Glenn and Helena chat with Sammi Jo Stohler about her wild commercial shoot with her zebra on the train tracks and two time winner of the World’s Greatest Horseman Bob Avila joins us to chat about business, horses and life. Listen in…
Classical Dressage Master Walter Zettl taught a private dressage clinic at Pat Parelli University in Ocala, Florida. Parelli Natural Horsemanship, Inc., founded by Pat and Linda Parelli, uses the same gentle and common sense techniques that Zettl uses in his approach to teaching dressage. (Photos courtesy of Coco Photography)
Ocala, FL (February 17, 2011) – Classical Dressage Master Walter Zettl has spent his life on the forefront of the dressage world, from coaching Olympic riders to producing DVDs and books that have become staples in dressage libraries the world over. Zettl has joined forces with Pat and Linda Parelli, founders of Parelli Natural Horsemanship, Inc., and recently taught a private dressage clinic at the Parellis’ Ocala facility.
“Walter has been working with us for several years and is very natural in his approach and says teaching Parelli students is a luxury because so much is already in place, even if some of the students ride in a western saddle,” said Linda Parelli, adding that she and her husband Pat and several Mastery Students rode in the clinic with Zettl. “Walter really likes it that Pat and I take part in his clinics and ride in lessons with him. He likes it that we are constantly furthering our education.”
While the Parellis have built their Natural Horsemanship program based on in-depth equine psychology and common sense communication techniques between the horse and rider, which ultimately leads to success, these are the same principles Zettl has been using for years. “Walter puts the horse’s needs first and figures out if the horse needs calming, or motivation and energy, when being ridden,” Linda said. “Walter uses psychology and zero force, and tries to understand things from the horse’s point of view. He is always saying ‘gentle, gentle’ and loves that Parelli people already have a great relationship with their horse.”
The secret to riding your dressage horse like a professional is to ride from half halt to half halt rather than from movement to movement. The half halt is your connective tissue between the dressage movements. They’re what make your daily ride or dressage test look like it flows seamlessly like a dance.
I rode with Olympian Robert Dover for many years. One of Robert’s favorite sayings is, “Amateurs ride from movement to movement. Professionals ride from half halt to half halt.” I think those are words to live by.
So when you think about your ride or start memorizing a dressage test for a horse show, don’t focus on the individual dressage movements such as, “I do a 10 meter circle here, and then I do a leg-yield there. After that, I do a lengthening across the diagonal.” If that’s what you do, your ride will look choppy and amateurish.
Instead, think, “Do a half halt to prepare for the turn from the centerline to the circle. Give another one to balance my horse before I start the leg yield. And give another one to coil the spring of the hind legs so my horse can “boing” into the lengthening.”
What was your attitude when you woke up and thought about training your horse today? Did you think about how excited you were? Or did it raise feelings of nervousness, fear, anxiety, intimidation, or anger.
Did you ever think that from THAT very moment you might have already started training your horse?
Imagine having those same feelings when you approached your horse’s stall. Your body language reveals your thoughts, feelings, and attitude, which affect how you present yourself to your horse. Horses are master interpreters of body language.
Now as you approach your horse’s stall, your horse will respond to your physical “presentation.” Are you weak, aggressive, distracted, enthusiastic? Are you dreading that a consistent problem will re-occur? If you seem small in presence, not stature, he may be pushy or completely ignore you, because he doesn’t see you as a leader. If you seem overly strong in presence not strength, he may avoid you and go to the back of his stall. He may even get fearful, defensive or aggressive. Does he look forward to coming out or see you as a walking feed cart? By your presence, he will know what kind of leader you plan to be, if at all. It all started with the attitude you projected when you approached his stall.
Lexington, KY – The Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) Regional Conferences are being held around the continent this year. These educational events are open to the public and provide horses for participants to ride with top instructors. Press are invited to attend. Other are being added to the below list all the time at http://www.cha-ahse.org/regions.htm.
Region 1 (British Columbia, WA, Western MT, ID, OR, Alberta)
Conference – Canyonview Equestrian Center in Silverton, OR – February 24-27
Contact Sherilyn Sander at (971) 239-1348or at sherilyns@canyonview.us
Region 2 (Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Eastern MT, ND, SD)
Conference – Horse 3 at Keystone Centre in Brandon, Manitoba – April 15-17
Contact Tara Reimer (204) 392-6308 or at tara@cloud9ranch.ca
Region 3 (MN, WI, Western Ontario, Upper MI, IA, IL)
Conference – Minnesota Horse Expo/Minnesota State Fairgrounds in St. Paul – April 29–May 1
Contact Laura Jones at (807) 577-3630 or at fljones@tbaytel.net
I heard someone reading a book out loud to her horse the other day. It was by “Shakespeare”. He must be a very wise fellow. He said, “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players.” I believe that to be very true.
There is great power in stories. There are stories that teach us about the past, help us imagine the future, and take our thoughts on journeys to places our bodies couldn’t possibly go. The power of story has been recognized for millennia. A story can move a heart, a mind, and an entire world. The pen may truly be more powerful than the sword.
