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Discussion on Parelli games and the young horse , 3 year old..
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Member:
Dres
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 13, 2006 - 12:22 am:
Ok HA members what do you think of the Parelli games with a 3 year old.. ? It seems there are a lot of sudden stops/ back up / quick turns / and leg yielding along a fence line.. Is this ok on the joints of a 3 year old. ? I have been watching the games being done , I see the ground manners being developed but at a cost.. ?
On the first day God created horses , on the second day he painted them with spots..
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Member:
Ilona
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 13, 2006 - 12:44 am:
I have been doing them with my 3 year old, she has a blast as do I...there is no weight baring so I can't see a problem with it. In addition, have you ever seen wild horses, they put much more strain on joints by the time they are 3 than any Parelli game can, as do many of the other equine sports. I'd be interested in other opinions as well.
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Member:
Christos
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 13, 2006 - 8:32 am:
Yes, wild horses do all this and worse, but for 2-3 minutes only. Then they rest for an hour or two and repeat it.
Our horses are not wild. That means that they are bred and trained to be stronger, to perform better and live longer. But to do that they have to be built up very carefully and systematically.
With a 3yo the most important thing is to make sure he does not get tired. Not only because he will develop a sour idea about your game but also because being tired greatly increases the chance for an injury.
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Member:
Dres
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 13, 2006 - 9:32 am:
I have heard the arguement about the wild horse too, and well like Christos said they don't continue for an hour at this activity... I noticed there are a lot of breaks / head scratching / carrot whip flicking for rewards... The reason i ask is i have a three year old that a friend has taken on for the summer.. she wanted a project and asked if she could back my filly.. She is doing the 'games' with her first, says its the best way she has backed a horse thus far.. once on the back the horse is totally confident in itself and handler so no problems.. I have watched her work the filly , its impressive how she has trained the filly to react to her body language at the end of a 15 ft. rope.. But, I won't lunge my young horses becus of the tork on the joints.. and watching this filly canter depart to a halt to a disengaged hindend to a back up to a leg yield down the whole arena I started to worry..
When she takes a Parelli lesson with the filly it last well over an hour as well.. 
On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots..
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Member:
Terrilyn
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 13, 2006 - 9:40 am:
Working with our (currently just-turned-3 and just-turned 4) horses with Parelli games (and groundwork in general that employ those principles) is a foundation of our training and relationship building. I'm a member of the Parelli Savvy Club, and if you'd like, Ann, I could post that question.
When we work with our two, we vary the routine and level of intensity to keep them interested, focused, and engaged...I have found that it doesn't take a ridiculous number of repetitions to get something right (sidepassing down a fence, for example) most of the time. And as soon as I get what I'm asking, or the horse really, really tries for me, I stop that particular thing and we'll do something else that isn't as difficult. We do not just send in circles relentlessly...it's pointless. But I may send, immediately change direction, repeat, for several times to encourage that horse's attention to really stay on me...I really don't find that my horses get physically worn out with the games/exercises, or that there is too much of any one thing at one time to apply undue stress or pressure. It beats lungeing any day, and both of us enjoy it.
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Member:
Ilona
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 13, 2006 - 9:41 am:
It serves me right to make assumptions. I assumed that someone doing the Parelli games had enough information from his instruction to know that all is done in moderation and that conditioning in any matter is progressively built. One of the things Parelli stresses is the games are not for lunging, but are for interaction so that no more than 2-4 circles are asked for at any time. The horses he uses in his demonstrations are older and conditioned. In a previous post about trail riding I emphasised the need for conditioning of both horse and rider to build leg and balance etc. To always be aware of the current condition and capacity of each individual horse. This applies to all activities with any horse.
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Member:
Dres
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 13, 2006 - 10:03 am:
Terri please ask the question to the other Parelli fans..I would love to get their insight too .. Its not that i don't see what is being done with the filly.. all tho the 5 zones are a hard one for me to swallow, watching the handler wiggle her way into the zones is well, kind of funny.. BUT the filly listens and understands  The handler said the same about the pointlessness of just lunging.. but she does send her out on a circle only to disenage and change direction.. tork / tork / then a quick back up..pressure on hocks.. to a canter depart , more pressure.. etc..
She has been careful to not over work her in the beginning as she got her from my pasture, and well i do see a top line developing so the work being done is conditioning.. but I do worry about the joints..
