Choosing the
Right Horse
I
’ve always been attracted to high-
spirited, sensitive horses. Before
learning Parelli Natural Horse•Man•Ship,
I got into a lot of trouble with them.
Sure, I could stay on most of the time,
but it often got scary. My horses ran off
with me, fell with me, reared, pranced
and plunged... My love for riding horses
kept me going until I was 30. Then it
changed. Suddenly I had a different
perspective on things, like danger and
my mortality!
As a kid, it never crossed my mind
that I could get hurt or killed, but sud-
denly it became something I thought of
every time my horses got difficult to
control. It still took a very challenging
horse for me to open my eyes to
another method, especially one from a
cowboy! That’s hard when you’re an
English rider. Thank goodness for this
horse, or I may still not know any more
than I did then... or I would have suc-
cumbed to what just about everyone
else does... sell the horse, buy another
one, send it to the trainer, use every new
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gadget invented or give up riding
altogether. There’s only so much fear,
frustration and failure a person can take
before they give up!
Ten years later I’m writing this success
story because I’m still attracted to those
high-spirited, sensitive and highly
strung magnificent beasts... but at least
now I have enough savvy to
handle them!
When my ex-racehorse and fellow
graduate of Level 4 Versatility, Siren,
turned 17 Pat said to me I should start
thinking about bringing a new horse
along. And then he said, “I’ll be very
interested to see what kind of horse you
choose after everything you have learned
so far.” Yikes! What did he mean?!
He said, “So far you’ve had two ex-
racehorses and both of them were
off the planet. They were impulsive,
defensive and unconfident horses, and
you had a long road to hoe to change all
that.” Not to mention trying to learn the
program as I went! “So what will you
look for in your next horse?” Well
that got me thinking. What were the
attributes I’d be looking for?
M Y N EXT H ORSE ...
1. It wouldn’t be an ex-racehorse. I’d
been down that road twice. While it was
an enormous education and I had great
results through the Savvy System, I decid-
ed I wanted a horse that had not been
taught to be a right brain runaway. I’d
like to start with a horse that had very
little mental and emotional damage or
baggage. The more baggage, the more
potential is lost.
(As an aside here, not all racehorses
are run-aholics so don’t be against
getting an ex-racehorse, just know what
to look for so you get one that’s not
By Linda Parelli
going to take every ounce of mental
and emotional energy in order to make
it work. There are plenty of horses
around, and you need to make the right
selection.)
2. It would have to be a young horse.
Young, but not too young! The more a
horse has been through bad or unsavvy
handling, the more its potential is
diminished. For instance, some horses
have been raised by people who were
rough handlers, started under saddle
forcibly, ridden with insensitivity, jerked
around, been through forceful training,
competed and blown up under the pres-
sure. The more that has been done with
a horse in the “normal” world of the
disposable horse, the more “damage”
has occurred.
It would be wonderful to start with a
horse at birth, but with Siren at 17 I
needed a horse that was pretty much
ready to do something. So preferably I
wanted the horse to be unridden or at
worst have had very, very few rides.
3. Mare or gelding... didn’t matter. I
knew for sure I did not want a stallion.
I love watching Pat play with his stal-
lions, but I’ve seen some very dangerous
stallion behavior and heard too many
stories about people getting on the
wrong side of a stallion. Yes, I am Level
4 Versatility, but I don’t want to go there!
Stallions need a leader with a lot of
savvy because it’s a stallion’s job to be
dominant. If you dominate him in a
distasteful way or you are not paying
attention when things aren’t going right,
a stallion can change in a nano-second
from your darling horse to one that
would attack you... Nothing personal.
You were just in the way of his sex drive,
and he didn’t respect your leadership!
 “When my ex-racehorse and
fellow graduate of Level 4
Versatility, Siren, turned 17
Pat said to me I should start
thinking about bringing a new
horse along...”

When Linda met Remmer he

was alert, curious, spooky
yet self-confident,
people-friendly and had a big
play drive! Interested in
everything that was going on,
he wanted to meet and play
with any horse near him.

Allure, star of the DVD: Trouble

Free Trailer Loading is one of
Linda’s newest horses. He “is a
four-year-old Trakehner that is
higher on the talent factor” than
Remmer.

