Parelli tools aren't a miracle cure, but they will help you communicate much more clearly with your horse. Parelli tools are designed with the "release" in mind!
The right time to let go
In English: the Timing of the Release. Anyone who has ever taken a horsemanship lesson with a Parelli instructor You've undoubtedly heard of it. After all, the right moment to release is crucial for successful horse training. Horses learn when we release the pressure, not when we apply more and more pressure.
More than forty years ago, Pat Parelli began to question the classical way of training horses. He developed his own training method that became the Parelli Levels program , a self-study program suitable for every horse and every horse lover worldwide. This step-by-step lesson plan allows people and horses to become true partners. This also meant that Parelli had to develop its own horsemanship materials to support its mission.
How can horse equipment affect your timing?
When Pat Parelli developed his horsemanship tools, he chose materials that communicated "feel." The Parelli materials were meant to function as an extension of your body. All Parelli tools are designed by Pat himself and have been used by hundreds of thousands of horses worldwide.
We start with the Carrot Stick . This 1.2-meter stick is heavier and much less flexible than a traditional dressage whip. Its weight ensures that the stick doesn't act like a whip, but rather acts as an extension of your arm. The thickness of the Parelli ropes allows you to "extend" your arm and "push" your horse backward.
People are often surprised by the weight of Parelli equipment: heavier than traditional whips and ropes. A typical lunge whip is indeed lighter, but the Carrot Stick is designed to be effective in use and therefore to stop as soon as you stop. After all, a thin, lighter lunge whip doesn't stop moving immediately; it always continues to whip a little. Moreover, the idea is to use your Carrot Stick only when necessary. The stick shouldn't be so light that you constantly pick it up and move it without being aware of its effect on your horse.
Parelli ropes feature a breakaway safety snap, essential for timing. This heavy-duty snap acts as a counterweight, stopping the rope's energy when you stop moving. Without this snap, the rope would continue to wobble.
While your rope is in use, the snap rotates, and even under tension, you can still open the lock. In a truly panic situation, your lock will break. In the unlikely event of this happening, the lock in current Parelli ropes is easily replaced with a new one. safety carabiner .
How can Parelli material convey feeling?
How well does your horse yield to pressure? That often depends on how good your timing is. Ideally, your horse should respond to your lightest aids. If your horse doesn't respond, you can clarify your request by adding more energy, in an appropriate way. With the aids Pat developed, "feel" is communicated more clearly than with a traditional lunge line. The larger diameter of the Parelli ropes , Finesse clip reins and Horseman's Reins delivers a completely different feel in your hands. These polyester ropes (as used in marine applications) have a highly responsive core that allows energy to flow through the entire length of the rope, unlike traditional, thinner ropes.
Pat says: humans are natural "grabbers"—it's what we do instinctively to maintain control. Horses, as prey animals, often don't respond to this "grabbing." At Parelli, we learn the opposite: to slowly close our fingers and quickly open them again when our horse responds appropriately. The thickness of the Parelli ropes allows you to easily give your horse some "drift" by slowly sliding the rope through your fingers, gradually allowing your horse to gain more distance.
The essential horsemanship supplies
Carrot stick with savvy string
The extension of your arm during groundwork. The length of the stick and the The accompanying thong allows you to keep your feet still and still be able to touch your horse from a distance. Parelli Natural Horsemanship is based on body language, and with the stick and string we can communicate much more easily with our horse (what Pat calls “Long Body Logic”).
The Carrot Stick is also used for Freestyle riding and the Savvy String can serve as a neckrope (string around the neck).
Parelli rope halter
It Parelli rope halter It's hand-knotted and comes in six different sizes. The knots are strategically placed for lightness and balance. "Light when it's right, strong when it's wrong," says Pat Parelli.
Parelli ropes
12-foot Line (3.7 meters): the all-round lead rope for everyday use, for starting with Parelli Level 1, for trailer loading and especially for developing our own “feel” in communicating with our horse.
22-foot line (6.8 meters): Groundwork rope for playing with your horse at a greater distance. We use this rope in the Parelli training program from Level 2 onwards, and it's also ideal for young, fidgety, or reactive horses, allowing you to stay safe.
45-foot line (13 meters): We use this softer version of the traditional Roping Lariat from Level 3. The material does not absorb water and becomes better and softer with frequent use.
At first glance, Parelli equipment may seem like an expensive investment, but with proper use and maintenance, it can last for decades. Kim: "In the collection of Parelli halters and ropes we use at home every day, some date back to the beginning of this century (!) and are virtually indistinguishable from the newer ones. My personal tip for Parelli students is: a new horse deserves a new set! ;-)"
As an official Parelli distributor, we import genuine Parelli materials directly from America. You can order through our webshop and are, of course, welcome to visit our store to feel and choose the materials for yourself.
Do you have any questions about the Parelli material or the Levels self-study program , don't hesitate to contact us, we're happy to help!
