Now I am curious!  Why did that happen?  There must be more to know... and I am still learning.

When I first started to get interested in Natural Horsemanship, I attended a clinic with my horse Treasure. Treasure was my dream horse.  I fell in love with her at a breeder's ranch, and she was very expensive.  Luckily for me, she was also very extreme Right Brained Extrovert, and after a few failed attempts at breaking her, she was offered to me in trade for an older, well started saddle horse.

The clinic I took her to was not a Parelli Clinic, but the instructor did a lot of the same type of things, and he rode beautifully in a rope halter.  My main goal of the clinic was to teach Treasure how to lead at a respectable distance.  We did that, and jumped straight from there, to the riding.  (Are you laughing yet?) 

I found myself with two young childen and a backyard boarding business... that got me thinking of ways to improve our safety, handling and living with children and horses. I studied and dabbled in other methods before becoming committed to Parelli.  A friend was determined to turn me on to Parelli and she succeeded monumentally. I earned my level 1 in 2001, and never looked back.   I quickly became insatiable for more.  The thing that really helped me was the simple way in which their program is presented.  You start at the beginning, not in the middle like I was doing with some of the other instructors that I turned to for help. I passed the old, 12 page level 2 assessment in 2005, and then started to have a lot of fun with it.  Level 3 my daughter and I earned together, (it's easier for kids!)  in 2009, and we are currently studying level 4 and submitting our auditions.

Most of the things that I find my self helping my students with are things that I used to be hung up on myself.   There are people who want to do Love, Love and Love, and those that want to use Leadership, Leadership, Leadership.   The magic combination is between the two, Love, Language (through the 7 games) and Leadership is what will cause your horse to look forward to his interactions with you, as much as you look forward to seeing him.

       That day, in that environment, with 8 hours of respect and leadership and support from the clinician, things were fine.  However, I left that class with little to no knowledge of how to apply any horse psychology to our future interactions, just a few techinques on keeping my horse out of my space.  Needless to say, after a few good days in my own yard, I rode out in the world in only this rope halter.... We did okay for a few hundred yards.  Then, when my mare got unconfident and needed to move her feet, I was unable to support her.  I did not know about direct or indirect reins, hindquarter disengagement or emergency brakes.  An emergency dismount at this point would have earned me a broken bone, so I rode, like a frog on a rocket, right back to the comfort zone of the barn. 

I know that Frustration begins where Knowledge Ends... so each time I feel myself maybe starting to get frustrated, I just go back to the basics and learn a little more, or maybe learn something I forgot, that I need at that moment.  So, I hardly get frustrated anymore.

I find my horses inspire me to constantly evaluate my skills and my techniques.   They come up with new ways to keep me on my toes, and each time we cross a threshold, we enter in to a whole new level of incompetence!  This could be frustrating, but now I realize that if I am a little uncomfortable, then I am learning.  If you always stay in your comfort zone, you become boring, stale, uninspiring.  

With this in mind, I try to grade myself.  When I have a halter and line on my horse, I imagine how I would communicate if I did not.  This exercise alone has really changed the way I use the tools.  Instead of going for the rope right away, I have learned how to capture the mind of the horse at the other end of the lead.  Trust them to respond, but be ready to correct, not more one than the other.   

As a result, when I don't have a lead, my horses treat me more like I do.  And if they don't, I can look at it as feedback and use it as an opportunity to improve. 

Today I am the person I am because of what I have learned through this wonderful program. I am so excited to be able to offically help others on their horsemanship journey.  The most rewarding part is empowering people to continue to learn and how to learn from their horse.

I plan to develop myself to my fullest potential within the Parelli program.  Meaning I am constantly challenging myself and testing my limits.  I love to take the experience that I have gained and help others apply it to their horselife.   The Parelli Program has given me a lot of very useful tools that I apply daily to my life as a homeschooling mom of two children, and a secretary for my husband's business.  "Take the Time it Takes, so It Takes Less Time", goes through my mind daily.

   Treasure, a Right Brained Extrovert is my 12 year old Spotted Saddle Horse Mare.  She has been my levels horse, and partner for 10 years!  Treasure is now semi retired due to Jack Spavins in the hind legs which slightly limits her ridability. 

  Shazam is a Fresian Sporthorse.  Born September 13, 2011.  She already enjoys jumping things...just for fun. My plans for her is dressage after a natural start!  She can already do all the levels tasks online and likes Zone 5 driving. I am excited for her to grow and develop.  Shazam is a Left Brained Extrovert.

Click here for a YouTube video of Shazam!

Cinderella is a 12 year Champagne Palomino. She is my long term project and a Right Brained Extrovert

Jingles our Chi-weenie has the very important job of meet and greet. He takes his job very seriously and we appreciate his dedication.

Treasure's son Bubba was everything I always wanted - a really tall gaited horse... with color!  Bubba came along to fulfill that wish. RIP Bubba dear, you will be missed!

Nancy and Treasure