?


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## Wallaby

Lacey is a hardcore left brain extrovert. 
I'm not much of a Parelli fan but I do like the idea of figuring out your horses personality and going from there. Just like humans, horses have one or a few learning styles that they use a lot but nobody can get the perfect results from every single learning method.
Even though I don't use Parelli, back when I first started with Lacey I did use the horsenality thing to figure out how to get to her, and after a year I'm seeing major results from not pushing her beyond her boundaries (without the ideas from the chart I feel it would have most likely taken me a year to figure out what she needs). Now she shows me how far I can push and we have a much deeper communication, she looks to me for security, quite literally, and she's figured out how to tell me that I'm pushing too hard without blowing up.

It's helped me get to her which I like but, I also feel that people could seriously misuse it.


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## Spirithorse

Spastic_Dove said:


> I can not for the life of me find one of those categories for Diesel. He varies between the four. =/


Sometimes the horse will have things in each quadrant. That just means you have a more complex horse! If the horse just has dots in one quadrant then the horse isn't very complex, he's pretty darn easy! My warmblood had extreme characteristics in each quadrant of the Horsenality chart when I first got him, and now he only has dots in the two Left Brain areas. That's because through his development in the program he's become more balanced (mentally and emotionally if we are talking about the chart) so his Right Brain tendencies have all but completely dissapeared while his Left Brain characteristics have lessened in intensity and have moved more toward the center of the chart. This is what you want.


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## Spyder

Scoutrider said:


> Ditto for Scout. I went through the whole questionnaire and the circle chart and everything, and he's really evenly spead across all 4 as well. :?


Maybe because you simply can't apply human characteristics to animals. It is one of the main failing we tend to do and instead of treating them like the horse they are we have to apply something that we are familiar with to make it easier to understand.

The old horse trainers understood the different nature within the horse without assigning human labeling to them and did just fine. I have no problem either in understanding the possible responses of my horse without assigning a humanized label to him.

However it does sell DVDs etc and put money in someones pockets so someone is gaining something.:wink:


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## Scoutrider

Spyder said:


> Maybe because you simply can't apply human characteristics to animals. It is one of the main failing we tend to do and instead of treating them like the horse they are we have to apply something that we are familiar with to make it easier to understand.
> 
> The old horse trainers understood the different nature within the horse without assigning human labeling to them and did just fine. I have no problem either in understanding the possible responses of my horse without assigning a humanized label to him.
> 
> However it does sell DVDs etc and put money in someones pockets so someone is gaining something.:wink:


Ha ha. Sometimes I give myself a mental smack for giving a horse too much of a human characteristc. Like you said, though, it can make it easier to understand, and I do end up anthropomorphizing a bit, especially when I'm trying to explain to a non-horsey friend or relative what I'm doing.

In a sense, it seems like attaching human labels can almost take away from a horse's "horseyness." Sometimes, I love my horses ten times more than ever, just because they don't think and act like people can! :lol:


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## Spirithorse

Pat specifically talks about NOT anthropromorphizing animals. Pat's mentors DID categorize horses this way, they just didn't tell him straight out like Parelli is doing right now. That's why they were so amazing with horses, and that's one of the reasons Pat is so good with horses now.


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## MacabreMikolaj

I can see how this can be helpful, but I've been doing this for years. I always adapt my training plan based on the personality of the horse I'm with - I've never found it difficult to realize the form training must take to be most beneficial based on the personality of the horse.

I guess it's good for beginners? I agree though, horses are like people and you simply cannot categorize them, which makes it more confusing to people who don't understand proper reaction to action.


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## Spirithorse

When Parelli first came out with this, I was certainly not a beginner and it has completely changed how fast I get results with horses.


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## Spyder

Interestring.

I never needed a test of my horses to see what I was dealing with. Simply adjusted my training based on experience and common sense. I am not aware of top trainers like Lugar, Breezy, Cindy,Rich, Mario and a ton of others that successfully get their horses to where they need to be by filling out a chart for each. If the filling out of a chart IS needed to understand your horse then I would say you really need to rethink your percieved ability and the possibility that you may never have the ability to be a good trainer.

