Comments on: Working with Your Horse’s Horsenality

By: Emily Dery

Emily Dery — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 01:47:31 +0000

WOW!
I have serious problems with my horse right now. I need answers I need the right team to help me because I think I am ruining her because I wasn’t trained to properly cope with her horsenality. I have so many “trainers” made me push my horse till one day she snapped.
I have spent 4 years in vet bills refusing to take her for training because something bigger was wrong.
She no longer wanted to be in a horse trailer nor did she want to ride in a arena let alone compete.
I wasn’t getting the bond I once knew with her and its like she has completely given up on me. She is by far the hardest horse I have yet worked with.
Her and I were 1. I could run a pattern with a rope around her neck. She would be exacly where she needed to be AT ALL TMES. Loved to work loved to please. I could take her to a local pleasure show and place this mare. We done miles together.
Now I have a horse that even refuses to look at me. When I came across this chart it helped me justify my reality in words and gave me a new beginning. A new outlook on things and where I could start. Its given me hope.
Ive sat days in the field with this mare, after her meltdown. This horse use to trot to me and call at me when she seen me. I sat there for days and never came once. Its now a whistle at feed time, even then hesitant.
Her profile reads extreme for the right brain extrovert for every single one of them. The left side shes smart and bites other, argumentive and stubborn. She has better days the others.
Working her up isn’t the answer she will tie up, I fear the day of a hart attack for her. So I refuse to fight now I tried multiple things some days are good days. The majority are better in the field its the only time shes not in combat with herself.I know now its not ulcers and I don’t no enough to help her.

By: Galadriel

Galadriel — Sat, 05 Jul 2014 18:19:32 +0000

Well, having looked at the chart I have one horse who’s definitely LB and one who’s RB but both are divided in the middle when it comes to introvert and extrovert.
However, I can say for sure that my LB horse loves going on adventures to new places, differences in routine, and seeing new things and my RB horse hates new things and loves the security of the same thing over and over again.
So, I guess it does pretty much match what I do with my training.
However, what is wrong with bribes? Both my horses do really well with reward based training.

By: Laurie

Laurie — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 12:24:24 +0000

The chart is to be used as a tool to help give you ideas when dealing with horses based on their “horsenality” and their needs as individuals. It’s no different than considering a person’s “personality”. This does not, by any means, label a horse. As you begin to play with your horses through the seven games, etc., they will begin to change…..I have a current right brain introvert that needs to establish trust with me. I have to move very slowly and not push him before he is ready in order not to destroy my progress. Having the chart is fabulous & truly helps individualize the needs of each horse. We have 9 horses total and each one of them has different needs as far as approach and handling. This chart was probably developed through a tremendous amount of blood, sweat, and tears…trial and error. I don’t work for Parelli and have no reason to stand behind this other than from concrete proof that it works. Some of the “old” ways involved treating each horse the same in training methods, etc. You can’t lump a horse into one category simply because he’s a horse. Having an open mind and trying things for yourself go an awful long way. I also have a left brain extrovert – high play drive, likes to bite, can be obnoxious, pushy….knowing that he needs to be kept busy & given different tasks in rapid succession has made the world of difference. It keeps me and my horse out of trouble. But, as we progress,he will begin to transform and will learn how to challenge that energy. These horses are often seem as a lost cause – dangerous, etc. Understanding them DOES help. No denying that. Can you get results in ways besides Parelli? You sure can, but parelli is all about building the relationship through love, language, and leadership and taking the time that it takes to do it right. If you love your horses, give this a shot. I love to be understood and know that it’s also important to my horses. They’re truly worth the effort!!

By: Brittany

Brittany — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 11:38:58 +0000

For those of you who are saying you can’t just label a horse into one of these groups and have it fit all the time…you’re right. I’ve been using the Parelli’s Natural Horsemanship for 4 years and can tell you that it’s purpose is not to “label” a horse, but to allow you to understand how your horse thinks so you know the right way to train them. It’s like humans going to the doctor. They asses our symptoms and then slap a label on what’s wrong with us even if not all the symptoms are there. It’s the same thing with Horsenality. Now if you think this is bunk and don’t want to give it a chance, then go ahead, that’s your opinion. But I have seen first hand that this works. While I’m willing to look into other horsemanship options, I will continue to refer to the Parellis when I don’t know which is the best option for my horse.

By: Brenda

Brenda — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 17:47:01 +0000

When it’s not acceptable to voice an opinion it should be stated, I for one appreciate hearing everyone’s opinions. I have seen a lot of the Parelli techniques work but I think it is hard to slip a horse into one group. I want to be given all opinions and information so I can form my own opinion. 😉

By: Equestrian

Equestrian — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 09:55:52 +0000

Where’s the science behind this “horsenality” stuff? You can’t just slap a label on a horse and expect it to conform to some bogus standard! They don’t account for circumstance, environment, skill set ( or mood)of the trainer/handler, among a host of other factors that would effect the horse. I’ve seen Parelli students question why their horses don’t quite fit into a particular personality and the Parelli camp tries to cover that glaring problem by saying “well horses can flip from one to another”. So basically you cannot label a horse with any certainty that he will remain in that personality for any predetermined amount of time. What BUNK! They sure are fooling a large number of people. Oddly enough, they do have some sound training methods but let the BUYER beware!! They are a SAVY @ taking your cash. 😉

By: Emma

Emma — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 12:34:05 +0000

I think this is really cool!
For Julie in UK, NU — if you don’t like the Parelli’s, that’s fine (you’re missing out!!), but I think everyone would appriciate it if you did not talk badly about them or post anything that makes them seem stupid… their stuff works, even if you don’t think so?
–Does anyone else agree with me?

By: Dana

Dana — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 16:53:39 +0000

Hummm. It seemed somewhat accurate but I’m not going to read into it too much. Entertaining at least.

By: Chelsea

Chelsea — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 21:19:18 +0000

This stuff really is relevant. My two horses are polar opposites and I have to understand their personality differences in order to work with them. What works for one doesn’t work for the other and vice versa. I get more out of my horses with fewer problems by catering to their differences. I mean, haven’t you ever noticed that paint horses are just wired funny?

By: Julie

Julie — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 06:45:18 +0000

Sorry but it’s about as relevant to horses as the astrologers in a daily newspaper. I suppose some people could find it a bit of fun but it’s just another marketing scheme for the Parellis.