Excerpts from Q&A by Linda Parelli (from Parelli e-news)

Understanding horse psychology is a big part of Pat & Linda Parelli's training system, so Linda has a Q&A section in the Parelli e-newsletter that often deals with understanding horse behaviors and I'll copy some of the best ones here for everyone to read.  If you want to learn more about the Right-Brain/Left-Brain, Introvert/Extrovert "horseanality" evaluation system, the Parelli "Seven Games" or about the Parelli Savvy training methods, see www.Parelli.com or contact me as I have some materials that I may lend you.  Dana

QUESTION I would like nothing better than to take a short, relaxing ride on my neighborhood trails with my 7-year-old horse in the evenings after chores are done. However, my Left-Brain Introvert mare, who is normally confident and relaxed in all situations including trails, does not seem to be of the same mind. She turns into a Right-Brain Extrovert when we are alone on our trails. It's as if she's expecting a panther to pounce on her from every tree we pass! At the start of these rides she's reasonably confident, although there are numerous thresholds which occur in the first several hundred feet. We stop and calmly address each one and do not move on until she appears ready. The number of thresholds seems to diminish the further we get from the barn (and her pasturemate). However, her unconfidence increases the further we go. I've tried getting off and playing the Seven Games to refocus her on me, and I've tried staying on and doing obstacles and riding around trees to keep her mind on me. Each of these works well when we are doing them, and she visibly relaxes, but when we resume our trail ride, within minutes, she's looking for panthers again. At particularly scary points (a pond with noisy geese), I use approach and retreat, but she never completely relaxes. At our turnaround point, it's all I can do to keep her at a walk on the way home. We've ridden this trail hundreds of times with others, including her pasture mate, with no problems whatsoever. I trailer her away from my barn regularly, so leaving her pasture mate behind is not normally a problem. As a mid- Level 3 student, I understand that this issue is not about the trail; it's about my leadership. What can I do to become a better leader for her (and convince her of that) so we can both enjoy these evening rides? —Donna

ANSWER Believe it or not, you are describing what Remmer used to be like. On the trail he becomes very unconfident and behaviorally speaking becomes a Right-Brain Extrovert. After a couple of scary rides I decided that I wouldn't trail ride again until I'd moved his confidence up a lot in all areas: his self confidence, confidence as a learner, in new environments, and in me as a leader. I think you need to do the same and it happens everywhere except on the trail. I gave it a year, it may not take that long for you... but be prepared to take the time it takes. Here are the things that will help: Extreme Friendly Game (get creative), play 'sniff this' on long lines and with more speed, and bring her adrenaline up on a regular basis (not every day, but regularly enough until you notice that it actually gets harder and harder to bring it up). Do this by asking for canter-gallop transitions and getting accelerated sends. Sometimes when Left-Brain Introverts are not used to high energy it scares them, then it gets hard to get them off it. Think of it as exercising her emotions. Finally, when you go back to the trail have a strong focus of what you want to do. First of all, manage thresholds in a big way. When you get to the first one, turn around and go all the way back to the barn and then return as many times as it takes for your horse to take you over it. You may even find that the thresholds get closer at first! Do this with each one without fail. It's your investment in building confidence. I think that you've helped with each threshold but you haven't actually overcome them. Secondly, when you get past the main threshold problems, think in terms of the Parelli Patterns: Follow the Rail can also be Follow the Trail so you can do the same exercises on it. Finally, check yourself out. What do you do when she gets afraid? Do you find that you get tight, do you feel frustrated, do you respond soon enough, are you a bit late in your timing? It's hard to be perfect of course, but as students of savvy we constantly need to be aware of what we are doing, especially the things we're not aware that we do, and our energy and emotions affects horses quite dramatically. As you know, it's hard to hide our feelings around horses. It sounds like you're doing many of the right things in that you focus the energy, so I think it's more about the emotional exercise you can prepare with at home.

QUESTION My husband and I started with Level 1 during February 2007. Instantly, it was as if our three Missouri Foxtrotters (Baron, Cotton, and Hustler) had arrived home to find the lights ON! We were finally speaking their language and they knew it. It was exciting and still is exciting today. You have said that the goal for us as horsemen and women is to not only have Savvy, but also to be an icon of safety, security, leadership, and fun to our horses. My husband and I have always wanted my horses to think at the end of each day that there is nothing that compares to time spent with us.

Question#1: Should I reprimand them for aggressive behavior displayed to each other while they are in my presence? While I am playing games with one horse, the herd leader Baron (Left-Brain Extrovert), will come and butt in and want to play, but his way — aggressive, biting, kicking. What I have done is this — I put the two horses that are lower in the pecking order in the barn where they can watch, but remain separated. I circle Baron, quite aggressively, and I try to match his energy. I do this until I get him to face me, and give me two eyes. It doesn't take much time. After that, he's compliant and willing. Then I move on to other games. He doesn't like the Friendly Game with a lot of touching and stuff. He wants to by pass the Friendly Game altogether. He loves all the "move those feet" games though. Is this normal?

Question#2: How do you suggest I get him to play in a group? Is this something I should wait until later phases for? I know I have seen your horses play in groups. Is this an advanced form of play?

Question#3: Am I perceiving his violent and aggressive behavior wrongly? I do not like seeing this behavior, but if it serves some equine purpose I am open minded enough to hear it. He usually goes after "my" horse, Cotton (Left-Brain Introvert).

Question#4: Do horses display jealously as a behavior and or emotion? —Barb and Dave

ANSWER ANSWER #1: Yes, you are right on. When you are with your horses you need to be the herd leader and not allow Baron to take over. Remember the concept of "protect your herd of two?" The horse you are playing with needs you to be in control of the situation. Running Baron around is the way to do it too... drive him away, matching his energy, until he acknowledges your leadership. One suggestion I have is to think of being assertive rather than aggressive. And finally, dominant horses don't allow friendly touching unless they initiate it. This should tell you about who thinks he is boss most of the time!

ANSWER #2: Yes, I would wait until you have consistent leadership with Baron. Until then it can be dangerous to play in a group. As soon as anyone thinks about playing with more than one horse at a time, you need to have a great thing going with each individual horse first.

ANSWER #3: It's just dominance. That's how horses play it in their world and although it seems violent and aggressive to us, it's just another day at the office for horses. As Pat so often points out, horses vote for their leaders every day. That's why they are always playing dominance games, some more subtle than others. Once again, when you are there the pecking order needs to clearly have you at the top and disallow nonsense between them.

ANSWER #4: A definition of 'jealous' is 'protective', so yes horses are very much involved in that behavior. They are protective of their herd, their young. If your horse is protective over you, it feels like a compliment but it also tells you that they see themselves as number 1. It is not safe for your horse to be number 1, you have to have that spot in the 51:49 balance of the relationship.