I have been a student in the program since I was ten years old. I began my journey with horses at age four at a 'pony playgroup' but I got my first horse Penny when I was nine. It was a dream come true. As with a lot of people I have met through the program, I found Parelli Natural Horsemanship because I was seeking not only answers for a difficult horse but a generally more fulfilling way to spend my time with my horse.
I started the home study program after my first riding teacher introduced me to 'natural horsemanship'. For a while, I continued to do both traditional and natural methods, but it was clear to me that my horse felt more stimulated, safe and was definitely a lot calmer! There was no debating she even looked happier when I walked into the paddock.This was a horse who had a lot of emotional baggage, a new addition to the family after I handed down my first pony (who possessed saintly tolerance to the mistakes of learning humans) to my Mum. My new horse Rhani was a standard bred who kicked in fear and at other horses, spooked dramatically, bucked, was hard to catch, anxious, ran off with you, shook her head violently and frothed at the mouth while ridden and occasionally self mutilated by biting her sides. With the patience of Mother Teresa, I believed I could 'heal' this horse. I gave up traditional methods after a disastrous period of competing and dressage lessons where Rhani would literally aim a massive double barrelled kick toward my instructor while I rode. There is something definitely a little odd when the teacher has to stand behind a fence to teach you. I watched this horse, who I knew was just treated badly, fall victim to many conventional experts ideas and actions of 'sorting her out' all of which left you with a bit of a sick feeling in the gut. The eighteen months of Parelli courses I had with Rhani were amazing, she was easier to catch, friendly, calmer and more obliging. People used to ask me at Pony Club "where did you get that horse?" My time out in the paddock was fun; sure this program was a little bit strange but I felt safe knowing I could just play on the ground. There was nothing that wasn't logical and practical. We swam in the dam together and she quickly became the learning curve of a lifetime and a best friend.We finally filmed our first level to be sent off to the United States for assessment.
There was a huge summer storm the night I filmed my Level One (partnership level). As I ran outside from my bed in the lightening and blinding sheets of rain (I had left a pony locked up in a small unsheltered yard) I felt a body of a horse run past me, bumping me with her shoulder. All four of our horses at the time were galloping around the paddock.
I awoke the next morning to find Rhani with a bowed tendon. Already in a panic I called the vet. Later prognosis showed a giant swelling of her shoulder where she had broken her upper leg. They were the hardest twenty four hours of my life and her final hours (feeding her willow leaves to ease the pain) until she was put down the next day only served to accentuate our bond. I sat with her and sang to her, and she put her muzzle on my shoulder. Saying goodbye to your best friend is something I will never forget.
I passed my Level One nearly a year later when I had the courage to submit it. By then I had another partner, Ace, a Thoroughbred mare only slightly less challenging than Rhani.In hindsight, I believe everything happens for a reason, and perhaps Rhani knew she was too challenging for me and had taught me just enough for me to go on with my journey.
I have been lucky to have a family so supportive of my dreams with horses, and I would like to take the time to thank my my parents for their financial support, Mum for being a study buddy and my Dad for being a designated driver, horse float and all to various courses all over Victoria.
And my very first pony, Penny? She is still with us, even today at the ripe old age of 27. What a horse!
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