(7) ‘, :` (b• i 4e. Pat Parelli combines `e:,(‘% centuries-old horse training c.''.eN c`b' -.• Sei N' techniques with modern ' 11' ei concepts of behavioral science. C').Q A New Look at Old Methods Part ONE of Three Parts
By ROBERT M. MILLER, D.V.M. PAT PARELLI looks and sounds like two diffe- rent people. What you see is a lean, tall, tobacco- chewing cowboy. And, he is that. The 28-year-old Californian is an all-around hand who has done very well in rodeo competition, both intercollegiate and PRCA, especially in the bareback bronc riding event. What you hear is an articulate, energetic man who sounds like a college professor. His speech, when he talks about training horses, is sprinkled with terms like "bonding," "positive reinforcement," "con- ditioned response," and "transitional process." What amazes me is how much understanding of the mind of the horse Pat has accumulated so early in his life. I'm twice his age, and after working with horses all of my adult life, I feel that I am just beginning to understand the art of equine communication. (See my series on "Horse Psychology," Western Horseman, January, February, and March 1979.) It is pure pleasure to watch Parelli start a green colt and see the consistent and intricate responses he can elicit in a couple of hours, and witness the smoothness and relaxation with which his started horses work. In this introductory article Pm going to tell you about the man and his philosophy. Next month, I'll describe how those principles are used in his training techniques. Pat and Thumper at the 1981 Salinas Rodeo, showing the audience what the mule can do in an exhibition.
PAT PARELLI has been exhibiting a mule he and using body cues, the trainer has this mule do
has trained. Thumper is a seven -year-old molly, out beautiful lead changes, and spectacular spins and of a King-bred Quarter mare. She is owned by Gene sliding stops. In 1978 Pat took Thumper to the Reno Hammerlun of Gardnerville, Nevada. Wherever Pat Snaffle Bit Futurity. She had been under saddle only has shown this mule, he has brought the house down, 47 days. He entered her in the Wild Bunch (cow work because he does a beautiful stock horse routine on her and reining) class, and scored 147 '/2 points in reining, with no bridle or reins. By simply shifting his weight the second highest score. Thumper's performance
24 / THE WESTERN HORSEMAN "MULES SEPARATE ARTISTIC TRAINERS FROM CRUDE TRAINERS."
techniques and teaching methods—must have heav- ily influenced his philosophy as a horse trainer, al- though Pat, himself, discounts the importance of his educational background. Despite his protests, his understanding of the psychology of learning is his greatest attribute as a horseman, combined with his natural communicativeness. After graduating he started training profession- ally in Fresno, and then joined the Troy Henry Sta- bles near Clovis, Calif., where he now conducts his business. Mostly he starts colts, using a 60- or a 120-day program, which we'll describe in the next issue. He has started a lot of racing colts, and colts for many aspects of the show world, ranging from cutting to dressage. Speaking of dressage, Pat uses a lot of dressage techniques in his training, as do many of today's top Western trainers. He considers himself a disciple of Podhajsky (The Complete Training of Horse and Rider in the Principles of Classical Horse- manship, Alois Podhajsky, Doubleday & Company, Inc., Garden City, New York). "Horse training," says Parelli, "is an ancient technology. Like sailing, it is of little practical use in today's world in so far as man's survival is concerned. But, like sailing, it is important in serving man's recreational needs. "What I try to do is apply man's present level of knowledge to this ancient technology. To me, horse training is an art form." There is little doubt that it is an art form when one observes the graceful synchronization between trainer and horse we'll describe next month.