Sirocco, Linda’s three-

year-old Hannoverian,
makes friends with Pat.
Linda was fortunate to be
able to purchase him as a
yearling. “The more a
horse has been through
bad or unsavvy handling,
the more its potential
is diminished.”
 C HOOSING THE R IGHT H ORSE
4. Breed. Hmm... This narrowed love to develop a long term relationshipto know how to direct it positively!
things down. With my interest in with this horse.” The horse being good I didn’t know what kind of horse he
dressage and jumping, I leaned towards looking and well conformed was only was so I sidled up to his owner and
Thoroughbreds and Warmbloods. Big one part of it, the rest of the attraction
asked what breed he was. “Dutch
horse, nice movement. would come from charisma, color, that Warmblood and he’s for sale,” she said
5. Attitude. I would be looking for a look in the horse’s eye. in the same breath! Turned out he was
self-confident, positive, curious kind of 9. Sound. This is when you want the three-and-a-half. She’d raised him from
horse who liked people and had a high vet check. First find the horse you wantfour months of age, and now she felt he
play drive. Sounds like the perfect horse! and then spend the money to have it was way too much horse for her. To cut
It is, but you still have to be the perfect checked out. Too many people make a short story shorter, he was mine at
leader for that horse or that high play this the first step and then find out lunch time. She thought he’d be perfect
drive and self confidence will be the end they’re not that attracted to the horse for me, and she wanted out of that rela-
of you! once they try it out. tionship. “His papers and blanket are in
the truck. I’d rather not take him home
after this!”
So here are Remmer’s stats:
1. Never raced.
2. Not too young! Three-and-a-half, I
could start with him right away.
3. Gelding. Great! Not a stallion!
4. Warmblood, big horse. At that age he
was 16.1 hands high. He’s now just
about 17 hands at the age of 8.
5. Attitude. Punk! He was alert, curious,
spooky yet self-confident as long as
he was in familiar surroundings
(which told me that wouldn’t be hard
to develop), positive attitude, people-
friendly and a big play drive! He was
interested in everything that was
going on, wanted to meet and play
6. Impulsion. This is the part where R EMMER AND I FIND EACH OTHER ! with any horse near him and he was
go=whoa and whoa=go, which means So that’s how I chose Remmer, my very exuberant. Not only had he
the horse is willing to go forward and Dutch Warmblood. His owner came to shown that in the clinic arena, but
willing to stop. Again, sounds perfect! do a clinic at our place in Colorado. Her when turned loose in the 100’ round
There are lots and lots of horses like horse, Remmer, was out of control. The corral, he was quite spectacular!
that. On our impulsion scale (featured Instructor had to keep taking him over 6. Impulsion. He wanted to go, his
in Level 2 Harmony) we call this a 5. A 1 because he couldn’t keep all his feet energy would come up easily, but he
is a horse that doesn’t have didn’t keep on going and
any go, and a 10 is one that going and going and going
doesn’t have any whoa! My
The chemistry would have to be there. (which my Thoroughbreds
ex-racehorses were an 8 and a I’d need to see this horse and think, would have done in the same
9 so Impulsion Programs (Level
2 Harmony) became a critical
“Oooh, yum! I’d love to develop a long situation). He’d blast around
then stop and get interested.
part of our development, or term relationship with this horse.” Then blast off again... And this
should I say, mutual survival! was when his blood was up.
7. Talent. I’d be looking for an athlet- on the ground. It was a combination Good sign, he could actually stop!
ic horse with lovely, springy movement. of over-excitement, nervousness and 7. Talent. Medium. He had nice, athletic
This would be important both for misbehavior. As I watched him leaping gaits, but he was not a flamboyant
jumping and dressage movements like into the air, rearing and jumping up and mover. That’s okay, everything else
passage, piaffe, extended trot, etc. down on the spot I was instantly attract- measured up. He certainly had no
8. Love at first sight. The chemistry ed! No problem to be attracted to this problem getting in the air!
would have to be there. I’d need to see kind of energy after graduating Level 3 8. Love at first sight. No question. I loved
this horse and think, “Oooh, yum! I’d Refinement. At least now I have the savvy his color (dark bay), his conformation,