It is the exceptional trainer that can watch a horse move and withing 10 minutes figure out how to approach the training of that particular horse. Many of these people came well before Parelli and many are out there just doing their thing right now on their own using their instinct and experience alone to guide them..


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## Spirithorse

So simply because I choose to go about working with horses differently, means I won't ever be a good and successful trainer? Hmm....interesting......


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## Sunny06

Spirithorse, I have no doubt that you are a great trainer.

But you simply can't stick an individual horse into a personality group. 

*All* horses, people, animals, etc are different. 

It might _help_, but I wouldn't fully rely on it.


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## Spirithorse

Yes, all horses are individuals, however they all show *some form* of one or more of the Horsenalities......it can be mild, moderate or extreme tendencies. It's worked for me and all the horses I've worked with.


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## Sunny06

Right. But I wouldn't fully rely on it.

Like I said. It_ helps_.


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## wild_spot

Sheesh. She believes in this, others don't. I think by now we all know that we differ in opinion on this, and no amount of argueing is going to make Spirithorse change her view or admit any perceived failings on the part of her mentor. Can't you just leave it?


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## kevinshorses

wild_spot said:


> Sheesh. She believes in this, others don't. I think by now we all know that we differ in opinion on this, and no amount of argueing is going to make Spirithorse change her view or admit any perceived failings on the part of her mentor. Can't you just leave it?


 
Well said well said!!!!


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## HorsesAreForever

I live by these horsenalities. YES I could adjust my methods by working with them and figureing it out over time. But these helped so much with makeing so many less mistakes and figureing out what WORKS for what horse MUCH faster. 

My mare is a LBE/LBI/RBI. Shes 3 horsenalities. No horse is really just ONE. Chance is a lot more LBI but LBE comes out a lot as well. With these I have a 50/50 chance  of it working. And I have a lot more willing horse for it. Im not just forcing her.

Other horses Ive worked with this has helped a lot as well.
Its hard to read horses at that exact moment and I can read one horse as being totally LBI but it turns out they are RBI... Makes a difference but you learn as you go. Like I phased 4 the horse, and he totally flipped out... and I just took it and went with the other side of the chart in a way.. from then on it went a lot more smoothy and finally he WAS LB and I had to switch BACK over. But that was the goal anyways.


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## tealamutt

Spyder said:


> It is the exceptional trainer that can watch a horse move and withing 10 minutes figure out how to approach the training of that particular horse.



well, spyder you just made the case for the chart right here!!! If it is only the exceptional trainer who can suss out a horse within minutes, then the rest of the mere mortals will need a little extra help huh? If something like a chart and suggestions on how to approach training horses with particular traits helps out the vast majority of horse owners who cannot afford to hire one of the few great horse trainers there are in this world, then why is it so bad? If it benefits both horse and owner in the end, it is a good thing. So as was said before, if you don't like it then don't say anything. And keep your superior attitude away from boards with people seeking honest advice.


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## Spyder

tealamutt said:


> well, spyder you just made the case for the chart right here!!! If it is only the exceptional trainer who can suss out a horse within minutes, then the rest of the mere mortals will need a little extra help huh?


I still hold by my statement. These trainers become icons of the industry, some are even termed as horse wisperers. What the rest of us do is go to them to learn the secret of their success. With time and training we learn. Some of us become sucessful because we understand what is related to us by these people.



tealamutt said:


> So as was said before, if you don't like it then don't say anything. And keep your superior attitude away from boards with people seeking honest advice.


 
What you term as superior is simply a lot of years of experience and I certainly had my failures but I learned from them. Too bad your mind is so closed that you cannot see the points I am making but that is fine with me.

I am simply not going to go to any horse and chart a horsenality according to a chart and tell myself that this horse cannot lunge because the chart says it can't. I am going to assess the horse according to its actions and reactions and make a decision based on those observations. That is not a superior attitude ....it is just good training practices.

