Wow. Where to start! We participated as a ‘demo’ rider in the Spring of 2009 for the United States Eventing Association for students assessing to become certified Event Instructors.

Many things came to light reflecting upon my journey of being a Parelli Student since 1998 and having been an Event Competitor for 28 years. I have not taken “Traditional” coaching  since I started PNH!

I was apprehensive about being in the limelight for some of the top Event Competitors known. I must say I was skeptical, scared and resistant to being swayed from anything that would have affected my solid relationship with Babe. I admirably chose for Babe to bring him up through the levels slowly, spending a year at each level to ensure his success. I’ve completed many courses with PNH and have studied hard to be a Level 4 student as well as a successful event competitor myself, and had only taken one clinic 5 years ago from Karen O’Connor. It was an incredible opportunity here to have Karen O'Connor as the Instructor 'over-seer'.

I was very enlightened to experience many great things and was thrilled that these “traditionalists” weren’t as bad as I thought after all! The advanced riders/teachers had an excellent appreciation for the relationship I had with Babe and commented on it many times throughout my three sessions - in fact one of them had experienced Natural Horsemanship and thought it was most beneficial. The younger coaches knew the desired outcome well, but may not have understood the process as well from a Natural perspective, especially about the relationship foundation. All of them inquired about purchasing Babe, and ranted about how much potential he has and how wonderful a horse he is.

One Instructor told me such things as ‘use your body energy to go forward, don’t kick to go or pull to stop (don’t they know I know this?), focus and look where you want to go so your horse will follow you, slide your inside hand forward and rub your horse’.

I was asked by one Instructor why my saddle was placed further back and when I explained, it was accepted. I had two Instructors ask and suggest that my regular cavesson noseband be tightened, to which I disagreed. If they only knew I usually don’t even use a noseband! Upon more thought on my part as to what the purpose really was, I decided it was only to use it to help keep the bridle on and not to close or hinder my horse’s mouth or jaw.

At one point, I was advised that I would now need spurs and a whip to attain the speed I would need for galloping a course. Babe needs to respond immediately to my change of speeds when galloping versus approaching and then preparing for different types of fences in order to be safe. I was most defiant in this as I have never even used spurs on Babe. I would only ever accommodate spurs for Finesse when I felt we were ready on behalf of Pat’s teachings. Once I felt the speed I needed I was able to ask Babe with my energy to move faster, with trust, and be able to slightly bring my shoulders back to slow him down to the desired speed. We even came to a halt going downhill after a jump from a gallop with minimal effort - remember that task in Level 3 – coming to a halt from a gallop? What an amazing feeling to feel this pace live on course - at the Preliminary Level the speed is usually 520 metres per minute – and that’s fast over jumps!

I learned that all of my training skills combined with my dedication to learning naturally have brought both me and my horses to a solid foundation of trust and respect, without it there is no “try”. Someone even jokingly told me to get the horse competing and then let someone else work on the relationship. That is backwards. I learned that there are Savvy traditional coaches still out there, the ones that do it right. I am fortunate enough to have access to them to help me develop my skills to be as successful at the higher levels as I have been at the lower levels.

 I am also extremely aware that this sport at the higher levels requires strict dedication, mental and emotional horse and human fitness, and many more precise skills, accuracy and timing. It is not to be taken lightly. We need to be safe, and in order to do this we need a relationship.

A passion to succeed in the fulfillment for you with the horse is why we do it. Eventing is the triathlon of all Equine Sport. It is a natural high, adrenalin rush as much as an art. When we ask for Finesse in Dressage, Stamina and Courage on the Cross Country Course and Respect and Fluidity in Stadium Jumping, it only makes sense to be Natural.

Michelle Donlick
Parelli Level 4 Student
Event Competitor/Trainer

Parelli Games in Traditional Eventing

August 2009

What ‘games’ have I used in my Traditional Eventing?

Or should I say, what 'games' have I NOT used in my traditional Eventing?

In my early days of Parelli when all I used was the Country Bridle, I approached the first fence on Cross Country. At the second fence, Babe hit his knees and stumbled afterwards while he was galloping. This somehow caused the bridle to slip right off his head and onto the ground! Now everybody – read carefully – you may not know it now, but there is always a reason for why PNH has certain tasks. I calmly breathed out and brought Babe to a halt, straight from a gallop after a fence! He stood still and relaxed. As spectators gasped and tried to run to help, I casually picked up my reins so I could reach the bridle. Babe bent his head around for me so I could put the bridle on and we went off to finish the course and not even have time penalties! Had dismounted to replace the bridle, we could have even been eliminated! Remember the task in the old Level 2 bridle/unbridle your horse from the saddle? Ta Da!!! In hindsight, for Cross Country, a noseband would have helped secure the bridle, as well as an old event secret in braiding a piece of string in the mane by the poll to tie it to the headstall specifically to help it not slip off (friendly, porcupine,lateral flexion).

During a Stadium jumping lesson coming up to a very large oxer combination, I felt Babe was not going to succeed safely in finding the right spot to jump from. I assertively pulled him up in front of the fence as he would have tried it anyway, backed him up, and came around again. Had I jumped it, it might have shattered his trust in me, made him scared to approach the fence, and made me feel unconfident too (yoyo).

At the end of a XC lesson during the ICP coaching clinic, I carelessly dropped the reins I was holding and Babe stepped on them as he walked. Expecting imminent disaster, I waited and watched proudly while he calmly yielded to pressure, lowered his head and allowed me to move him one step backwards off of the reins. I heard Karen O'Connor in the background say to the students " Now that is HUGE did you see that everyone??" (porcupine).

At another event while in Florida, while bathing Babe, something startled him causing him to leap aside and prepare to run. I could see out of the corner of my eyes predators coming from all directions to corner and run at him. My first instinct as a human was to grab the lead, but ‘do the opposite’ took over ( I even surprised myself). I softly looked at his hindquarters, drew him in and rewarded him (driving, yoyo, friendly)!