TO UNDERSTAND this trainer's methods, one must first understand his philosophy, and that is best expressed in his own words: "Horse training, to me, is an exercise in the art of communication. I listen to the horse. I allow the horse to show me what he wants to do. I try not to become an Pat and Thumper spinning at Livermore, California in 1981. adversary. Two people talking at one time is an ar- Photo by Lori gument. Conversation is one talking, and one listen- ing. I try to be a listener to the horse. The object is for never fails to bring a whistling, cheering audience to the horse to be a partner—a willing partner—not a its feet. How does Pat do it? That's the purpose of this slave. Mastery should be the result of reason, not article. enslavement. Yes, the horse must be dominated, but Parelli has been working with mules for about the domination should be psychological, not physical. eight years, and horses all his life. He is, in fact, the "A really well-trained horse is one that anybody founder of the American Mule Association. I asked can ride. The horse's performance should adapt to the him why he likes mules. "Because," he responded, rider's ability. If you can drive a Chevy, you can drive "mules separate artistic trainers from crude trainers. a Rolls. Of course, some instruction is necessary for They won't tolerate injustice, whereas most horses the rider to ride properly. An owner should be will." schooled with the horse. His home was the town of Livermore, in northern "Horsemanship—the art of mastering the California. As a youngster, he was influenced by horse—is an acquired skill. We are not born with that trainer Fred Ferrera. He also worked with Harry ability. The dynamics of horsemanship are achieved Rose for a while. He attended Modesto Junior Col- through communication." lege, and Fresno State, where he obtained his degree Pat Parelli's speech is indicative of his thinking in agricultural education. I believe that Pat's train- process. He uses a lot of aphorisms: ing in education—his exposure in college to learning "The philosophy of horsemanship applies to all as-
NOVEMBER 1983 / 25 New Look/Old Methods continued ArTHE PHILOSOPHY OF HORSEMANSHIP APPLIES Trl AlL ASPE CT S O F I !FF."
pects of life? because physical principles are involved in riding. "A horse is never finished." Training, he explains, is a transitional process, using "Assume nothing. Give benefit of doubt." conditioned responses. "If you take the time it takes, it takes less time." Let's repeat that last concept: "Build a sound foundation. You can put the Empire Training is a transitional process, using con- State Building on an adequate foundation. You can't ditioned responses. What does this mean? put a windmill on a poor foundation." "A good communicator is an observant person, and THE NORMAL RESPONSE of the horse is a good listener." flight from fear. It is the horse's instinct to flee from "Principles, purpose, and time are the tools of any frightening, unfamiliar stimulus. That's how the teaching." wild horse stayed alive. Using stimulus (such as a Pat conducts training clinics for horsemen around training whip and a threatening body attitude) and the country, and for his audience he posts signs citing response (the horse's flight reaction) in a controlled his eight principles of horse training: environment (a 40-foot diameter circular pen) we can 1. Horsemanship. The mastering of horses using teach the horse restraint. common sense. Let's repeat the above, without the examples in 2. Assume Nothing. Make no assumptions about the parentheses: horse's response. Trust that he will respond, but be Using stimulus and response in a controlled envi- prepared to correct an improper response. Similarly, ronment we can teach the horse restraint. It is the teach the horse not to make assumptions, and to essence of Parelli's method. Please read it again to be always wait for a command. sure you understand it. Restraint is unnatural for the 3. Communication. Two (or more) individuals:shar- horse, but it is the beginning of discipline. ing and understanding each other's ideas. Next month we'll describe precisely how Pat uses 4. The Commandments of Discipline. stimulus and response, in a controlled environment, A. Stop when I say "Whoa." to discipline the horse. Right now it is essential to B. Do not change gaits unless commanded to. absorb the philosophical and psychological principles C. Do not change direction unless commanded to. involved in order to understand the methods we will 5. Justice. To enforce the above commandments, use describe in the next issue. reward and punishment to fit the situation. Do not To obtain a response from a horse we may use one of overreact. three methods: 6. Body Language. The universal language. Both 1. We may force the response. man and animals use body language, and hence can 2. We may beg the response. communicate with each other. 3. We may cause (motivate) the response. 7. Horses Teach Riders and Riders Teach Horses. A Of the three methods, the last is the middle of the schooled rider can teach an unschooled horse, and a road approach, the preferred method, and the one schooled horse can teach an unschooled.rider, but the which will yield the most satisfactory performance. reverse of this statement is not true. Let's review the key points we've covered: 8. The Tools of Teaching. A. Principles. The seven concepts listed above. O. Purpose. Give the horse a reason for the ma- neuver. Example: You teach the horse to side-pass and respond to the leg. Then work gates to give the action purpose to fix it in the horse's behavior. Another example: You teach the horse to turn on his haunches and to jump out and to stop on his hind end. Then, if you work cattle, the horse sees the purpose in these maneuvers, and becomes adept at them. This is the reason so many cow horses become so handy, even if their training was amateurish, and they are ridden by different riders of ;varying skills. E. Time. Take whatever time is necessary to teach the horse without frustration or anger. Take the time that it takes. Understanding the philosophy of Parelli's method is important because, as he says, it involves 90% philosophy and 10% mechanic& Many trainers re- verse these percentages, but the horses they school are not the willing partners we desire. Of course, he Pat shows how he can slide a stock horse without a bridle or head points out that some mechanics are always necessary gear of any kind. He's riding Fresno Salty Doc. 26 1 THE WESTERN HORSEMAN New Look/Old Methods continued BOTH MAN AND ANIMALS USE BODY LANGUAGE.
