This is the second article in my series for ProChaps on the topic The Seven Keys to Success! Right
at the beginning of his Natural Horsemanship book, Pat Parelli introduces his Level
1 theory by outlining the six keys to success.
They are: Attitude, Knowledge, Tools, Techniques, Time and Imagination. Since
the original publication of the book years ago, a seventh key has been added: Support.
Last
month we focused on the first key: Attitude. In
this post, I will introduce the second key to success, Knowledge.
Key 2: Knowledge
For a
very long time, most people equated expertise with horses with someone’s
ability to ride a horse no matter what.
While this is still the case in many parts of the world, there is now a
growing awareness that horsemanship involves way more than just staying on
horseback. Riding is less than half of
what you really need to know to be good with horses. There is so much more… how
they think, how they learn, what’s important to them, how to communicate with
them, how to help them thrive mentally, emotionally and physically, help them
reach their own potential and bring out the best in every horse.
Knowledge
can be obtained in a number of ways. One of the best features drawing horse
lovers to the Parelli Natural Horse.Man.Ship system is the wide array of
structured educational material available to support their learning. In
addition to the tools that help us to be more effective and to learn feel and
timing, Pat and Linda Parelli are
constantly producing books, audio and video material to help their students
acquire savvy right at home. This
includes a dedicated member site, the Parelli Savvy Club, which offers support, social
connection, information and a vast body of learning resources all available for
a very affordable membership fee.
Nowadays, thanks to the Internet, you can actually start
to learn Level 1 basics on line as a member of the Savvy Club, an option that
was not available when I started my natural horsemanship journey in 1999 and
would certainly have made my learning so much faster and easier!
Knowledge is also available from Licensed
Parelli Professionals. This passionate group of people dedicate their
lives to helping students advance their horsemanship and gain a better and
deeper understanding of the materials included in the home study material.
Taking lessons and attending clinics keeps students on track and motivated and
helps them accelerate their progress. A
qualified instructor helps students recognize when they are repeating the same
mistakes over and over, empowers them with new arrows for their quiver and
prevents them from practicing the wrong techniques; in other words, they can
expertly guide them through the various steps of their learning journey. Working
with a LPP is like a super shot of savvy!
Every Licensed
Parelli Professionals has been
personally and officially approved by Pat Parelli. No one else is. Pat chooses
his professionals very carefully and sets a very high standard to ensure that
his program is being taught as it should. The training to get this stamp of
approval is long and intensive, ensuring that those that teach it have the
calibre, the savvy and the human qualities to share the program correctly, safely,
fairly, without deviation, empowering their students and horses to learn
effectively. Achieving Level 4 horsemanship is a prerequisite for all aspiring Parelli
Professionals, which guarantees the students access to a high level
of ability and deep understanding of the horse.
There are
also other requirements to be admitted into the professional training program,
such as experience, horsemanship, the ability to work in teams, interpersonal
skills, teaching ability, emotional fitness, work ethic, personal habits, etc. Parelli
instructors are not only horsemen and women, they are trained to teach! We have
all met someone who is able to do something with a horse but lacks the ability
to communicate their knowledge effectively.
Last but not least, we are required to update our skills which are re-evaluated
on a yearly basis. This ensures a very high level of competence, currency and
consistency with all Parelli instructors.
Speaking
of the Parelli levels: Levels 1 to 4 are designed to teach humans. Teaching
horses is quite different and is best achieved after Level 4. One of the best pieces of information we can
share with you is “Green on green makes
black and blue”. The skills,
athletic ability and experience required to train a young or challenging horse are
extensive, and it may not be something you want to undertake if you are just
getting started in horses! Be smart and
realistic when it comes to choosing the equine partner that will help you learn
and grow in confidence.
We would
love to hear your comments or questions.
Until
next time, keep it natural!
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