Tools of a the Natural Horseman
As with many things, the right tools make the job a lot easier. Pat invented his own horse handling equipment because what was already available was not only inadequate but designed to hold horses hard and fast.
Most equipment available today is designed for restraint and assist predator reactions like holding horses tight, non-slip reins, harsh bits, martingales and tie down.
This is exactly the opposite of what is needed. In natural horsemanship, having a rope that will slide through your hand easily so you can allow a horse to drift is very important, as you will find out. It is also important to have a rope that conveys life and energy so you can communicate through it, much like optic fibre means to telephone lines.
Parelli Natural Equipment is designed for communication.
An ordinary lead rope does not do this, it’s more like a limp noodle as it is designed only to lead horses and tie them up, no more, no less. Our 12 foot line is a 1/2 inch, high quality yachting braid that is smooth, flexible, conveys energy and is resistant to salt and water combinations (sweat!)
It has slip, life, offers comfort and quick release through a concept know as “hinges”
The style of halter is also critical. If you use a thick, flat leather or webbed nylon halter, you will encourage the horse to push and lean against it.
They are clumsy and have no balance point, again not designed to deliver any kind of communication. The Horseman’s Halter we use is a hand tied rope halter. The knots are balanced in strategic places and the loop for attaching your lines hangs below the jaw and acts as a hinge (more on hinges later). It is made of soft 3/8 inch yachting rope that is not too thin and not too thick but just right. It is uncomfortable for the horse to put pressure against yet offers instant comfort when the horse responds.
Ropes are for leading.
Sticks are for pushing.
In addition, there is a s savvy behind ropes and sticks. Ropes are for leading and directing, sticks are for pushing and supporting. Most horses and people perceive sticks to be threatening, mainly because they are only used to punish a horse as in a whip. Our Carrot Stick is not designed for punishment, it is designed for communication.
Both are an extension of your arm.
In your first lessons you’ll see how we use the Carrot Stick to teach our horse that we mean no harm and then teach him to yield from pushing maneuvers. With this as the foundation of understanding yielding and pushing the later developments involving pushing with your legs, teaching the supporting rein, flying changes and even progressing to bridle-less riding are a breeze.
The ropes have “life & feel”
The sticks are not whips.
We named the Carrot Stick to forever keep in mind that it is somewhere between the carrot and the stick methods so commonly used as the extremes of horse training. At 4 ft. in length it is a valuable extension of your arm and as you will see will be used in many situations for accelerated results as well as safety. For even greater versatility and psychological advantage if needed, when you attach the 6ft. Horseman’s String to the Carrot Stick you now have a extension of 10 ft. ( Your Horseman’s String will come in handy for a lot of different things).
The equipment is versatile and works together with each other so you can always adjust to fit the situation.
Once you start spending more time riding your horse and less on the ground, you’ll find the Natural Hackamore ideal. In Level 1 the main goal is to overcome opposition reflex both on the ground and when you are riding. For this reason we stay out of the horse’s mouth until he understands how to follow the feel of the reins and in this way he does not get his mouth hurt through misunderstanding, resistance or your possible loss of balance at times. We do not introduce the snaffle bit until well into Level 2.
In Level 1 we don’t use a bit until we get through the opposition reflex stages.
Use the Natural Hackamore.
The Natural Hackamore is constructed of the same soft rope as the Horseman’s Halter with a 1/2 inch rope similar to the 12′ Line as reins. The reins comprise a 9 ft. loop with an additional 12 ft. line so you have reins and lead rope in one… ideal for combining ground and ridden skills.
High quality ropes are important. These are not just lead ropes, they are tools of communication.
Level 1 Equipment
- Horseman’s Halter and 12′ Line
- Carrot Stick and Horseman’s String (Savvy String)
- Natural Hackamore
You will use them over and over and over. Knowledge and techniques are going to be the area you’ll need to study most in the early phases of this program.
