#1 Thresholds on the trail

parellisavvyclub.com > Tv Shows > 2009 > Thresholds on the Trail.

Linda Parelli
11.42mins

I have watched this video a few times, and find it really useful! I love linda's teaching style anyway, so I usually love her videos but this one sticks out quite well for me.

I think the main idea that comes out of this is preparation is key. As Linda says, thinking of all the things you may encounter when out on the trail, before you go, and make sure you and your horse are prepared! I used to make this mistake often, I'd just get on my horse fresh out the stable or field, and take him for a ride without thinking twice, or even stopping to check if he's ridable! And I wondered why I ran into trouble so much, when there was a sabre toothed butterfly in the hedge or a loose horse! I actually fell off a couple of times when we had 'unexpected moments', thankfully just enough to make me get my butt in gear and start making preparations!!

Linda doesn't explain it in this video, as its centred mainly on hacking/trail riding, but I think pre flight checks are key here too for preparation. Obviously Remmer and Katya's horse are well into the program and are pretty centered now, although I'm sure they still use pre flight checks, but not all of us have horses like that yet ;) So I personally would never get on my horse, or advise anyone else to, without checking things out first, such as flexion, all gaits, transitions, extreme friendly game, maybe pop over a little jump. With my LBE I have to have a fairly vigorous session beforehand to make sure there are no bucks hiding in there, lol!

The part with the gate is cool, I like how she emphasises how important it is to treat the ride as a training session, not just a ride. Still putting your horses needs first, making sure he is confident rather than just rushing through because you dont want to hold people up. I think most of us are guilty of doing that at some time, lol. I know from experience the more you do something (correctly, of course) the easier it will become for the future, so its super duper important to practise these things! In fact, why not devote a whole session to opening gates? I might give that a try when I can ride General again.

Protecting your horses space!!! I bet a few people havent even thought about being the one who swats the other horse away, not leaving it to the horse to deal with. If a horse came trotting up behind you when you were riding, what would you do? Would your instinct be to grab your rein or stick and protect your horses space? Probably not for me, although it should be! Of course I want to keep my horse and myself safe. And I am the leader in the partnership, so I should be the one to deal with these things. Just like a leader in a horse herd wouldnt rely on one of the followers to sort it out!
Someone said to me once(and I think Linda said it too..), when General bit another horse who was crowding us, 'he's not protecting you, he's saying 'move over squirt, I'll deal with this.' Which is a huge dominance thing. Really I should have been the one driving the other horse away and protecting my herd. HMMMM how interesting!

I love the ditch section. Really highlights not just getting over the obstacle in the fastest, easiest place possible. Linda actually goes for the hardest place to cross, so that she has something to work on. This is such an unhuman way of thinking, haha, but its a horseman's way! Obviously you have to take this at your own confidence and experience level. Always look after your confidence!
Even before she's gone for the ditch, she plays friendly game around it, walking back and forth, until he shows and interest. Then she backs off. Retreat is such a useful tool!!! You can see Remmer is a lot more confident to give it a try after a couple of retreats from Linda. And then she doesnt just say 'we did it, now lets go!' (although that may be a better procedure for some horses, maybe one who is super confident and gets bored easily?), she goes back to make sure it wasnt a fluke and practice some more, but quits while she's ahead. Savvy: knowing when to be, why to be, where to be, what to do when you get there, and when to quit doing what you're doing. Linda is such a pro at this, her horses always have a great expression because she always quits at just the right moment. Definitely something to work on.

(By the way I LOVE this little bay horse who's loose, who keeps coming over then running off, and at 6.07 he's like shall i? shall i? OMG i cant!
so cute.)

Then she expresses how important it is to get off if you feel a slight amount of 'i'm not sure..' and Katya demonstraits how to do it safetly from the ground. Really nice :D

Also, grazing when the horse gets worried. What a good idea! Its hard for a horse to eat when they are RB, so grazing is such a cool way of bringing down the adrenaline. Especially then when the horse clearly can tell you when he's ready to go again.
Nice example of protecting space again over the bridge.

I think without directly saying it, Linda is also putting across that trail riding/hacking is not just a hack (its not about the hack!), its a game! Thinking outside the box, other ideas would be touch it, 7 games with any obstacle you find, getting on and off as a friendly game, point to point grazing... the list is endless :D

Cool! Hope you enjoy the video, please leave any ideas or BFO's in the comments or on the facebook group!!

See you next time, altogether now...

SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAVVY!!! *clap*