IceRyder

Level 1 Tasks

PNH Level One

1. Approach your horse from at least ten feet. Holding the halter in your left hand, let him smell it. Rub him from head to tail with the Natural Halter. With the halter on the ground in front of your horse, simulate cleaning all four feet from one side. Squeeze chestnuts in front and hocks in back. Show proper way to put on halter and tie proper knot.
****For excellence, tilt head in and down while haltering. Position your horse so that his left side is slightly to the camera before putting on the halter.

2. Show Seven Games on the ground.

Game 1: Friendly Game: Starting on the left side, put the lead rope over your left elbow. Touch your horse from where the apples go in, to where the apples come out, down to where the apples get on the back foot. Do on both sides.
****For excellence. Pass the lead rope from arm to arm. Left the tail using the "special button". Pass politely from side to side. Remember to position your horse for the camera.

Game 2: Porcupine Game: Back your horse by the nose and chest; Hindquarters right, pivots on its right front foot; Forehand right, so the horse pivots on its left back foot; Repeat on the left. Remember to position your horse so that the camera person can see your hands; Sidepass your horse left and right. You may use the fence. Position yourself so that the camera is to your side; Head lower and raise.
**** For excellence Rub first, stimulate, rub to stop and get your horse to pivot.

Game 3: Driving Game: Move horse with rhythmic pressure Forward and Backward Sideways, right and left. You may use fence. Drive forehand without touching Drive hindquarters no touching, "have your horse lung you"; Take one step. (Forwards or backwards)
**** For excellence. Get your horse to pivot

Game 4: Yo-Yo. Back to end of rope and then forward.
**** For excellence. Straightness. Position camera on side

Game 5: Circle Game. Send your horse to the right at a trot. Let the rope pass behind your back three times. Stop your horse and repeat to the left.
**** For excellence. Show proper leg and hand positions (4:00 or 8:00). Keep feet still when horse is on circle.

Game 6: Sideways Game. Start with one-half circle out to the end of the rope. As horse approaches fence send sideways. Use energy as you walk towards your horse. Stop your horse while he is facing the fence.
****For excellence. Keep the front and back moving equally, be at the end of the rope. Position camera to the side.

Game 7: Squeeze Game. Walk forward, turn around and send horse through a three foot gap between you and the fence. Send horse over a jump.
****For excellence. Your horse should pass you with respect. Position camera to your side.

Bo and Carla, sitting drinking coffee

I got this guy when he was 6 months old and had *no* horse experience at all, just a dream to have horses, I believe we may be an exception to the rule green on green makes black and blue, I started him with the help of a one week clinic that was pretty natural although not PNH, and after that week I knew I needed more help ie: horse knowledge. I wasn't willing to send him off to a trainer as I had the notion that I wanted to do it myself...silly me, fortunately for my horse and for my sanity, I found the Parelli program. He's four now and we are about half way thru level two. It's been a journey but one I wouldn't trade for all the broke horses in the world!!! I have learned so much from him, and the one thing that I hate to admit is that I can see why you should start with a well broke horse as it's hard to teach the human and also try to teach the horse, where if the horse was already broke he might be able to help a person thru the rough spots but as it is I continually strive to learn and teach myself about horsemanship so that I have something to offer the horse. Never a dull moment, I will say that! But I wouldn't trade him for the world he is coming along nicely.

Some things to think about:
What motivates horses? Safety, Comfort, and Play (in that order)
Think of things from the horses point of view...first. How might prey animals perceive the situation?
Respect, Impulsion, Flexion. Respect is what you get....or don't get....on the ground!
Continue developing hands that close SLOWLY and open QUICKLY.
The 6 Keys to Success: Attitude, Knowledge, Tools, Techniques, Time, and Imagination
3. Trailer load with a friendly swing of the rope. Your horse should be in the trailer for sixty seconds. Unload without looking back at horse.
4. Mount bareback with help. Your horse should be wearing the Natural Halter and Horseman's String. Camera sees hands on mane and rein.
5. Lateral flexion to right and left using the Horseman's string. Position yourself so that the camera can see your hand above your knee.
6. Figure 8. With Horseman's String on right, walk a figure 8. Repeat at the trot. Put String on the left and repeat walk and trot. Ride toward camera come down to a halt and backup.
****For excellence. Focus and straightness

