The 6 Keys of Success
1. Attitude
“you can buy Pat’s knowledge, tools, techniques and time… but you cannot buy his attitude or imagination”.
Attitude is an indefinable thing, yet it’s the most obvious thing about a person. Positive, negative, respectful, disrespectful, aggressive, a push over, assertive, fair, unfair, caring, uncaring, fearful, brave, unconfident, confident… its all attitude.
In becoming a Horseman, there are three things I see as being an attitudinal focus:
To become more POSITIVE, PROGRESSIVE & NATURAL.
I’ve met a lot of people over the years, and while I can almost always find one or two of the qualities in place, it’s a rare thing to find all three qualities in the one person. But when its there, it’s special.
POSTIVE
To look at the positive side of things, to not blame (neither the horse or another person), to not make excuses, to believe in a positive outcome.
PROGRESSIVE
To always look for better ways to do things, commit to continuous improvement, to think laterally.
NATURAL
Not artificial or mechanical, to look at what’s natural for the horse’s way of thinking, to listen to nature and know what’s natural for the horse.
I work on my attitude every day to be in line with these three qualities.
2. Knowledge
Now that we are starting to move on to more advance knowledge, we have split the program into Stages, like building blocks. It will help you not feel too swamped by the scope of this level as it gives you a systematic series of tasks to advance through, Stage by Stage.
Keep advancing your knowledge… you can’t know too much for your horse. Knowledge leads to savvy, which is understanding times ten. You need to become knowledgeable about horses, about what really counts with horses, and about yourself.
3. Tools
I’m very particular about my tools. The right tools can help people to communicate with their horses, and although tools are no substitution for savvy they can make a world of difference between a struggle and success while you are learning to have better techniques and timing.
Its like dancing in army boots, you can dance in them but its tougher than if you have dancing shoes… unless you are Fred Astaire. I doubt he would have trouble dancing in army boots! Same thing with the few ultimate horsemen in this world, they can teach a horse no matter what tools they have or don’t have. They could get it done with just them and the horse, all Four Savvys.
People have copied the tools, but often with inferior materials or without the understanding inherent in Pat’s design. You’ll find them made of different rope quality, without a snap, different distances between the halter knots, etc. I hope you don’t end up having to pay double because somebody told you their imitation is just as good as the original! I’ve yet to see it.
One of the most important features of a line is the amount of “life” it carries. The ropes communicate energy through them like nothing else I’ve seen, they are quick to come to life and quick to quit. This is critical in teaching horses, and becomes increasingly important as you advance your levels and degree of refinement.
The softness of the Halter compared to the discomfort it can afford when leaned against is also a feature of the Horsemen’s Halter or Natural Hackamore that has the Horseman’s Reins tied into it. I’ll use the Natural Hackamore when doing more riding than ground skills for teaching horses to understand the rein communications without using up their mouth. It’s great also to change from snaffle to Natural Hackamore occasionally as a test of where you are at, and how effective you are without the bit!
Level 3 will expand much more on these wonderful Horseman’s Reins. Right now, the most important concept is the feel of the reins, their responsiveness to you and the horse and their versatility with the lead rope being part of them.
The Snaffle is a valuable tool for lateral flexion and beginning the Finesse tasks. I like a loose ring snaffle of sweet iron. It adjusts in the horse’s mouth and tastes good to them. Although Pat is the last to suggest a different bit as an answer to problems, I’ll be the first to suggest that this is the only bit to use until you get into the higher levels of refinement and vertical flexion. Then you will need a leverage bit. (More on this in Level 3)
You can tell a Horseman by the tools he uses… and by the tools he would never use.
4. Techniques
Three great techniques to really get solid:
- The understanding of Comfort and Discomfort and how it motivates a prey animal.
- You legs do what your hands do.
- The principle of Four Phases of Firmness.
You first learned about them in Level 1, but now they are going to mean more and more to you.
Comfort and Discomfort
This is the primary motivation for your pre animal: Comfort.
If you can learn how to offer your horse comfort at the right time… and discomfort at the right time then it will be easy for you to allow the right thing to be easy and the wrong thing to be difficult.
Your timing will be important here because the sooner you can let a horse know he’s right (give comfort instantly) and the sooner you can let a horse know he’s made the wrong discison (cause discomfort), the quicker your horse will learn.
Check yourself out: are you on the button or are you always two seconds too late?
Can you give comfort instantly and take the comfort away progressively (see 4 Phases)? Are you consistent in the way you ask for things from your horse or do you tend to vary your signals? Consistency is important if you want your horse to learn and think his way through to knowing what you want.
Can you let your horse know when he’s wrong and keep a smile on your face? Remember, horses are programmed to do the opposite of what predators want. You have to reprogram him as a partner instead of a prey animal.
Think in terms of teaching your horse, help him to learn to do the right thing. Sometimes your horse will learn through a process of elimination, he will experiment to find the right thing to do. Stay passively persistent in the proper position and look for the slightest try to reward.
It’s not what you do, it’s when you quit doing what you were doing that counts.
Your legs do what your hands do
As soon as you start trying to isolate what you do with this leg and that rein… you’re going to have trouble. You’ll end up feeling like you’re playing a game of twister and all the natural will go out of you.
If you can keep it as simple as “your legs do what your hands do” you’ll move more naturally, you’ll be clearer in your communication. If your hand is out in a direct rein position, that same leg should be out and off the horse. if your arm is hanging doing nothing, so should be that leg, if you are pushing with a supporting rein, so should that leg be pushing. It couldn’t be simpler. Don’t let anyone complicate it for you!
An extra hint
- Video yourself! Its amazing how many things you’ll pick up when you start looking at yourself objectively, especially in slow motion sometimes. After you’ve looked at it, tape over it! Don’t study your mistakes over and over because you need to keep putting positive images in your focus (although it never hurts to keep an old video in the drawer that you can look back on to see just how far you’ve come!)