On the first day God created horses , on the second day he painted them with spots..
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Member:
Terrilyn
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 13, 2006 - 3:07 pm:
I have posted the question, Ann. I am betting that answers will be pretty close to what Ilona has said above.
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Member:
Scooter
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 14, 2006 - 7:35 am:
Hi my now 9 yr. old was trained to level 2 when he was a 3 yr. old. His ground manners are awsome. I have seen no ill effects from it. When he was being trained the big thing they taught was do not pound this in to their head. 5 mins on each game is more than enough, and it was. I don't play the games much anymore, but if I do he remembers them well. It has helped much in his riding skills also. I think the big thing is don't over do it.
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Member:
Terrilyn
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 14, 2006 - 8:45 am:
Ann-
The moderator of the board chided me gently for asking a "medical" question and removed it. According to their policy, anything medical in nature is not allowed. I think that's a bit overzealous, but ...
I agree with Diane, and that is how we approach the games as well...
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Member:
Dres
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 14, 2006 - 9:39 am:
Terri, thanks for trying.. Interesting tho that it was deleted.. It seems it would be a topic of concern..
I agree moderation in everything, and well yesterday I was at a barn watching a 4 year tear it up in a pasture.. slide stop at the gate, spin , bolt , quick turns down the long line of the fence pasture and was told that he does this daily.. ! There was not to much difference in that and what I see at the clinics... ONLY the clinic last for hours.. and the horses are being drilled... that is my concern..
On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots..
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Member:
Jojo15
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 14, 2006 - 10:51 am:
what are some of the examples of games to play with your horse. I have a new mini filly that i would love to start interacting with her and making it into a game sounds great.
They learn soooo fast at this age too. I received her with no halter training, no leadline, no foot training whatsoever. In a week i have her waiting for the halter, leading straight (most of the time) and stood still for the trimmer yesterday... I'm totally blown away by their ability to learn so fast....
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Member:
Terrilyn
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 14, 2006 - 12:15 pm:
What are the Parelli Seven Games?
by Pat Parelli
Before you ever get on a horse's back, you should get to know him. Make sure you have a language and a way to communicate before you ride. The myth that has lead so many of us to just saddle up and get on is why so many people get into trouble. Don't just get on him! First establish a relationship. You need connection, understanding and acceptance from your horse. You need a language you can rely on.
It is your responsibility to become your horse's leader and teach him to become calmer, smarter, braver, more athletic, to trust your judgment, try whatever you ask him without resistance, yield to and from pressure, negotiate obstacles, go sideways and back up with ease.
The Parelli Seven Games will help you do this, and it will also serve as a diagnostic system to help you find holes in your horse's development, to know why they are there and how to fix them. These games are one of the most exciting developments in horse-human education and communication. It is a systematic approach to developing a language and communication system with a horse, based on the same games that horses use to establish friendship and leadership with each other. The horse that 'wins' all Seven Games becomes the alpha of the herd. Our task is to become that alpha for our horse.
Every single thing you do with your horse is one or a combination of the Seven Games. If you can become skilled at all seven, so good that even your horse is impressed, there'll be no limit to what you can do or learn to do with a horse given the time, the attitude, and the pathway.
I've given each game a number because it's important at first that you play them in order while you're learning and teaching them to your horse.
Learning to Play the Seven Games that Horses Play
All horses are masters of these games and your horse probably already plays them with you. Once you can play them to the point that you are better at all the Games than your horse, you will prove to him that you are smarter, more athletic and faster. That is when your horse will start to consider you his alpha. This is what respect is all about. A respectful horse is not afraid, not dull, not over-excitable, not scared, not resistant, not aggressive and not resentful. He is just the opposite of all that!
Horses look to their alpha for direction, confidence and safety. They trust the alpha's judgment and follow suggestions without hesitation. Horses are natural followers when they find a natural leader. Learning the horse's language, the Seven Games, teaches you how to be your horse's natural leader. In addition, the Seven Games are a great way to exercise your horse... mentally, emotionally and physically and naturally!
Game #1
Game #2
Game #3
Game #4
Game #5
Game #6
Game #7
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Member:
Terrilyn
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 14, 2006 - 12:16 pm:
I copied these links hoping they would be live in the post, but they're not. Here's a link to the page where this came from, and from there, just click on the games:
https://www.horse-canada.com/html/Parelli%20Articles/ParelliGames.htm
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