Parelli World

Here is a short video that I often show at clinics especially ones where it’s hard to get everyone rounded up and headed the right direction.

This video speaks for itself. It’s just funny.

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Have you every felt like this? Please leave a comment.

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Tags: herding cats

Just the other day I was day dreaming and thinking back to when I first started in Parelli. I made a list of all the things I did that first few years and I even amazed myself as to how disciplined I was in my journey to level 3.

One thing I did then that I am attempting to bring back into my life is that I focused on my own physical fitness.

I searched and researched exercises that were good for riding. When I heard a term like Feldenkrais and Rolfing or myofascial release I looked it up to see how it might apply to my riding. I started my own little workout routine consisting of stretches and strength building exercises. I focused a lot on the hips and lower back.

At the time I just threw some things together, it was pretty hap hazard but it got results. I now realize that I was working on my core and know how important strength in the core is to riding and almost any other physical activity.

I came across this 9 minute video that gives some simple exercises for strengthening your back and core. I’ve been doing them for several days and I can already feel a difference in my posture.

Like I said they are real simple and can be done in less than 10 minutes. Although this is not specifically about riding, strengthening your core and correcting your posture will make a big difference in your riding.

I hope this gives you a starting point and that you will do your own research and discover a path for you to become more fit and enjoy your life to a greater degree.

Please leave a comment and share how your fitness level has affected your riding.

Tags: Core strength

After spending the month of August with Pat Parelli, on my last day I had the opportunity to ask him “What is one tip you would give me for my horsemanship?” His answer was thoughtful yet simple “Raise your expectations”.

That simple phrase seems to have become my theme since then, both in my own horsemanship and in helping others raise their expectations. I have come to realize that my horses don’t give much because I don’t expect much of them, consequently I don’t ask for much. It becomes a vicious cycle that slowly grinds us to a halt.

At a few points during the summer Pat pushed me and my horse pretty hard and I never really questioned why he did it. But he explained to me that day that he pushed us hard so I could see what my horse was capable of. It was at that point the lesson became clear. He never pushed beyond what either one of us were capable but he did push us out of the usual. He had an expectation for both of us and we tried to live up to it.

To me an expectation is simply the picture we have in our mind of how something should or will be. As I have explained to many of my students we need to have expectations that are appropriate for ourselves and our horses. Much like we have expectations of a first grader and the skills that are appropriate for their grade level. However, as they grow and learn our expectations change. The expectations we have for a first grader are going to be different than a fifth grader and still different than a freshman in high school and so on. The same is true with our horses, we need to have realistic and appropriate expectations.

Sometimes in our endeavor to create a good relationship with our horse and not be too “direct line” we lower our expectations for ourselves and our horses. And on the other hand we can see in certain segments of the competitive world unrealistic expectations for horses, such as performing a sport before they have a foundation which can lead to disappointment, frustration, undue stress and finally force. But not having clear and appropriate expectations can be harmful in not living up to your full potential. We vacillate between two worlds, unrealistic expectations of our horses and no expectations. What we fail to see is the middle ground of appropriateness.

I challenge you to raise your expectations and ask for more and you may be surprised at how much your horse will give. As you raise your expectations of your horse, I want to challenge you again as students to “raise your expectations of yourself” and what you can accomplish in your own horsemanship.

Please leave a comment below.

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Tags: horse, horsemanship, Pat Parelli

I recall in graduate school studying the speeches of great men and women. I was attracted to Winston Churchill and several of his speeches. I don’t recall all the details of where and when but I do recall the entire speech. He was giving a commencement address at a small college.
He slowly rose from his seat walked up to the podium, looked the audience in the eye and spoke three words with resolution and conviction. “Never give up!” and returned to his seat. The audience was at first taken aback but after a few moments to realize the power of those words they rose to their feet and gave him a standing ovation.

I have such a vivid picture of the speech that it haunts me to this day. That image I recall monthly if not weekly in the course of my life because I would be the one he was talking to because I tend to quit before I get started.

In our journey with our horses as with our journey through life, we have choices. The biggest choice is to quit or move on. Some of us never quit on things that we should have abandoned long ago but most of us give up far too easily on the things that matter most to us.

What is it that you want from your horsemanship journey? Have you already quit and now you are settling for something less than what you really want? Take heart from a great statesman and “Never give up”.

I found this video on youtube that has the same message but presented in a different way.

Please leave your comments. I now have an additional image to recall when I get knocked down. Get Back Up and Never Give Up!

Tags: Never give up