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“He’d blast around then stop and
interested. Then blast off again...”
his big eye, his charisma. He had that
“look at me” presence.
9. Sound. Yes. Phew!
When I said to Pat I really like this
horse, Pat said, “Good. You’ve made the
right choice.” Phew again!
Since then, I’ve bought two new hors-
es. One is a four-year-old Trakehner that
is higher on the talent factor, Allure. The
other is a three-year-old Hannoverian,
Sirocco, who not only is a talented
mover, but he was a yearling when I
bought him. I love buying horses with
savvy!
H OW TO ASSESS THE EMOTIONS AND
IMPULSION OF A HORSE
Play the Seven Games. Even just the
first three games will tell you all you
need to know:
Friendly Game: A horse that is
terrified of the Friendly Game (throwing
rope/Carrot Stick and Savvy String over
his back) and takes a long time to settle
is probably over sensitive and very
highly strung. This often goes hand in
hoof with impulsiveness. Be careful! If
this horse measures up on every other
point you may still want to go ahead
and buy him. Do not buy him if you are
less than a Level 2 Harmony graduate in
our program, or you are in for an
emotional roller coaster ride... The more
savvy you have, the less this kind of
horse will be frustrating for you and the
faster you’ll start having good results.
Level 3 Refinement would be ideal if the
horse is really challenging.
Look for how quickly the horse
adapts to the Friendly Game and
realizes it’s not threatening.
A horse that is totally unfazed by
the Friendly Game will probably
rank lower on the rest of the
games where more respect is
Friendly Game:
required.
Porcupine Game: A horse that
A horse that is terrified of the
pushes on you or panics when
Friendly Game (throwing rope over
you apply physical pressure to
back/Carrot Stick and String) and
Zone 1 is more likely to push
on the bit and either ignore takes a long time to settle is prob-
you or panic when you use the ably over sensitive and very highly
get
reins. Look for how quickly this strung. Be careful!
horse learns to yield from the
pressure. This will also help you
assess his “teachability.”
Driving Game: A horse that freaks out
when you “constructively” spook it is
going to tell you about its degree of
difficulty (as per Friendly Game). And
one that acts like you’re not even there is
going to take some “sensitizing.” Both
can be done. It’s just a matter of assess-
ing how extreme they are. If you had a
scale of 1 to 10, where 1 means totally
insensitive and dull and 10 means
totally oversensitive and freaked out,
look for something in the middle to
high end if you want a performance Porcupine Game:
horse and on the low end if you want a
horse for a child or inexperienced horse A horse that pushes on you or
person. Something right in the middle panics when you apply physical
would be ideal for most people learning pressure to Zone 1 is more likely
the Parelli Savvy System. to push on the bit and either ignore
you or panic when you use the
reins.
These first three Games will give you
an idea of his sensitivity, self-confidence,
opinion of people (scared or pushy),
emotional stability (if he gets bothered
at all and how long it takes to calm
down) and teachability (an emotional
horse has more trouble learning). Then
you need to match all this up with your
ability! The lower your ability (let’s be
really objective now!) the easier you’ll
want the horse to be.
TALENT
If I were looking for the world cham-
Driving Game:
pion, super horse, I would put talent
way up the front of the scale, say at
Look for how quickly this horse
7 and higher. You’d want sensitivity,
learns to yield. This will also help
athleticism as well as self confidence,
etc. etc. Depending on what sport you you assess his “teachability.”
 C HOOSING THE R IGHT H ORSE
wanted to excel in, you’d choose the the talent would be: naturally unspooky, of horse that gets bored easily and starts
appropriate breed... one that could get bombproof, okie dokie, I don’t care if looking for fun which could appear to
out of the ground (jumping, dressage), you make mistakes or get a bit clumsy be mischief to you. It becomes trying if
one that could get into the ground (slide kind of horse. This horse would have to you don’t know how to direct all that
stops and spins for reining and cutting), have a high tolerance level and be a lit- energy. This is a horse that is not too
one that could really cover ground and tle or a lot on the insensitive side. You’re hot, not too cold but just right!
had a lot of stamina So! You have the horse you
(endurance)... get the picture? have now. How does it meas-
This is also the kind of horse So! You have the horse you have now. ure up on this scale? The more
that’s usually pretty sensitive How does it measure up on this scale? extreme they are in certain
and intelligent and does not areas, the more savvy you
do well with our clumsiness, need. This horse will still be a
lack of savvy or mistakes! You’re looking looking for a cold horse as opposed to a great teacher for you, so don’t think you
for a reasonably hot blooded horse here. hot horse. One who has a lot of trouble have to sell your pal. That’s not the
You should see Pat’s notes on the getting his energy up and if it ever message here. It’s about becoming a
Seven Talents of Horses in the Level 3 comes up it doesn’t last long! This is a good pick so the next time you buy a
Refinement Theory Book, where not only great confidence builder. horse you’ll make a savvy selection and
does he discuss attributes, but he also If I were looking for a pal, a horse to get the horse that fits your skill level and
points out certain conformations and go trail riding with, have fun with and your purpose or dream.
breeds that have been genetically help me in my horsemanship journey, In the meantime, learn all you can
shaped over many years to have the I’d be looking for a talent level of 4 to 6. from the horse you have now. He’ll
instincts and aptitude for certain sports Very important would also be his atti- teach you so much and be something so
or applications. tude... positive, likes people, reasonably valuable to you at this time of your
If I were looking for a horse for self-confident, not too high a play drive. growth as a horseman... he’ll be your
therapeutic riding or for a child, his If you’re looking for a pretty easy going teacher. Thank goodness we all have Pat
talent/disposition would have to rank horse, a high play drive could be much as our guide! v
very highly for that purpose. In this case too challenging for you! This is the kind

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