Lyndall and Spirit

7. Saddle from the Indian side and show cinching process. Remember, to move your horse before you mount, for safety. Position your horse so that the camera can see the cinch.
8. Mounting. Mount on the right side by looking your horse in the eye, then step up and down in the stirrup three times with your hips parallel to your horse's shoulders. Repeat on left.
****For excellence. Hold rein and mane with other hand on horn or pommel. Reach over and pet horse's opposite side; settle softly into saddle.
9. Trot a figure 8 with the Horseman's String in your left hand and the carrot stick in your right. Reverse and repeat.
****For excellence. Use only the carrot stick by using the right hand when going to the left and changing to the left hand when going to the right. Make sure the camera sees you put your string in you pocket.
10. Simulate bridling your horse from your knees by putting the horseman's string or lead in his mouth.
****For excellence. Your horse needs to cooperate fully.
11. Indirect and direct rein. At a walk, start with an indirect rein to the right, then change to a direct rein and repeat in a continuous flow to perform a complete circle. Repeat to the left.
****For excellence. Your horse pivots on the front and back.
12. Canter. Using a casual rein, ride from a halt into a walk, trot, and then canter to the right and then to the left.
****For excellence. Use the trombone exercise with an indirect rein to slow from a canter to trot to walk, change directions.
13. One rein stop from canter. The "Save your life drill"
****For excellence. Pump your hand three times down rein. Using two fingers and a thumb, bring your horse to a stop and hold for thirty seconds, while looking at your stirrup. Make sure camera can see hand on your knee
14. Trotting task: Trot sitting, bouncing, posting, and standing for at least ten strides each. Go both ways.
****For excellence. Post on proper diagonal, don't hold on during standing trot.
15. Show turns at the trot by performing one-half circles to the right and left.
****For excellence. Focus up and around
16. Nine step backup. Trot a straight line toward camera, go from casual to concentrated reins, stop and back up
****For excellence. Focus and straightness. Get good camera angle to show fingers closing one at a time.
17. Sidepass right and left, using concentrated reins. Do not let your hands come behind the pommel. You may use the fence. Keep camera to your side.
18. Controlled Catastrophe. Help your horse handle the danger. Know when to use the direct rein to face danger, the indirect rein to move the hindquarters out of trouble, or the neutral rein to control a run-away.
****For excellence. Use short reins and keep horse facing the danger. Have experienced helper and be careful during this task. Move side to side if horse does not scare easily.

Here is a photo of my Arab, FireAway jumping at liberty. We have just completed Level 1. He's come a long, long way and I'm very proud of him. He never would have jumped before, certainly not at liberty. FireAway9@aol.com

Dancer, owned by Vicki Britvich, in a 9-step backup.

The Friendly Game--finding out that beachballs don't bite!

At liberty back-up.

Dancer doing the Circle Game.

I've had a couple of people ask me privately about this riding with the carrot stick and string task that's #9 ("Ride with Parelli Natural Halter, Horseman's String & Carrot Stick. Show a figure 8 at the trot." Just in case the numbers don't jive with updated versions.) on the Level 1 test. I found it incredibly confusing and since I'm a details person, I'd like to attempt to clear up some of the confusion about this one.

Here's how it goes and what I did. You attach the string to the halter where the lead usually goes. Start with the rope on say the right side. (You might find it helpful to do the actions with your hands as you read this so that you can understand, I actually practice some of this kind of stuff in the house so I have my stuff together when I get out to my horse.) Have the string in the right hand and on the right hand of the horse's neck and the stick on your left shoulder. Start a turn to the right and use the eyes belly button, leg, stick and rein (this is a direct rein action, hand leading to the right) to get your horse to turn to the right, you use the stick on the left side of the horse's neck to support if he ignores all the directions with the other phases, make sure you release when your horse has turned adequately. Head towards the middle of your figure eight, here keep the string on the right side of the horse's neck, but swap hands with the stick and string. Now the stick is in your right hand, string in your left. Your string will now function as a supporting rein. Ask for the turn to the left, eyes, bellybutton, leg, rein, stick and go through the phases until the horse turns to head back to the middle of the figure eight and again, make sure your release with your legs, rein, etc when the horse straightens out. You will be using the string in the left hand in a supporting rein action on the right hand of the horse's neck and the stick as a support also on the right side of the horse's neck. When you get back to the middle, swap hands again. When you get how this works with the string on the right side of the horse's neck, stop, flip the string to the left side of the horse's neck and reverse all the left and rights from above.

I didn't have a clue as to how this all worked until I watched a secondary clinic with Neil Pye in North Dakota a couple years ago. This teaches the horse to start responding to your focus and legs, and also helps your independent seat because you have to get handy with switching your tools back in forth between your hands rather than using your hands to balance.

Also note, that eventually the goal is to phase out using the rein as a phase. Eventually in Level 2 and three you'll be asked to do similar things without touching the reins, and then bareback and bridleless.

Now, I'm guessing that this is not the only way to do this, but this is the way that worked for me. This is very similar also to task #6 where you ride a figure 8 at the trot bareback. (That may not be there for some of our friends down under.) Also, I don't believe it asks for you to move the string to the others side for task #9, but I would probably do it anyway in order to balance out my horse.

One thing I would like to add is what the eyes, belly button, leg, stick means in detail since it was only after attending a Level 2 clinic two weeks ago with Tony Lander that I truly understood the concept.

Eyes - focus on an object in the distance, at least 10 metres away. Only move your head in the direction.
Belly button - while still looking at the object move your belly button in the direction of the object.
Leg - apply pressure to the horses side by turning your toes out (so the back of your lower leg touches).
Stick - use two hands. Pretend you are holding a baseball bat. Hand forward is the side you are going to turn. ie you are turning left so your left hand is higher on the stick, right hand is closer to the end of the stick.

Most importantly and one thing I have trouble with is as soon as your horse starts to move the direction you want do not take your eyes off the object you are focusing on!

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Email: iceryder@cableone.net