To Parelli or not to Parelli?

I've heard so much talk about Parelli, both positive and negative. I've looked at their program, and I'm having a hard time justifying that kind of price tag. What concerns me more though is when I look on eBay for used sets, most of them are only the first series with "only one disc opened."

Does that mean they didn't like it once they got it? Did the first disc or two make so much difference that they didn't need to open the rest of the set? Did they just not have the time? Did their horse not cooperate? Did they lack the desire to work at having that kind of relationship with their horse? Did they sell their horse? Send him off to a trainer?

I've read all the things about their program on their website. I ordered (and watched) their free DVD. I have a book that I picked up from Amazon that briefly describes all of the "Seven Games."

Yesterday my husband and I sat down and watched a couple of the Parelli tv shows I'd recorded on our newly acquired RFD-TV station. I actually really enjoyed Pat. He was down to earth, and entertaining and there were several "oh wow" moments. He no doubt has a wonderful understanding of horses and how to communicate to them. I realize the price tag on the programs is high, but how do you value knowledge and time? For them to put down in writing and on film all of the methods and tricks they've discovered over the years, and offer that up to the general public is a monumental task which should be rewarded. I also think the programs could save some people an enormous amount of time in training and understanding their horse. Something is only valued by what people are willing to pay. Selling their program enables them to work full time at something they love. I'm a firm believer in supporting that.

But I've yet to see Pat actually get on a horse. Surely he knows how to ride. Right? I understand ground work is the foundation for everything you do with your horse. If you have no foundation, you have nothing and riding isn't going to be a pleasant experience for anyone. But where does the riding come in with this program? Why doesn't anyone talk about it? They have the advanced programs which seem to include it, but does anyone ever buy them? Maybe they do and they're the people who use them and keep them and don't stick them up on eBay. I've never seen them there anyway.

There's just something about it. I like that it's not beating the horse into something. And having a horse that's been obviously abused, I'm kind of thinking that it might be a better way to go with her. I guess I'll have to keep doing some researching. I think it's like anything else, no one way is "right" and I'll probably use different methods depending on how she reacts. I really like Pat's mentality though, and so much of what he says really makes sense.

A pedigree!

I got her papers today! I'm soooo beyond excited I cannot even begin to explain! I can register her now! Even better, there's an amnesty program going on right now and I can do it for a LOT less money!

I had to go to the post office with the registered mail slip to pick them up. I actually squealed when I opened them up and realized everything I needed was there. My kids thought this was some kind of game. I held the papers up and our 4 year old started "woohoo"'ing with me. The two-year old joined in the shrieking.

I had to call my mom and tell her of course. She was excited, too.

It started raining while we were out and was pretty much pouring by the time we got home. I unloaded groceries and was in the process of putting them away. Walking past the back door, I see Anya there. Wet. So I slid open the door and said, "Anya, you have a barn. Go use it," and shut the door. I put away the things in my hand and realized, "she wants to see the papers!"

So I pulled them out and went to the door again. I slid the door open and unfolded the papers and held them up so she could see. I swear to you she laughed. It was a happy, giggly sound. It was almost a nicker, but...not. It wasn't a nicker. It wasn't her nicker anyway. It was like a laugh! I kept the papers inside so they didn't get wet and was showing her and laughed at her laughing. She started up the steps. "Nooo, noooo, you can't come in." She stopped, but stuck her nose in the door and touched the papers with her muzzle. Then she backed down and said, "I just had to touch them." I told her what a pretty girl she was and gave her an apple. I went back to putting groceries away and looked out the window a few minutes later and she was standing in her barn.

So being the curious type that I am, I had to start looking for pictures of her parents now that I had their names and their owner's name. Her sire is Ivory Man. Her dam is Money Makes Me Sparkle. Google didn't fail me. I came up with pictures of her sire, who is actually a cremello. No idea exactly what that means because I've never cared too much about the color thing. (I'm not a science fan and that brown plus gray always equals a spotted somethingorother just doesn't interest me.) Basically, he's really light/white colored, which was an "ohhhh!" moment for me. She may be a palamino, but she's not very golden. She's much more white than gold. Her new winter coat seems especially so. Maybe she's just really sun-bleached. Still, it's kind of nice to know that runs in her dad's side of the family.

I can find a lot of Ivory Man's offspring, but not too much on the pedigree before him. I plan to keep looking.

I can't find anything about her dam. I do have a few pictures of her standing next to Anya as a brand new filly, but nothing that really shows her well.

The mare was purchased in foal by the people that I got Anya from. But then they sold Anya, and the mare.

I have a feeling that the people I got her from had gone all the way to Kentucky (oh yeah, that's where the parents were from) to buy this mare who was in foal to Ivory Man. They breed TWH for a living, so I can see they'd want to bring in some different bloodlines to their herd. But my guess is they were banking on a colt and not a filly. A colt would grow up into a stallion to breed with their existing broodmares. A filly...well they already had broodmares, and as I understand it, it's better to continue the line via the stallions rather than the mares. So in that scenario, it would make sense to me that they would sell the mare-who-didn't-have-a-colt as well as the filly-who-they-hoped-was-a-boy.

I had an impossible time getting her dam and sire's names from the people we bought her from. Getting these papers is the first time I've seen them. It's nice to know more about her, but it doesn't make her worth any more to me than she was before I got those papers. I really feel like she deserves it though.

Now, to pick a name for her registration papers!