Imagine my surprise when I collected the mail today to find a catalog with the big, giant name PARELLI right across the front.
I of course opened it up and began to laugh (although one could also cry, I suppose) at the irony in this opening quote from Linda Parelli:
In Parelli, you learn about yourself, you learn about communication, about leadership, about truthfulness, about consequence and responsibility. You learn about love and imagination. The horse becomes the animal that tells you the truth about yourself in all these categories.
I agree, the horse is the one who tells the truth about the Parellis.
Linda, HERE. (edited to remove dead link and to add - it appears this video is gone too) And Pat in any number of videos that have appeared online in his so-called "training" challenges. I would link to them but they tend to show up and then just as quickly disappear. So you will have to trust me when I tell you that what Linda Parelli did to a one-eyed, terrified horse had nothing to do with communication, leadership, truthfulness, or love. Nor does Pat Parelli's insane behavior in the performances he puts on in various training challenge venues.
On the next page of the catalog:
Put The Relationship First... Is Your Horse Happy?
All I can say to that is that perhaps the Parellis should take a look at the horses in the above-mentioned videos. Do those horses look happy?
For a mere $700. I can purchase the complete kit containing all four level education packs, a horseman's halter, a 12-foot lead rope, a carrot stick, a savvy string, a 22-foot line, a 45-foot lariat, a natural hackamore, and cradle bridle. (don't even ask what the bit to this bridle looks like)
For $700. I could also find someone who has a well-trained, happy horse, ask to watch a lesson, let my heart and my gut tell me if what I see feels "right," and if so, sign up for 8-10 riding lessons with that someone.
The most upsetting thing I didn't already know that I see in this catalog is that there's a two-page ad for Spalding Fly Predators. Please tell me they are not sponsors of Pat Parelli. If they are I am going to have to find my fly predators someplace else.
billie hinton’s camera-obscura:
life and lessons on November Hill Farm
I've seen the videos you are referring to and they should be ashamed of themselves. The blind horse one really got me. Then again maybe if they had used all that great stuff they're selling for $700 perhaps they would have been able to handle those horses correctly! I can't understand why people follow them, but then again they do have some great marketing gimmicks and know how to promote themselves.
ReplyDeleteoooh, so now training comes in a readymade starter kit? woo hoo! if i knew all i needed was some nifty equipment and a few handy phrases adapted from self-help books, i would never have wasted all those years on riding lessons with live, accountable trainers.
ReplyDeletethey are so vile. i can't go any further than that without some pretty harsh expletives.
i do believe there is another company that has fly predators. i'll be making the switch from spalding too if it turns out they're supporting this disaster.
I just stumbled on your blog and this post sold me - I'm a blog follower.
ReplyDeleteI started to list my favorite dangerous parelli-ism, but I can't stop at one so I won't.
billie, does this Parelli person "train" donkeys as well? I think Jack could show them a thing or three...
ReplyDeleteArlene, I think most of what they do is market. I have not seen anything that leads me to believe they actually have information of substance to share about working with horses.
ReplyDeletej, I have emailed Spalding but it's the weekend, so I expect I will hear back from them tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteThe fun call will be to Parelli to ask that they take me off their mailing list. Can you imagine my glee if anyone asks why?
Hi, Barbara, and welcome. Feel free to share - I welcome that here. Love the long, detailed comments!
ReplyDeleteSheaffer, I suspect Parelli doesn't train donkeys b/c I doubt they'd put up with his methods.
ReplyDeleteI could be wrong though - but to be honest, I am afraid to google to see if he has tried. I would get even more upset if I saw a little donkey being treated the way the Parellis treat horses.