1. Training is a transitional process, using con- ently responds to a whip signal by moving out. This is ditioned responses. the conditioned response. Using stimulus and response in a controlled en- . 2. vironment we can teach the horse restraint. NOW COMES the transitional process. A 3. Restraint, which is unnatural for the horse, is cluck is added to the whip signal. Eventually—it the beginning of discipline. takes time and consistency and patience—the whip For example: Pat puts a green horse in a round pen signal can be eliminated, and the horse will move out (the round pen is the controlled environment. The at the sound of the cluck. The transition is completed. horse cannot escape). He threatens the horse with the That's what horse training is all about. You see, the whip. (He calls this action.) The threat is minimal, cluck alone won't frighten the horse, and thus the just enough to alarm the horse. horse won't respond as desired by moving forward. The horse responds to this stimulus by moving But the whip signal does frighten the horse, yielding forward (flight from fear). This is reaction. Action the desired response. Once that response is con- and reaction. ditioned—it becomes automatic even though the He then assumes a passive and non-threatening horse no longer fears it—then a transition can attitude, and maintains that attitude as long as the gradually be made to a simpler non-threatening sig- horse continues to move at a steady pace. nal, such as a cluck. Later, when mounted, a further This procedure is repeated until the horse consist- transition can be made to silent signals, such as a
Pat Parelli is shown working a filly in a small round pen.
ONE: Having put the filly into a lope, Pat assumes his TWO: Pat says "Whoa" and shifts his body position. neutral position; the filly lopes on.
THREE: The filly stops abruptly and looks for further FOUR: Pat walks to the filly, pets her, and then walks instruction. Parelli drops his whip. away. The filly obediently follows him.
NOVEMBER 1983 / 27 New Look/Old Methods continued THE HORSE IS NOT A SLAVE BUT A WILLING PARTNER. change of body position, or a subtle leg squeeze. We verbal and body action indicating strong disapprove. call these signals "cues." The object in training is to Because of the logic and justice involved in this produce a horse which happily responds to non- training method, Pat says that the Golden Rule threatening cues, because the response is con- should be observed when working with horses; then ditioned. bonding occurs between horse and trainer. The horse Starting the horse on the ground, in a confined is submissive to the trainer, but he likes him. The environment, teaches the horse to respond to the horse is attached to the trainer. That's why, as train- trainer's body language. As we'll see, the green horse ing progresses, the horse works willingly for the quickly becomes conditioned to Pat's body position. trainer. He is not a slave, but a willing partner. He Rarely does he use the whip. An early transition is enjoys his work. He doesn't resent his rider. made from the whip to the body position. Later, when Bonding with a horse requires intimacy, and Pat ridden, the horse will be taught to continue to re- does not spend all his time with the horse demanding spond to the rider's body language, and that's all that action and reaction, and conditioned responses. He dressage is . . . conditioned responses to subtle rider spends some time quietly communicating with the cues. horse. The horse clearly feels affection for the man The horse's responses are reinforced (fixed) by re- who dominates him. Pat strokes the pleasure-sensi- ward, by correction, and if necessary, by punishment. tive areas of the horse's head—the mouth, lips, and Pat believes in justice. Thus the trainer's response face. He rubs the neck and the withers. He duplicates must be appropriate to the horse's performance. If he the greetings and touching with which horses com- does something right, reward him ("good boy" in a municate with one another—blowing in the nostril, soothing voice, or a caress). and rubbing the mane and withers. He points out that If he does something great, the reward should be the pain-sensitive mouth and lips of the horse (the more generous, and enthusiastic. area we use the bit and the twitch) are also pleasure- If he does something improperly, correct him ("No, sensitive areas, and the horse responds to gentle that's not right. Let's try it again.") The correction stroking of the muzzle. can be verbal, combined with body action indicating Having explored the basic philosophy of Pat's mild disapproval. training technique, we're now ready to see how he If he does something bad, he is punished ("No!") by actually applies it in starting a green horse. '!sr
