Hi everyone!

We took off on Saturday, mid morning after loading Missy and China uneventfully and began our LONG trek to Pagosa Springs. Does anyone really know how long this drive is? Missy will give you an earful if you want…

The horses trailered well, we made a couple of stops…a little lunch in Walsenburg and a crazy hail storm before Alamosa…Missy and China got a little re-stock of hay to keep them busy.

We found a local horse boarding facility in Pagosa that boards by the day. Ex-Parelli instructor…kinda knows the whole deal. We found our hotel as the sun was setting and made our way (in the dark) to the horse’s first stop.

This is where I will tell you Lesson # 1. Never arrive to a new town at dusk with horses and expect it to go smoothly.
Missy nearly sprinted off the trailer and proceeded to run laps…a lead rope’s distance away…around me in a frenzy. Lots of neighing. Lots of tossing of the head. Y’all who know Missy…well, you know what she did. Lesson #1A…don’t do this while wearing flip flops. I didn’t get stepped on, but it was damn close.

China came off easily. Both were turned into an outdoor pen that most horses would’ve thought was paradise on earth…large space, beautiful pinon and grasses. No rocks. One thing that was new for them was an electric fence. Missy proceeded to shock herself about 5 times before China was even off the trailer. They ran around like lunatics while we threw hay and grain. It was difficult to pull away from that dark place knowing they were so scared. But pull away we did. Had a nice meal with Rob in Pagosa and a fitful night…dreams of Missy failing Parelli, etc. A watch that wouldn’t stop beeping.
But Sunday came anyway. Beautiful and chilly.

Rob took off toward home on his version of a horse…
Amy and Jenn began the job to go re-load the horses to head to Parelli. Both horses a bit more reluctant to load this time, but altogether not too bad.

Arrive at Parelli ranch to a cheerful international staff…UK, Australia, CO, Rhode Island, CA….and unloaded the horses much to their relief. Tried to “PONY” Missy and China to their assigned pens behind a gator…Missy had none of that, so we hand led them.
We hand grazed for a bit, led them both to water (The Parelli way of bonding with your horse more completely…don’t keep water in their pens but rather lead them to it…”Lead your horse to water…”

Orientation was some basic logistics…the structure of the days, logistical information, then we met in one of the coveralls for our first demo with a horse called “Me and My Shadow” In which you “follow” your horse around from the shoulder with one end of your “Carrot stick” (don’t ask/don’t tell) on their back. Ok. It’s just a Parelli lunge-stick…haven’t yet figured out the magic. Somewhere early in this hour, we get to witness the most violent thunderstorm I’ve ever seen. Hail. Lightning. Rain. Did I mention lightning? (and right overhead…so VERY loud). I’m glad Robin was home in Boulder! Rain stops and it’s time to practice “Me and My Shadow” with our horses.
Here we get to Lesson #2. Missy likes to take control. Amy does also. Somewhere along the lines, Missy realizes she’s too far away from the rest of the herd and begins her rearing/head tossing/lunging/charging behavior. Instructor comes over to “help”….and Missy gets loose. Charges back to the herd and stops dead. The lesson? Learn when your horse takes more than 51% of the lead and GO HOME.

Jenn and China did great…China became her typical verbal self when Missy was out of sight, but basically did the exercise without trying to kill Jenn. She was in some post traumatic shock from the storm and was violently shaking (the horse)…we were loaned a blanket (which would fit Missy) and she settled in nicely to her 51/49% relationship with Jenn.

A bit of adrenaline later, we arrive safely back to the pens, muck the pen as best we can with all the mud and rain, and offer the horses water.

Back to the hotel to shower and warm up. Eat something and fall into bed. That’s my plan. Ready for subsequent lessons. A little less adrenaline, please? 😉

Hope you are all doing well!!
Stay Tuned!!

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Parelli Natural Horsemanship by amy