Today was epic.
We started the day in the dark and made our way to the ranch for coffee. (oh, and breakfast) After which we had a few minutes to play with our horses.
China and Missy at this point are heavily bonded/herd bound and when I pulled Missy from her pen, I thought China would have a stroke waiting for Jenn. (She made it back just in time).

We had a discussion with one of the instructors, Kathy, about predator/prey relationships and one of the biggest hardships for horses with training: picking up (willingly) all 4 feet. And preferably from the same side. There is more to this than meets the eye. It’s not about picking up the feet to clean them…as nothing is ever viewed so simply and “straight lined” again in our world. Missy was used as the demonstration horse. Lesson #3 (?)…when you want Missy to participate in a demo about picking up her feet, Missy will decide on JUST what she’s going to demonstrate. It turned into an hour-long demo on how to get Missy to WILLINGLY come for her halter and leave the pen. And ended with just that. An hour. To leave the pen. After that, Missy became an emotional basket case and fell to the ground like 25 times. We all thought she’d colic, but it ended up just Missy being Emo. She stayed like that (mostly on the ground) for a couple of hours during the ACTUAL demo of the foot thing…with another horse, and some classwork, then another demo. People fretting. Questioning calling the vet. The whole 9. Missy was fine the whole time (my theory) and has a new defining quality. Emo.

After Predator/Prey lesson, we progressed to the “7 games” of Parelli. This is basically everything I ever learned about natural horsemanship (plus more) condensed into “games” which you “play” with your horse. Lesson #4. Missy’s idea of playing is cutting me off and busting into my space so agressively that I need to run out of the way. #4A…this is not ok. #5. Natural horsemanship does NOT equal causing no pain to the equine. Avery, our instructor, proceeded to show me how to be “effective” and a “leader” which consisted of whapping missy in the head HARD with the “parelli carrot stick” (In case you’re new to the blog…this is essentially a lunge whip)…this teaches the horse to stay away from your space in zone 1. The head zone.
We moved quickly from this point and got through the 7 games with EXCELLENCE and some great “effective leadership” (aka, whapping Missy when she needed it). There’s alot of rationale behind ALL of this. I’m not trying to minimize that AT ALL. This is a gigantic learning experience for me and I can’t wait to share what we’re learning here with all of you who want to know. Seriously.

Pat Parelli came to visit with us before lunch. He sat with us, shook our hands, told us his story in bits and pieces, and encouraged us to tell ours. He is an amazing guy. Very cowboy without the ego. Very soft while maintaining his outward COWBOY. Ok, so I guess no one ever said cowboys couldn’t be soft. But Pat is the coolest. He told us of some new hippotherapy being used in Europe where they put a blanket between two horses and the client is ON THE BLANKET! And it’s supposedly very effective. (hopefully not in the “effective” way that I am with Missy now) Anyway, we’ll be looking into that and asking for the first volunteer…ummmm. Well let’s just say not in the near future.

Lots of Horse play later, we ate a good meal with new friends and blanketed the horses for what promises to be a VERY cold night. Back at the hotel and anxious for the bathtub. Hope y’all had as EPIC a day as we did.

Missy says “neigh”. (transl.= tell this human to stop hitting my head!!)

Ok. It so doesn’t mean that. It ACTUALLY means…”I’m starting to respect this human and she might be a good partner”…

Jury is still out.

Good night all. Back tomorrow.

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Parelli Natural Horsemanship by amy