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28 / THE WESTERN HORSEMAN Western Horseman Special Training Feature A Hew Look In part one, the author outlined trainer Pat Pare1li' s philosophy toward at Old horsemanship. In part two, Pat's methods of starting a green horse are described in more detail. Methods
Part TWO of Three Parts By ROBERT M. MILLER, D.V.M.
bronc stompers) who still usethis NO MATTER how thoroughly one understands Parelli's method, but they are in the minor training methods, or how mightily one desires to emulate ity nowadays. Another method them, or how expe.rienced with horses �ne already is, not widely used is to drive the horse every person can effectively use his techniques. first,and when he is turning,mov ing forward, and stopping well, to Why not? Because to u.se his his schooling. Again, like most make the transition to a rider on techniques one must have a cer trainers, he prefers that a horse he his-back. tain combination of physical and is about to start be gentle, halter Pat Parelli startshis colts at lib mental qualities. This is my op.in broke, and lead well. He recom erty. In order to do this, one must ion, not Pat's, but he agrees with mends that foals be handled ex have a round pen about 40 to 50 my observation. To effectivelyuse tensively the first three weeks of feet in diameter, with walls high this method one must: their life (see my article on im enough so that the colt cannot print training of foals, WH, July 1. Have .comprehension. One jump out. Pat's pen is 42 feet in must understandwhat we're talk 1980). They may be then left _ diameter, has solid walls, and good ing about. alone, or handled very little until sand footing. Later, when he has 2. Have a high level of com weaning time. Thereafter, a little complete control, he will move to a municativeness. Some people refreshercourse every fewmonths larger pen, 90to100 feet in diame have it, some don't. is all that is necessary until the ter. Don't try this method if you 3. Have quick resµonses., be colt is ready to start in training. don't have the pens. The small well coordinated, and be self-dis The handling early in life has a round p.enis essential to teach the ciplined enough to consistently lasting effect in gentling the foal, horse to work at liberty. control those responses. and on itslater orientation toward The trainer puts the colt in the 4. Be emotionally stable. One man. 42-footround pen, and allows him must never lose one's temperwhen to explore it. and relax. Pat then schooling horses. One's perform enters the pen, carrying a longe ance must not beaffected by frust There are many different waysof ing whip. He stands in what he ration, fatigue� or ego, . breaking horses. There is the tra calls a "neutral position:" whip · 5. One must want to do things ditional European method of butt on the ground, relaxed, and this way. If there is no real desire, longeing, followed by driving in passive. He waits until the colt is the system cannot possibly work. the long lines, and finally by rid standing quietly. Then he as 6. One must like horses. ing. An alternate method is longe sumes his pay-attention position. Even if we can't all use Parelli's ing, and then, when adequately He makes eye contactwith the colt methods effectively, we can un schooled on the longe, startingto and assumes an alert body posi �erstand them. ride the horse while it is longed by tion. The colt is alarmed and feels Like most trainers, Pat prefers a second party. There is the tradi threatened. Pat signals the colt to to start a green colt. He doesn't tional Western American method move_ forward. There is no place want to have to spend time re of immediately riding the colt, and else to go. The colt moves forward. educating the horse, or having it teaching the basics from his back. Pat has created action with a unlearn previous experiences There are some accomplished change in body position. which may be incompatible with horse:trainers (and we don't mean The moment the colt is moving
26 /THE WESTERN HORSEMAN New Look/Part Two continued Parelli recommends that foals be handled extensively the first three weeks of their life. forward, Pat goes back to his neu- the horse to respond in a predicta- transition to the longe line is eas- tral position. After a while, the ble manner. All he can do is move ily made, using the same verbal colt slows down. He stops. Pat im- ahead, back up, stop, or turn commands and body language. mediately returns to a threaten- around. What else can a horse do? Next, the horse is saddled and ing body position. The colt re- Go up? Sure, like over a jump, or in driven in a snaffle bit. Prior to this sponds by resuming his forward the air like a Lipizzaner? These the colt has been bitted up. Parelli motion. things