The stories you tell yourself shape your life in the most profound way. How you talk to yourself, the stories you ruminate and chew on as you think about the day, literally shape how you feel. The stores you tell and re-tell in your mind about yourself, your position in life, your body, and your experiences, actually become your life!
Internationally acclaimed equestrian photographer Paula da Silva teaches international equine photography workshop in Portugal, in May 2011
The internationally acclaimed equestrian photographer Paula da Silva is going to teach an international equine photography workshop from 30th April to 4th May 2011, in Portugal.
This year’s theme will be the Lusitano horse and Portuguese equestrian traditions. The participants of the workshop will get to visit some of the most charismatic places related to the Lusitano horse, where they will be able to photograph several aspects of Lusitano horse breeding, High School work, etc.
Florida rider Leslie Ann Weiler put her eight years of Parelli Natural Horsemanship training to good use in 2010 when she rode her Andalusian mare, Lucea BR, to the US National Grand Champion Andalusian Mare title in the Amateur division. Weiler is a Parelli Level 2 graduate and recommends the Parelli Natural Horsemanship program for riders of all disciplines and levels. (Photo courtesy of Cheri Prill)
Ocala, FL (January 19, 2011) – Florida rider Leslie Ann Weiler put her eight years of Parelli Natural Horsemanship training to good use in 2010 when she showed her Andalusian mare, Lucea BR, to the US National Grand Champion Andalusian Mare Amateur title. Weiler and Lucea didn’t stop there, but dominated the show ring throughout the year to ride away with as the US National Grand Champion Western Amateur, the US National Grand Champion Western Pleasure Vintage Rider, the US National Grand Champion Hunt Seat Pleasure Amateur and the USEF National Reserve Champion Amateur Horse of the Year.
Weiler, who rides with trainer Gareth Selwood in Newberry, Florida, praises Selwood for helping her throughout the show year but also acknowledges she couldn’t have done it without her Parelli background. “My success with Lucea shows what a Parelli rider can do with a solid foundation of natural horsemanship, a great horse and a dedicated trainer,” Weiler said. “For riders who aren’t familiar with Parelli, they will find that natural horsemanship helps the rider and horse develop a great relationship. I think everyone should try it and they will find out that it is addicting to have a relationship with your horse!”
Parelli Natural Horsemanship, Inc., was founded by Pat and Linda Parelli with the goal of helping all horse owners achieve success without force while developing a natural and harmonious relationship with their horse. “Parelli gives riders a necessary foundation from which they can move confidently into the competitive horse show world,” Selwood said, when asked about Weiler’s success and how natural horsemanship affected it. “The Parelli system prepares riders so they can excel in all disciplines. It certainly makes my life as a coach much easier if my students have a good start in natural horsemanship.”
Olympic Dressage rider Dottie Morkis is in Wellington, Florida for the winter dressage circuit and is accepting new students and teaching clinics. Shown here is a happy Dottie Morkis exiting the dressage arena in the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. (Photo Courtesy of Hugo M. Czerny)
Wellington, FL (January 18, 2011) – Olympic Dressage rider Dottie Morkis, who in 1976 anchored the Olympic U.S. Dressage team to help the Americans win the bronze medal, is in Wellington, Florida for the winter dressage circuit and is accepting new students and teaching clinics. During the Olympics, Morkis also placed fifth in the Grand Prix Special and will go down in history as the first American to earn that accomplishment.
While Morkis looks back fondly on her Olympic days, her list of accomplishments stretches far beyond her bronze medal. Morkis is a Pan Am Gold and Bronze medalist, has been in the winner’s circle multiple times at prestigious shows such as Devon and Washington International, coached the Gold Medal Paralympics Team in Atlanta, has shown horses to the USDF Horse of the Year title, served 12 years on the Athlete Advisory Committee as the equestrian representative to the U.S. Olympic Committee, twice won Team Golds at the Olympic Festival, was reserve rider for the World Cup and was long listed for the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.
“Looking back at my career I feel very fortunate,” Morkis said. “In addition to competing and traveling around the world, I have been coming to Wellington every winter for the past 24 years and always enjoy it. I love to ride and compete, but I also love to teach. When a student is excited and shows a great deal of interest in improving, I find it to be a rewarding experience.”
Sometimes it seems like a real dilemma to fit everything into one training session. The following is from an email I got recently. Does any of this sound familiar to you?
Q. How do you fit all the “things” you need to into your training sessions? I’m a First level rider with a confirmed First level horse. My problem is that there are so many things that need work.
Everything needs fine-tuning.
I want to build more strength, and I also want to do some small jumps.
I want to work on lengthenings.
I want to work on counter canter.
I want to improve lateral work.
I want to work on bringing the poll up while staying supple.
I want to work on my 10m trot and canter circles.
I have a freestyle that is almost complete. I want to practice it and riding to the music.
I want to give him time out of the arena (hacking or a hunter pace)
