It's About The Horse

bit · Member Joined: 02 Feb 2009 Posts: 4352 Location: Kansas

I recently had the opportunity to spend 3 weeks at the Parelli Center continuing my education in the Mastery Program. I came away feeling like I had just begun my horsemanship journey.

I know many of you feel this way too when you learn something new from your horses so I know I am not alone. In fact, I find it refreshing to think that we all have embarked on a "never-ending" journey of discovery! Isn't that what makes life exciting?

These are some things I've learned from horses...

* Living in the Moment. Think about just living in the moment...how often do we do that and how would our life be different if we took some time to do that?

* Awareness. Are we aware and alert to our surroundings? How often do we walk through life oblivious to those around us?

* Sensitivity. Horses are so sensitive they can feel the bubble of our energy from a long distance away. I am continuing to learn about how our intent and our thoughts can be read by my horses. As humans are we sensitive to the intent and thoughts of others?

* Curiosity. Horses are intensely curious, if they can get past their fear or uncertainty. Do we hold ourselves back from curiosity or learning by uncertainty or fear?

Deep lessons...I have much to learn!

I was thinking how many of us have learned all this through the water hole rituals, so where was Parelli? They are just learning this stuff? They haven't even touched on the many pearls in centered riding. http://www.nbtr-bg.org/uploads/Mimi%20Pantelides%20Presentation.pdf
I think whr's and centered riding have catapalted me to break through after break through for the last couple of years. Parelli always felt like I was moving through water and left hanging out to dry. Confused, and terrified to move forward. I was so afraid of ruining my horse.
I wish someone would put it all together...whr's don't deal with the rider, and centered riding doesn't deal with horse behavior. Brent Graef thankfully is still doing one on one clinics, and I swear he's like working with horse-Gandi. It's a spiritual, out of the body thang. I watched his wife's face change when she looked at her horse, and it went from her, to adoring madonna. No really, it went from her normal face to almost angelic. You could feel the love flowing from her and surrounding the horse. It was so intimate. No words, just one soft stroke of her hand down the neck and the horse simply melted into her. It matters that you slow it down and gift your horse with a few moments of pure love, change your face, your whole being and gift it to your horse. Tony busted me one day doing this and wistfully wished I looked at him that way. Maybe he's right. Start with your horse, and expand that feeling outward to every one in your life. Merry Christmas all!
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"It was once said I should clear my head for one cannot ride a Thoroughbred. Hot they are. And too fast they be. Forever on the fly. But I stayed the course and have no remorse. I love my off the track racehorse!"

Julie · Member Joined: 07 Feb 2009 Posts: 1297

Interesting as Aaron Parker was saying the same things the other week but he is not parelli now? Thats odd!
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AlythLong · Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2010 6:11 pm Post subject:

LOL I learned those things when I was early in my Parelli journey - but that was the old way. Perhaps they are things that got dropped along the way!!

Niek · Member Joined: 01 Feb 2009 Posts: 1065

and

about sums it up...

PasoBaby_CarolU · Site Admin Joined: 31 Jan 2009 Posts: 9015

HMMPH...I am sitting here dumbfounded. This is your "Old Parelli Pro" and they JUST learned these things NOW?????

That is all very basic Horsemanship 101. How can they be a Pro and not learned those four points YEARS ago? I am with Alyth...I learned those things at the very beginning.

Deb, to answer your question, Hertha has put it all together in a nice, easy to follow manual that mixes Parelli with WHR.
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Carol Nudell
Corazon de Oro Paso Finos

"The path to your horse's heart lies through your own."

Rumors are carried by haters, spread by fools, and accepted by idiots. - Words of Wisdom - Mhar

‎"Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss activities; Small minds discuss people." - Eleanor Roosevelt

Niek · Member Joined: 01 Feb 2009 Posts: 1065

karmikacres · Member Joined: 14 Feb 2009 Posts: 1181

I wonder how long the PP has been teaching. Coming from an old school PP, that is shocking, coming from a new PP, it is completely expected.

Things just are not what they used to be over there...

Horses are sensitive, who knew?

Mike
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I guess sometimes, on the hopeful path to glory, we get sidetracked and find something better instead.

HopeMissouri · Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2010 10:39 pm Post subject:

Guess I had an exceptional PP, Jenny Vaught. Living in the moment, awareness, sensitivity and curiosity were things I learned from her when I started attending her clinics in 2002.
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gideon · Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 3:00 am Post subject: w

Thanks, Bit. I really liked that post. You're ahead of me on the WHR but I hear you loud and clear, that's what I feel like too.
I've had horses all my life, but I feel little and new, like a kid at her first Christmas, like Dorothy stepping from black and white into the color of the land of Oz. A world I couldn't have imagined.
Spiritual definitely, and surprisingly practical. And totally riveting.
A joyous holiday to you too.
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The dog may be man's best friend, but the horse wrote history.