too can be taught in the does not like double side reins. By changing his body position round pen, at liberty. It's an old Similarly, he avoids excessive con- the trainer teaches the colt, in a technique. It requires great co- tact, something which most classi- remarkably short time, to take a ordination, consistency, and pa- cal trainers encourage. Parelli specific gait, and hold it until tience. It works! says that contact will come later given a command to stop or slow Parelli classifies horses as long on. At this early stage he wants to down. Pat uses voice com- produce a horse that will work in a mands—a cluck to trot forward, As the training proceeds, relaxed manner on a loose rein, in two clucks to lope, the word his commands become response to verbal commands and "Whoa" to stop—and a transition more subtle. The body changes in body position. When is eventually made from visual bitting a horse he prefers a saddle signals to verbal commands. positions are less to a bitting rig. "The horse will be Using his body position he blocks exaggerated, the working under saddle, so let him the colt's progress to slow it (say- commands softer. learn it now," he says. ing softly, "walk"), or to stop it, or He uses a single rein, on one to reverse it. Soon we see a man or short individuals. A long horse side, tied to the rigging, drawing standing in a relaxed manner in a is one that is energetic and flighty, the head slightly to that side. Then pen with a colt. The man tenses and will go a long way in response he works the horse at liberty. Thus slightly. "Pay attention," a com- to a fear stimulus, and will move taught, the horse learns to keep mand is coming. He clucks once. rapidly. A short horse, when his nose bent to the inside of the The colt at once moves out in a frightened, will move less rapidly, circle. Pat does not like elastic smooth, relaxed trot. The man re- and for a shorter distance. This is reins, believing that the fixed side sumes his neutral position. The what behavior scientists call the rein teaches the horse to yield, colt trots on for five minutes—ten "flight distance." Naturally, whereas the elastic rein encour- minutes. He doesn't change gaits horses will vary all the way from ages him to lean on the bit. or direction. The man changes his very long to very short. He does not worry about head position. The colt rolls back position. That will come later— smoothly and resumes his trot in a much later. Right now he wants a new direction. The man returns to The ideal Western saddle horse, relaxed, happy colt, responsive to neutral. The colt trots on. In this Pat feels, is middle of the road; not any change in body position and to manner Parelli soon has a horse at too long, and not too short. The any command. Parelli disapproves liberty, consistently responding to training method must be varied to of the excessive head set currently changes in his body position or to fit the horse. If the same method is in vogue in California. He says, short verbal commands. He re- used on all horses, it will only suc- "You see entire Western pleasure wards good behavior with praise, ceed on a certain type of horse. classes behind the bit. It is a or a pat. He scolds, or threatens, or Most trainers are also long or parody of collection, produced by on rare occasions stings with the short in their demeanor and techniques incompatible with any whip to punish improper method, and that's why some concept of good horsemanship." responses. trainers are successful with one For this reason, Pat prefers to As the training proceeds, his kind of horse, and unsuccessful produce cutting and reining commands become more subtle. with another kind of horse. horses, and leave the rail horses to The body positions are less exag- To shorten a horse, Parelli uses other trainers. gerated, the commands softer. He confinement (the small corral or Not all of his time is spent work- dominates and controls the young work on a longe line). In a confined ing the green horse at liberty, on horse. area, the flighty horse moving too the longe line, and driving_ Pat Pat explains that to obtain any fast loses his will to proceed, and does other things. He spends his reaction in a horse you must create will slow down. To lengthen a time quietly communicating with action, even to slow him down, or horse the trainer moves to a larger the horse, petting and stroking it, to stop him. His body positions, be- pen at an earlier stage. and establishing a bond with it. cause they intimidate the horse, The liberty-trained horse is also His horses respect and obey him, create action. The round pen, a taught to longe. Already taught to but they also like him. They come controlled environment, allows work on command at liberty, the up to him, and follow him around.
