What is Parelli Natural Horsemanship?

Very simple: a horse-friendly and effective training method based on natural horse behaviour. Pat Parelli, one of the founders of Natural Horsemanship, summarises it as follows: "Natural Horsemanship is the whole set of skills and habits of the rider and the horse which ensure a perfect co-operation".

Pat Parelli

Although this American "Horseman" is one of the best-known horse trainers of his generation, Pat nowadays calls himself a success coach for horse lovers rather than a pure horse trainer. After all, Pat Parelli has the drive, knowledge and passion to train both horses and people to be good partners and successful athletes. His greatest talent is undoubtedly his original way of teaching: everything he himself has learned from his mentors (Tom Dorrance, Ray Hunt, Troy Henry,...), Pat transfers in an interesting and creative way to his students. He makes learning fun and succeeds in bringing out the best in both horse and human.

Since 1982 Parelli has travelled the world with his training programme based on "love, language & leadership".

In 1984 Pat started giving horsemanship clinics and in 1990 he was helped by Linda to make this special way of communicating with horses known worldwide, and this since 1991 under the name "natural horsemanship".

Thanks to the advent of the internet, Parelli Natural Horsemanship is now practised in 76 countries worldwide by more than a million horse people. Pat and Linda Parelli have thus undoubtedly left their mark on the modern horse world.

What does the Parelli Programme do?

The Parelli Programme is a step-by-step people-training programme that focuses on building a good relationship with your horse, understanding horse behaviour and learning the horsemanship skills you need to become really good with horses. The programme is based on Pat's knowledge from his observations of horses, study of psychology and communication.

Natural Horsemanship is not a separate discipline such as driving, dressage or jumping. It is in fact the basis, teaching a clear language. Through the Parelli programme, you learn how to train your horse properly, both on the ground and in the saddle or carriage. The result is a horse that remains calm in all circumstances, that likes to cooperate with you, is sensitive and light on the aids,... with as a result better performances - whatever they may be: in any equestrian discipline, competitive or recreational!

With the Parelli method you teach your horse how to get on the trailer easily, how to stand still patiently at the farrier, but also how to calm down quickly when stressed, how to ride safely outside, etc. A nice by-product is that you build a real friendship relationship with your horse, you get a bond that is stronger than any lead rope.

A real treat for horse lovers

After more than thirty years of touring the world, Pat Parelli still starts every demo or presentation with his question: "Raise your hand if you love horses". Because according to Pat, there are only two kinds of people: the horse lovers and the other kind. Parelli Natural Horsemanship is therefore a training method for horse lovers, it is much more than just riding. If you are looking for a "quick fix", a ready-made solution, Parelli Natural Horsemanship is not the right choice. At Parelli we provide a very broad basic training - for the horse as well as for the human - before we specialise in a particular sport or discipline. The method works for all horses and ponies (and donkeys, mules, all kinds of donkey and even zebra crossbreeds...), both young and old, and is also suitable for all people, as long as they are willing to take the time to learn it.