The 7 Games
The 7 Games is one of the most exciting developments in horse-human education. it is a systematic approach to developing a language and communication with a horse, based on the same games that horses use to establish friendship and dominance. The horse that wins all 7 Games is the alpha. Our task is to become alpha!
The 7 Games is a system for developing a language with the horse.
It uses the same games that horses play to establish friendship & dominance.
The horse is already a master at these and will play them with you. If you can win all the Games, prove you are smarter, stronger and faster… your horse will start to consider you his alpha. This is what respect is all about. A respectful horse is not afraid, not dull, not over excitable, not scared, not resistant, not aggressive, not resentful. He looks to his alpha for direction, confidence and safety. he trusts their judgment, and follows suggestions without hesitation.
Earn the right to become the horses’s alpha.
Horses look to their alpha for direction, confidence & safety.
The key is to become excellent at all 7 Games, to use them as a diagnostic system to detect weaknesses in your communication, in the horse’s respect system and then to know what to do, why, and how.
The 7 Games is also a diagnostic system that helps you find & solve problems.
The first three Games are “principle” Games. they are like the alphabet upon which you will build sentences.
Game #1 The Friendly Game
Game #1 The Friendly Game breaks down the prey-predator barrier.
Gains acceptance & erases any negativity.
Proves to your horse you will not act like a predator, that you are friendly, can be trusted. You need to gain his confidence and be able to touch him with a friendly “feel” everywhere on his body. Any areas he is defensive about tells you of his skepticism about you. By using approach and retreat, get to where you can get permission to touch every place without forcing him to accept. You can then advance to tossing ropes, stick, flags, coats, anything you can think of to get him braver, more confident and less skeptical.
Keys: smile, rhythm, approach and retreat.
Game #2 The Porcupine Game
Game #2 The Porcupine Game teaches horses to yield from steady pressure.
4 phases of pressure: Press 1. the hair 2. the skin 3. the muscle 4 the bone.
Instantly release and rub.
Teaches your horse to move away from steady pressure. In this way it prepares him to understand how to respond to the rein, the bit, the leg, etc. It is applied with a steady feel (not intermittent poking) and increases steadily until the horse responds, at which time the pressure is instantly released. The pressure is applied in four phases: press the hair, then the skin, then the muscle, then the bone! Each phase gets stronger, and there is no release until the horse responds. In this way, it’s the release that teaches the horse he made the right move. If he responds at phase 1. then go no further, if it takes up until phase 4, be prepared to persist with this until the horse tries to find comfort. Reward the slightest try with instant release, rubbing (as in the Friendly Game) and a smile.
The porcupine Game needs to be taught in all Zones. Keys: concentrated look, steady pressure, four phases.
Game #3 The Driving Game
The Driving Game teaches horse to yield from rhythmic pressure that doesn’t touch him.
This Game teaches the horse to respond to implied pressure, where you suggest to the horse to move and he moves without you touching him. It can be effected at close and long distances as you get more advanced. Again, four phases are important: phase 1 is not touching just pumping the air, phase 2 is light tapping with finger tips, phase 3 is medium and insistent tapping with the hands, phase 4 is slapping vigorously with flat hands. All the while the rhythm does not falter, does not change. And as soon as the horse responds, relax you arms and smile.It does not take long for the horse to learn to move at phase 1!
Learn to drive your horse in all directions . Use the Zones. Keys: Concentrated look, rhythm, four phases.
The next 4 Games are the “purpose” games.
Game #4 Yo Yo
Game #4 The Yo Yo Game teaches horses to back up and come forward in a straight line.
Use your phases and hinges.
Send the horse backwards away from you and forwards to you in a straight line. Using four phases and the “hinges” in your finger, wrist, elbow & shoulder, start by just wiggling a finger at the horse: phase 2 – wiggle your wrist so it affects the rope only slightly: phase 3 – end at the elbow and shake the rope using your lower arm: phase 4 – Straighten your elbow and shake the whole arm and watch how much more the rope moves. The instant your horse moves backwards, stop! It is important to keep both your horse’s eyes on you. As soon as the horse turns one eye away from you by turning his head, you will lose the back up and the straightness! Pay attention to the detail and correct it before it gets off course.
The better your horse goes backwards and sideways the better he’ll do everything else.