28 / THE WESTERN HORSEMAN Parelli works Doe n' Chex, a three-year-old Quarter Horse stallion, at liberty in a 90-foot round corral.
Pat is in his neutral position. The young horse has been commanded to lope and he does so without varying his gait.
2
Parelli changes his body position He signals for the colt to resume By stepping sharply backward, and then says whoa; the colt the lope by clucking twice and Parelli signals for the colt to roll stops. assuming the neutral body back in the opposite direction. postion.
With Pat in a "neutral position," Pat stops the colt, lets him rest, the horse lopes on in a new and then signals "pay attention," direction. before giving a new command.
DECEMBER 1983 / 27 New Look/Part Two continued
You can't help but be impressed with the relaxed and coordinated manner with which the colt works.
He uses a one-leg hobble to teach still when ensnared instead of ters when he hears "whoa." He re- the horse to stand on three legs. running off in panic. sponds to the rein, in either direc- This also serves to establish his Pat usually starts his colts in tion. He is ready to ride. dominance over the horse (see my the snaffle bit. The bit has four Pat starts riding the colt in the article on "Horse Psychology" functions, he says: small pen. Using exaggerated March 1979 WH, for a description 1. Teaching. body language and weight of the one-leg hobble). Once 2. Control. changes, he makes the transition trained to the one-leg hobble, the 3. Reinforcement. from verbal commands to cues. horse easily adjusts to having both 4. Refinement (improvement). However, the verbal commands forelegs hobbled. The colt is now ready to ride. will be retained for a long time, Remember, he will already work until the transition is well estab- at liberty, or on a longe line, or lished. From the small pen, the I saw Pat do something I haven't colt is moved to the larger pen. As seen before. He tied a soft rope to He wants a relaxed, happy soon as Pat feels that he has the inside hind leg of a colt, in the colt, responsive to any adequate control (mental control, small pen. The colt was already not physical), he rides the colt trained to work at liberty. Gently change in body position outside. tugging the rope, Pat had the colt and to any command. The exaggerated body positions backing up in 10 minutes. At first Pat assumes when riding look odd, the colt kicked at the rope, and when driven. He will move for- but later on these will become in- wanted to move forward. But, al- ward when told "get up." He will creasingly subtle. You can't help ready trained not to move forward immediately go into a trot When he but be impressed with the relaxed except on command, the colt soon hears one cluck, or a lope if he and coordinated manner with gave up kicking the leg to which hears two clucks. He will stay in which the colt works. After half an the rope was tied. He soon moved that gait without varying his hour of loping, figure-eights, slide backwards in response to Pat's speed, for an indefinite period of stops, and smooth spins, the colt is gentle tugs. This exercise, in addi- time, even if fatigued. He will drop only slightly sweating, and tion to establishing control and down to a slower gait at the com- breathing easy. There's none of dominance over the colt, also mand "walk," and then hold that the lathered, bug-eyed violence taught him not to fear a rope or gait indefinitely. He will stop that one often sees at stock horse wire around his ankle, but to stand abruptly, dropping his hindquar- training sessions. As soon as he feels the colt is Parelli's Longei ng Technique ready, Pat starts him on cattle, moving him around, following, unique. A veterinarian's and playing with a catch rope. obstetrical chain is rigged over the poll and through the halter side rings as When I doctor horses, I try to shown in the accompanying avoid violence, brutality, and fear. photograph. The ends of the I use methods which hopefully avoid making the horse an enemy. chain (which come with a I try to bond with the horse, and ring attached) hang down use persuasion and psychology to equidistant about