Four phases of Firmness
Some people get stuck with mediocre responses from their horses because they never do what it takes to show the horse that they mean it!
Others get their horses dull or over reactive because they start at phase 2 or 3 instead of politely at phase 1.
Any time you give your horse direction Start it politely at 4oz as phase 1. If he resists or does not respond, gradually escalate the firmness Phase by Phase… 2…3…4…54(!) until the point of response.
In Level 1 you learned to give each phase approx. 3 seconds. Now in Level 2, you’re going to learn to access phases faster to teach your horse to have positive reflexes. You’ll also find that what used to be phase 4 is no longer required. Your horse will need less and less the more responsive and sensitive to your phases he becomes.
If you miss a phase or two, your horse will not have had a fair chance to respond. if you take too long to go up a phase, your horse will be wronger for longer and not realise how to find his own solution. If you don’t release or return to phase 1 when your horse has really put effort in, he will disrespect you for it.
If you can use 4 Phases in everything you do, you will teach your horse to be soft and light and to respect you. He’ll learn that you want to be kind and polite but that you’ll do what it takes to get his positive response.
Get to know what the Phases might be for each on of the 7 Games. Remember to use rhythm, and to trust that he’ll respond but be read to correct. Consistency is a good teacher.
5. Time
Principles, Purpose and Time are the tools of teaching.
For every principle you teach your horse to try to find a purpose that will give it meaning and importance for him. The challenges and tasks at the end of this Study Guide will help you a lot. Principles without purpose become meaningless. its like children never learning the importance of maths until they get short changed a the ice cream parlour.
Take the time it takes so it takes less time.
So many people won’t take the time to do it right the first time, but they’ll be forced to take time to do it over and over and deal with the same problem for year.
Take the approach that if what you teach your horse today takes 2 hours, tomorrow it will take 1 hour, and the next day it will take half and hour, the next 15 minutes, then 7 and a half minutes, then 3 and three quarters… that’s when you know you are being effective. Often it will go quicker.
Timing is also something you will continuously work on. At first, your timing is usually based on your horse’s physical actions and responses. you’ll get to where you will be able to time positive and negative reinforcements to your horse’s thoughts, to just when he thinks about doing it. That’s when you’ll really be getting good!
6. Imagination
Einstein once said “Imagination is even more valuable than knowledge”
One of the things you should do is try something imaginative that you can do with your horse…it doesn’t matter what, it just matters that you are thinking outside of the square. Get creative, you’ll be amazed at what you can think of just by playing with your horse and trying new things.
In all my Courses and Camps, I use my imagination to find better, more creative and more fun ways to teach the principles of horsemanship. I’ve found that if people are enjoying themselves they do so much better. Don’t you wish school was like that? I want to encourage you to find imaginative ways to use what you’ve learned with your horse, so both you and he can have fun while you learn.
Summary
There are Six Keys of Success where horses are concerned: Attitude, Knowledge, Tools Techniques, Time, Imagination. (and now Support number 7, from the savvy club and of course your Parelli Professionals)
Attitude is number 1.
There are three attitudinal focuses:
Positive – Progressive – Natural
It’s easy to have one or two of these qualities, but we need to develop all three.
There is much to learn in level 2, that’s why it is split into Stages.
Knowledge leads too Savvy. Learn to know what really counts with horses, and learn about yourself.
There are many additional study aids in the form of DVD’s and books.
Also, clinics, camps, workshops and lessons with Pat Parelli and his Licensed instructors.
Knowledge is empowering, it leads to effectiveness and confidence.
The right tools make communication much easier. They are no substitute for savvy but they help your techniques and timing a great deal.
Beware of inferior copies of PNH equipment. Pat went to a lot of trouble to find the right rope quality, the right lengths and correct balance.
Pat’s ropes have “life”, they are quick to come to life and quick to quit. This is critical for teaching horses and for ultimate refinement.
I use a Natural Hackamore before I introduce a snaffle.
The Horseman’s Reins are a wonderful teaching tool.
The sweet iron snaffle is palatable to the horse and give more refined communication.
You can tell a Horseman by the tools he uses…and by the tools he would never use.
Techniques most valuable at this stage:
- Comfort and discomfort.
- Your legs do what your hands do.
- The principle of Four Phases of Firmness.
The primary motivation for a prey animal is comfort. Learn to offer it at the right time.
Timing is important, the sooner you can let a horse know he’s right or wrong, the sooner he’ll learn.
Consistency in your approach is important.
Can you keep a smile on your face when your horse does the wrong thing, not get mad or frustrated?
Teach your horse. Allow him to experiment, be passively persistent in the proper position.
It’s when you quit that counts.
Your legs do what your hands do. Don’t make it any more complicated than that.
Video yourself. You’ll be amazed at what you can pick up…but then tape over it or file it… don’t study your mistakes.
Mediocre responses come from horses that don’t take you seriously.
Dull horses or over reactive horses are a sign of lack of phase 1.
Be prepared to go to phase 4.
In Level 2 you will learn to access phases faster to teach positive reflexes.
If you miss phases your horse will not have a fair chance to respond. If you don’t return to phase 1 when the horse has put effort in, he will disrespect you for it.
Consistency is a good teacher.
Principles, purpose and time are the tools of teaching.
Try to find a purpose for the principles you teach to give it meaning.
Take the time it takes so it takes less time.
That means do it right so you don’t have to do it over and over and over.
Get your timing so good that you can time it to your horse’s thoughts.
Einstein said that imagination is even more valuable than knowledge.
Imagination is important to keep things interesting for both you and the horse.
Learn to have fun while you learn.