You can play the Yo Yo slowly at first, on flat ground. As it gets better, get more provocative and play it on uneven ground, at a faster pace, over a pole or log, or on a longer rope. Ultimately you will play it form different zones. This is how you teach a horse to respect your space when leading, to develop suspension and self carriage, for counter-balancing forward-aholics, to improve your stop, to develop a slide stop, to come to you.
Keys: straightness, responsiveness, imagination, phases.
Game #5 Circling Game
Game #5 The Circling Game teaches horses to go evenly on arcs both left and right.
Do not confuse this with mindless lunging! It works the horse mentally, emotionally and physically, and it teaches him to stay connected to you and keep a softness in the line between you. There are three parts to the Circling Game: the send, the allow, the come back.
To send the horse, lead Zone 1 in the direction you want, if the horse does not snappily follow, lift the tail of your rope (or carrot stick & string), then swing it, then touch Zone 1/2 (even just the rope in front of his nose). By sending Zone 1 you cause the horse to shift his weight on the the hindquarters.
This is not mindless lunging! There is a minimum of 2 laps and a maximum of 4 at this level.
The four phases therefore are: Lead, Lift, Swing, Touch. At any point that your horse responds, relax instantly and leave him alone. Smile and pass the rope around your back giving the horse the opportunity to take responsibility for maintaining motion on the circle. This is the allow and do a minimum of two laps and a maximum of four. If you have to continuously ask your horse to keep going, he is winning the game!
The Circling Game teaches you to have an independent seat by keeping your feet still.
Trust the horse and as soon as he stops, turn and face him with a concentrated look, lead zone 1 ahead on to the circle and stimulate Zone 5 when he goes, smile!
The bring back is as important as the send. it teaches your horse to come to you.
To bring your horse back to you, turn and face your horse, start reeling the rope in (phase 1) until you have enough tail in the rope to lift (phase 2) the swing (phase 3) then touch (phase 4) on Zone 4 if he does not disengage his hindquarters and face you. Again, stop and smile at any moment the horse makes the right response. Bring the horse all the way in to you and rub for the Friendly Game.
Disengagement of the hindquarters is very important. it is how you teach a horse control – mentally, emotionally and physically.
Keys: Three parts: send, allow and bring back: four phases: responsibility for the horse.
Game #6 Sideways Game
Game #6 The Sideways Game teaches lateral movement.
Note this is sideways, not side pass! It is teaching the horse to go sideways equally right and left, with ease. The two important Zones are Zone 1 and Zone 4… send Zone 1, then Zone 4, then 1, then 4, etc.
Until the horse is moving laterally sideways. Allow a long rope and distance for the horse to get moving.
Sideways is important for developing suspension, as a counter balance for forward-acholics, for lead changes and spins. Start slow and right, use a fence or rail to prevent forward movement, graduate to none at all, and being able to move quickly sideways.
Keys: long rope, Zone 1 and Zone 4, four phases.
Sideways is a major key for flying lead changes.
Game #7 Squeeze Game
Game #7 The Squeeze Game teaches horses to feel confident in small spaces.
Horses by nature are claustrophobic. They are afraid of any small or tight space. The Squeeze Game teaches your horse to become braver and calmer, to squeeze through narrow spots without concern. Start with a large gap (it might have to be very large!) between you and a fence or wall, or even a barrel. Ask your horse to go through the space while you stand still or while you walk backwards and parallel to it. (The reason backwards works well is because it helps draw the horse toward you).
Direct Zone 1 into the gap (phase 1), lift the tail of the rope (phase 2), swing the rope two revolutions (phase 3), touch the horse in Zone 3 (phase 4) once. Then begin again until the horse tries to move forward into the gap. As soon as it does, release the pressure, relax and smile. Pretty soon your horse will make it all the way through. Allow the rope to slide through your hand as he passes by you so he feels total release, not a jerk backwards, as your horse gets more confident, make the space smaller and smaller until it is just three feet wide, like the bay of a horse trailer!
There are many applications for the Squeeze Game such as loading into trailers, wash bays, racing gates, roping boxes, crossing bridges, water, jumps, etc.
You can use the principle of the Squeeze Game to teach the horse to jump, to go into trailers, wash bays, racing barriers, roping box, bucking chute, etc. etc. Getting less claustrophobic also helps a cinchy horse.
Keys: walk backwards: start with a large space: four phases: practical challenges and applications.
THE 7 GAMES ARE THE CORNERSTONE OF EVERYTHING YOU WILL EVER WANT TO COMMUNICATE TO A HORSE.
Pat Parelli