a foot dominate him and to make him do below the jaw. The longe my bidding. Therefore, it is under- line is attached to both standable why I am so oriented to Parelli's teaching methods. Obvi- rings. Pat does not want ously, horses can be trained by much contact in the early other methods. They usually are. stages of longeing. The But for those who prefer finesse to chain, putting pressure on force, for those who like horses the poll and on the outside well enough to be liked by the After being trained at cheek, teaches the colt to horse, for those who want to out- smart the horse rather than out- liberty in the small round longe with the head flexed fight him, this young trainer's pen, the colt is taught to and bent to the inside of the techniques will hold a lot of longe. The method is circle. appeal. 'ter
32 / THE WESTERN HORSEMAN Western Horseman Special Training Feature
New Look at Old Methods Part Three, Conclusion
By ROBERT M. MILLER, D.V.M. the closest point to his stall. The Pat urged the colt back into a cir- colt was reluctant to approach the cle at a lope. Again, he drifted to- south side of the arena, and with ward the north side. Pat allowed THE GREEN COLT, each circle he drifted farther from him to go where he wanted. The Pat Parelli up, entered the arena that side and closer to the north. colt veered to the northwest cor- at the northeast end, through the Parelli stopped and explained to ner, the point closest to his stall, only gate. The northwest corner of the onlookers why the colt prefer- hung his head over the fence with the arena was closest to the colt's red the north side. an anxious, homesick look in his stall. The trainer warmed the colt "You have to listen to the horse," eye, and stopped. up, riding the perimeter of the Parelli explained. "He has logical arena. After a few minutes of slow reason for not wanting the south "SEE THIS" SAID PAT. work, he urged the colt into a lope, side of this arena. I can fight him "He just wants to go home. No circling the arena. Soon the colt and force him to the south fence, point in me getting mad about it, started to drift toward the north and push him closer to the corners and fighting him. What I have to side of the arena. He liked that on that side, but if I do he'll hate do is outsmart him. Now, with side because in each corner there them all the more. So, instead, I'll negative and positive reinforce- was something he liked. The use a little psychology. In a few ments I can quickly change his northeast corner held the gate by minutes I'll have him loving the preference to the other side of the which he had entered. Through south side, and he'll lose interest arena. The negative signal will be that gate was the way home to his in the north. Watch what he does if a jab with the spur at the north- stall. The northwest corner was I just give him his head." west corner. The positive signal Parelli on Green Mule Colt
Note the loose rein, nice head position for The trainer raises his hands slightly (the Pore) again signals "get ready" He sinks a very green mule colt, with the rider in "get ready" position), sinks back (body back farther, reins back with a steady his "neutral" body position. The colt has language). and says whoa. Then.... pull, and says, -Back.- been loping without breaking stride for several minutes. Then....
20 / THE WESTERN HORSEMAN Parelli on Doc n Chex
The colt is starting to achieve a good head position. but PareIli Rat works the horse on'C7 loose rein. Pat is in his'neutral position. does not try for this positioning too early
The colt spins very smoothly and lightly and never gets excited. Still using a lot of body language on this three-year-old colt, Pat slides the horse to a stop.
Pat demonstrates how a horse will respond to a rider's body attitude.
JANUARY 1984 / 21 Parelli's Bitting-Up Rig
Bitting up is done with side reins rigged in this manner. This A second view shows how the small bosol serves the same colt was started in a snaffle and is now in a Tom Thumb bit. purpose as an English nose band. Note how the side reins pass through a D-ring which is, in turn, attached to the bit.