The next time I would suggest you take YOUR rudeness off the boards and apply it elsewhere.


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## HorsesAreForever

lol they dont say a certin horse cant lunge or anything like that. LBIs need more reason to do what they do. Once you get there attention and trust/leadership they will do just about anything for you.. even with out a reason at some points. 

U need to do your research it all makes sense.


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## Joshie

tealamutt said:


> well, spyder you just made the case for the chart right here!!! If it is only the exceptional trainer who can suss out a horse within minutes, then the rest of the mere mortals will need a little extra help huh? If something like a chart and suggestions on how to approach training horses with particular traits helps out the vast majority of horse owners who cannot afford to hire one of the few great horse trainers there are in this world, then why is it so bad? If it benefits both horse and owner in the end, it is a good thing. So as was said before, if you don't like it then don't say anything. And keep your superior attitude away from boards with people seeking honest advice.


You know, I'd have no problem at all with someone taking notes of what works and what does not with their particular horse. A canned chart seems rather useless to me though. 

A differing opinion is not a superior attitude. A superior attitude is exhibited by those who do not tolerate one that is different from their own.


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## tealamutt

tealamutt said:


> I have to say, I don't think any one program has THE answer, but it is foolish to dismiss potentially valuable information because you don't like the commercialism of Parelli, or you disagree that horses can be pigeon holed into 4 categories.





Spyder said:


> Interestring.
> 
> I never needed a test of my horses to see what I was dealing with. If the filling out of a chart IS needed to understand your horse then I would say you really need to rethink your percieved ability and the possibility that you may never have the ability to be a good trainer.


precisely. All I was saying is that maybe people can take some information away from this, even if they don't subscribe to it verbatim.


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## HorsesAreForever

I have never once filled out a Chart for Chance, I observe and learn and adjust as I go along. U dont NEED the chart, but if your horse is showing so much of everything its a good thing to have to help. I thought chance was just LBE/RBE 

but like above I said she is a LBE/LBI/RBI...


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## Spirithorse

I still don't understand why people who disagree with NH (particularly the subject of my thread) are even posting......as I said before, this was not meant to be a 'bash the parelli horsenality chart' thread, this was meant for those who were interested in it and wanted to learn from it, so please stick with the original intention of this thread.


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## HorsesAreForever

Honestly neither do I ... I mean its the NH section for people who DO use NH to talk about it... but idk its all negitivity. ! 

Im sorry spirithorse .. how many times has this happened now?! 

PM me i gots a awesome session with chance to tell u about


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## SavvyHearts

Sadly I think alot of people have too much time on their hand to waste their time complaining about a method that they think is rubbish or don't agree with, etc.

I'm sure there are many on here that don't like dressage, or trail riding, or jumping, etc, but I do not see bashing on those threads. Let's try to make the mods happy and keep the NH section a positive section with no bashing or rude comments


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## HorsesAreForever

Nicely put! agree 100%!!!


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## Skeeter9

Spirithorse, thanks for posting the chart. I'm sure there are a lot of people who will use it to help guide them in their efforts to understand and work with their horses, whether or not they are Parelli desciples. 

I've been on this forum for about a month or so, and I'm amazed at all the negativity. It's nice to be passionate about what you believe, but . . .


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## Spirithorse

You're welcome Skeeter  That was the whole point to this thread, to HELP people


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## alexwein

*horsenalities*



moomoo said:


> Misty doesn't really fit any of the horsanalities, she is just a happy inbetweener  I think there are more than 4 types of horse, there are more than 4 personalities and you can have a bit of both  They can probably change over time too!


I used the horsenality chart and my horse also has traits of multiple types. The idea is to achieve balance with the horse, so if you already have a well-balanced horse, that is great! It can definitely change over time, with the right (or wrong!) kind of training, with age development, etc. 

I think it likely that most horses have a basic tendency towards a kind of 'horsenality,' and evaluating mine has been extremely helpful. She was starting to disengage and knowing to find what motivates has turned things around greatly. She is still young, so I expect there will be changes as she gets older too.


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