5 day Parelli Experience

I arrived home just a mere four days ago from the 5-Day Parelli Experience course held at the 17 Ranch in Thamesford last week.  Honestly, it has taken me just this long to soak and process the experience ... and what an experience it was!  Where do I even begin to blog about it??  I am going to attempt to answer the much dreaded, nerve wracking question asked in Parelli-land - what did you learn?

1. I learned that I really, really love my horse.  This experience reconfirmed that he and I are indeed a perfect match.  When he is unconfident (like when he got off the trailer and was face to face with a very big, and very scary rock!!) I am there to help him through and when I am unconfident - he is my support.   The right horse is better than winning the lottery in my books.

2. I need to be more confident in myself.  I have alot of savvy and am solidly in Level 3 and moving into Level 4 (not Level 1 like I sometimes tell myself).  Instead of being so focused on the proper sequence of the program and frozen with worry that I am not ready - I need to trust that if I think I am ready to progress into something new, I probably am.  Trying to summarize this concept, I need to remember that I don't need permission from an instructor in order to progress - my horse will tell me when the timing is right.   Never was this more evident when I nervously attempted my first ever official Liberty session. I laughed outloud at Tido - he did everything I asked with an expression of "well its about time!".

3. I am responsible for my journey.  Period.  If I have a question - no one is going to knock on the door to answer it.  If I want to acheive something - it is my responsibility to get out there and put together a plan to do so.  And people are there to help.  I was a little bit intimidated to ask John Baar a question - but am I ever glad I did!!  He is a very approachable instructor with a relaxed yet knowledgable teaching style.  And it is comforting to know that Linda has faced some of the issues I face with Tido. 

4. Grab a hold of opportunities and just DO IT! My favourite saying (which could very well be a Parelli-ism) echoes this: Whether you think you can or you can't, you're right! So I learned .... I can, I did and I will.



So I am home, older, wiser and changed.  I find it amazing what 5 days can do to someone.  I came home with a clear path to where I want to go and what I want to do with my horses.  But I do want to thank a few people before signing off on this blog episode:

John Baar - thank you for coming all the way from Kentucky.  Thank you for being approachable and knowledgable and for telling all sorts of wonderful stories about Pat, Linda and your time spent at the Parelli Centres. 

Don Halladay - I truly think you are one of the kindest people I have ever met.  Thank you for keeping safety as the cornerstone of all your teaching.  One day I will be at a level where you will ask me to ride your cutting horse - and I'll be ready and answer YES!

Randee Halladay - it was a pleasure to meet you and I love your "tell-it-like-it-is" style.  I look forward to seeing you in Mt. Forest in July.

Maureen Owens - witness of my first official Liberty session!! Thank you for your one on one time and for supporting my journey.  I look forward to working with you to put together some teaching sessions for children in our area.

Todd Owens - I don't even know what to say.  Thank you for putting together such a wonderful event, supporting my goals and modelling how to be positive, progressive and natural.  I look forward to learning from you again in the near future. 






So I finish this blog post and am looking through the door to the rest of 2011.  People to meet, tasks to accomplish and ever closer to the highlight - my ride with Walter Zettl.   Keeping it natural!!

The Road to Walter

I originally dubbed 2011 as my own “Year of a Million Dreams” (thanks to Disney for coining the title back in 2008). Since my Parelli life began, I have a lot of horse-related dreams. A LOT!! So many so, that I get overwhelmed and burdened by the shear volume of things I want to accomplish with my horses. So in an effort to ease the dream burden, I have renamed 2011 as my “Year of 7 Dreams”.  I have broken my dreams into two groups: short term and long term (I know this is pretty high-tech stuff but stay with me ..). Here they are:

Short-Term Dreams (able to be accomplished by Dec 31, 2011)
    1. Learn and execute a ½ barrel jump online.
    2. Ride a flying lead change.
    3. Go on a half day trail ride – relaxed and confident.
    4. Formally audition for the first time.

Long Term Dreams (accomplish sometime between today and someday)
    1. Ride bridleless.
    2. Load Tido while sitting on roof of trailer.
    3. Ride with Walter Zettl.

Simple enough, right?  As 2011 has moved along, logically, I was putting more focus on the short term goals (after all: the deadline for meeting those is much closer!!) and spending very little time on my long term goals. UNTIL ……. I realized that my opportunity to ride with Walter is much closer than expected!! I knew that Todd and Maureen Owens had Walter coming into Ontario several times in 2011. On a whim, I decided to ask for more information about what level Walter expect his students to be at. “Solidly in Level 3” was the answer. My stomach did a flip as I realized – I am in Level 3!  So my nerves kicked into overdrive as I put together my Road(map) to Walter:

Physically Fit
This is my weakest of the 3 “fits”. So I head to a Weight Watchers meeting on Thursday and have immediately added an ambitious (but do-able) physical fitness plan to my schedule (thanks to Michele at www.naturalhorselover.blogspot.com for inspiring me). 

Mentally Fit
This is where I think confidence resides. I am planning to spectate Walter giving a lesson this weekend – to begin preparation for my future ride. I have asked Todd and Maureen to give me an assessment at the Parelli Experience Camp next week to see where my horse and I are in Level 3 and to help me put together a plan to prepare for my ride with Walter. I need to become “solid” in Level 3 and confident in my horse and myself.

Emotionally Fit
This "fitness" is going to be tough. I have had a dream to ride with Walter for a very long time – even before Parelli came into my life. Taking dressage lessons in my early twenties, his name coupled with the title “Dressage Master” was prominent in dressage circles. My dream to ride with him is on par with dining with the Queen and meeting Tom Cruise. A dream, but not likely to happen. So as the reality that my Walter dream is now an actual possibility, I quickly realized that I need to remove the stars from my eyes and learn to get my sweaty palms under control. I need to not be overwhelmed by his Master-ness in order to make use of every minute of his teaching! The answer is prior and proper preparation – … gulp!!

So my Road to Walter begins with the estimated accomplishment date moved from “someday” to October 2011 – May 2012!! I know that as I work on my 3 Fitnesses the lingering doubts of “Can I really do this?” will disappear and my dream will be reality. Watch for my Road to Walter updates ….