For over 40 years, Parelli Natural Horsemanship has been teaching horse lovers worldwide that true horse-man-ship can be obtained naturally using communication, understanding, and psychology versus mechanics, fear, and intimidation. Our goal is to share an effective training program that makes sense to horses, naturally.

Yet several myths persist that hinder true partnership. Let’s debunk five common horsemanship myths and misconceptions.

Myth 1: “Catch your horse any way you can.”

Did you know your session starts the moment your horse sees you? How you approach your horse and even how you put the halter on means something to him.

Humans are instinctively predators; horses are prey animals. When we rush straight at them to “catch” them, we can trigger their flight response. As the leader in the relationship, we want to create a natural attraction, so our horses become willing participants. When done right, your horse will meet you at the gate!

Myth 2: “Saddle him up and get on.”

First, we need to find out how our horse is feeling today. What side of the corral did he wake up on? Just like you have good days and bad days, so does your horse.

Make no assumptions that because your horse felt fine and you had a good ride yesterday, all will be well today. Before a pilot takes off in a plane, they always conduct pre-flight checks. The same should apply to our horse-man-ship. A few minutes of groundwork can prevent dangerous surprises in the saddle.

Myth 3: “Kick him to go.”

Riding is simple, right? After all, there’s a pedal for each foot! While leg cues are important, simply “kicking” a horse to go is counterproductive and creates dullness.

Instead, create a language by teaching your horse to respond to phases of pressure—starting with your energy first, and building to a squeeze to create understanding and willing forward motion. The result? A responsive horse who listens to whisper-light cues.

Myth 4: “Pull on him to stop.”

Horses are masters at reading and understanding body language. If phases of energy can create forward motion, the absence of energy can also mean slow down and stop.

You wouldn’t drive a car with malfunctioning brakes, and you shouldn’t ride a horse who relies on the reins to stop. Teaching your horse to respond to your seat and energy creates true self-carriage and a soft, balanced stop.

Myth 5: “Use the reins to turn.”

Horses have long bodies and humans have tall bodies. Learning to use long-body-logic means involving our entire body and energy in our communication with horses.

We influence our horses to move—on the ground and in the saddle—by turning our eyes (focus) first and then proceeding through our phases. This creates fluid, harmonious turns that feel effortless.

Join Us on This Journey

Please join us as we take a deeper dive into each of these five myths in the upcoming 2026 issues of Horse Illustrated. Our goal is to teach you how to train your horse safely and effectively at home, so that both you and your horse can have more fun and achieve excellence together, creating a true partnership based on trust and mutual understanding.

Learn more about our digital home-study curriculum, the Levels Program, at Parelli.com.

This edition of “Parelli Perspectives” about horsemanship myths appeared in the January/February 2026 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Debunking 5 Common Horsemanship Myths appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

The Seven Games are supposed to be studied and played in order. Play 1 before 2, 2 before 3, et cetera. Each game builds on the one before it and they make perfect sense to the horse when presented in their correct order.

Remember to always play the Friendly Game in between tasks, as well as smile and visibly soften when you release.

1. Friendly Game

The Friendly Game is the first of Parelli’s Seven Games because nothing beats a good first impression. When you want to meet someone, how would you first approach him? I like to think about introducing myself to a horse as positively as I would to another person.
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2. Porcupine Game

Horses naturally push into steady pressure, moving against it or barging through it. It’s part of their programming for survival. In order to develop a partnership with your horse, you need to help him overcome his fearful, defensive reactions to pressure and learn how to yield and move away from it. I teach this through the Porcupine Game, Game #2 of the Seven Games.
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3. Driving Game

The Driving Game is the third of the Seven Games. It teaches your horse to yield from a “suggestion” with no physical touching involved.
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4. Yo-Yo Game

Have you ever wished that your horse had more suspension, stopped easily with a light cue, could do a sliding stop, moved straighter, or could back up quickly? The Yo-Yo Game is the key to developing all these things in your horse, and more.
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5. Circling Game

The Circling Game helps your horse understand that it is his job to maintain gait, maintain direction, watch where he is going, and all the while stay tuned into you as his center of attention.
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6. Sideways Game

In the Sideways Game, you will learn how to straighten your horse and have him yield laterally with softness and respect.
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7. Squeeze Game

Horses, by nature, are claustrophobic. They are instinctively afraid of small or tight spaces because these areas usually spell disaster for prey animals. The final of Parelli’s Seven Games, the Squeeze Game, teaches your horse to become calmer, smarter and braver, and to squeeze through narrow spots without concern.
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If you enjoyed the Seven Games, check out all Parelli articles.

This article from Pat Parelli about the Seven Games is a web exclusive originally published in January 2012 for Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Parelli Natural Horsemanship: The Seven Games appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.