I have to admit that when
someone tells me their horse was trained with "Natural Horsemenship" or
"Resistance Free" training. Be that Parelli, or whoever's method, I am
immediately on guard. These horses have been some of the rudest,
unsafest horses I've been around. And their owners are not enjoying
them, though they hate to admit it. As someone else mentioned, HUGE
gaps in their training.
I was given a 4 yr. old mare once that was totally green. Barely halter
broke. Never been out of the pasture she was born in or away from her
mother. I brought her home and was trail riding her within 3 weeks. She
was a wonderful horse. I rode her in large groups, rode her on a drill
team, in parades. She was safe and gentle enough for my step-children
to ride. Never kicked and was steady and dependable on the trail. I
eventually sold her to a friend who, through "Natural Horsemanship"
resistance free training based on Parelli, has totally undone
everything I taught this horse. This horse is now pushy and will walk
all over people, kicks other horses when riding, is balky out on the
trail. It breaks my heart to see this horse acting like this.
BUT, many people do not have the talent or ability to train their own
horses or learn to ride without help. There is certainly a need for
good trainers, clinicians, etc. And I often think that a trainers
"program" in not .... applied appropriately and as intended by the
trainer. Like Monty Roberts and his "join up". (Not a Monty groupie,
just using for an example) People watch this, then go home, put their
problem horse in a round pen, and manage to "join up". They think that
is all there is to it and now all their problems are solved. When they
get hurt next time they ride, Monty Roberts is now a bad trainer. Gads,
"joining up" is just the very begining of working with the horse. I
think many times a trainers methods are not properly followed or even
understood by those trying to apply them. But the trainer ends up
getting the bad rap for it when a horse supposedly trained by thier
method hurts someone.
