Page 68 - ST November 2013

education I

BY PAT PARELLI

A Blast from the Parelli Past

Principles of the

Parelli Foundation

with the Gaited Horse

Over the past few months, we have received a lot of questions regarding gaited horses and Parelli. As a
result, this seemed like a great time to bring out a Blast from the Parelli Past: a vintage Pat Parelli article

dealing with that very topic! This article was originally published in the February 2009 issue of Savvy

TLimes. Enjoy!

inda and I often get questions asking us use my legs; maintain your gait.” When should you

to consider the needs of gaited horses focus on the gait in the Parelli program? Right at the
in our program. What we want you to beginning. My suggestion is that you pick whichever

know is that from our perspective, the gait comes most naturally to your horse and is easiest

foundation of a gaited horse isn’t difer- for you. I’m not saying that you should over-focus on
ent. The only real foundation challenges
teaching the gait, but that you shouldn’t ight the gait

are the concepts that involve a lot of turns and dis- at the beginning. Once you’ve established communi-

engagements, because that is not what the gaited cation and a “neutral” within the gaits, you can suc-
horse breeds were designed for. The gaited horse was cessfully start teaching or developing diferent types

originally developed to have a smooth, fast walk and of gaits. Make sure the relationship and conidence

be comfortable to ride around the plantation all day, are there irst.
or to ride from town to town or on long trails. For The secret of the foundation is adaptation. When

example, cars that are designed for drag racing are you look at a pattern, a task, or a Savvy (On Line/

not usually designed to turn well.
Liberty/FreeStyle/Finesse), what does the concept
For gaited horses that have been bred to be extreme being presented really mean? The concepts present-

in their gaited propensity, cantering and trotting can ed are universal; the application of those concepts is

be a problem, because these gaits don’t come natu- personal. So if you are asked to walk, trot and canter
rally to them. When it comes to the Parelli program, at a certain level of the program, you need to look

one of the principles or responsibilities we teach at your horse’s repertoire of gaits and determine
horses is “Maintain gait,” and that can apply to any whether or not trotting or cantering is an option for

gait. So when you give the horse the responsibility you and your horse. Instead, you could show us three

to not change gaits within the rack or the largo, for gaits within the walk. That’s the adaptation!
example, the horse should not break from that gait. The inal advice that I can ofer is that consistency

The idea is still the same. What you’re telling your is a good teacher, and variety is the spice of life. In

horse is “Don’t make me use my reins; don’t make me
my experience, most people who own gaited horses

66 | Savvy Times November 2013