Rating: 
Summary: Parelli is an egomaniacal shiester and should be ashamed!
Review: As a horse trainer who has spent endless hours and dollars on my education and who makes every effort to make her training sessions as productive as possible for both the horse and his owner I cannot for the life of me figure out what Parelli's agenda is other than making money. His levels system of training is designed soley to keep you buying - his books, his tapes, his equipment. HE IS NOT OUT TO HELP ANYONE WORK WITH HORSES. If he were, he would make learning his methods more affordable, easier to understand and easier to put into practice. Wake up horse folks. If you attend a clinic or buy a book and cannot learn something that is easy to understand and immediately useful the next time you step into your barn or pasture YOU ARE BEING RIPPED OFF! This guy owes the entire horse community a public apology for getting carried away with himself. If there were a prison for horse trainers who are ethically bankrupt, Pat Parelli would be on death row...
Rating: 
Summary: excellent introduction to communicating with your horse
Review: As a new horse owner, I'm devouring every book on training that I can find. Pat Parelli's Natural Horse-Man-Ship stands out as one of the best.
The key lesson I took away from this book was the importance of learning to think like a horse; without that, you can never really connect with your animal. The book is a good balance between clarifying the underlying concepts and providing enough basic exercises to allow the reader to get started on developing a productive, positive relationship with her horse.
What's often lost in the criticism of Parelli's showmanship and geegaw-hawking is that the success of his program lies in the principles upon which it is based. What it all boils down to is this -- learn to think like a horse, and you'll be far more successful in communicating with your horse. And you'll have a lot more fun.
I do wish there was not such a hard sell on his tools. It's not the tools that magically transform the horses, it's the application of the principles and exercises.
I did find there to be excessive repetition of some concepts if the book is read cover to cover, but if you examine it section by section, it becomes more helpful, since he repeats important ideas when they are relevant instead of expecting you to remember it from previous chapters. I could do without all the alliteration and aphorisms, but at the same time, they are useful memory tools. This isn't meant to be great literature, after all.
Parelli emphasizes the importance of taking the time necessary to work with your horse. I think his clinics and some of the media coverage he gets may overshadow this, by showing problem horses that seem to be transformed into perfectly behaved animals in the course of a day.
In the book, he provides estimates for how long it should take for you and your horse to reach certain levels of proficiency and expertise. His timeline makes it clear that there is no substitute for wet saddle blankets. Parelli's system is not a shortcut that will magically transform you into a super trainer with a horse that could substitute at the last minute for a Lippizaner. But it may save you time by letting you understand how not to do things, and how not to teach your horse bad habits that you will then have to untrain.
I'm truly surprised at the criticism I see in some reviews of his methods as being "bully" techniques, etc. I was actually quite impressed with the gentleness of his program. This is a man who insists that the rider should be able to go on bended knee and get the horse to take the bit gladly. You cannot terrify a horse into that sort of behavior.
While I don't consider myself a Parelli convert, I am convinced just from the progress I've seen with my horse over the past three weeks that his principles are sound and the exercises useful.
This book is an excellent starting point that will give you enough information to try out the ideas within, and decide if the Parelli system is going to work for you and your horse. You don't have to buy all the Parelli-branded tack to get started. All you need is you and your horse, plus some patience and some love. Get ready to play with your horse!
Rating:
Summary: Every horseman should know this.
Review: As a rider in showjumping, I have used the great technichs for convinving your horse to please you, Parelli`s method helps you train that problem horse from the ground to the saddle, with simple lungeing exercises helps you gain the leader status so important to the horse, this book makes you realize how easy it is to help your horse be brave and confident with your leadership.
Rating: 
Summary: Parelli-Safe way 2 start new relationship, info beyond book
Review: Being a beginner 3 years ago, I bought many books to prepare myself and my new 3 year old for our relationship. I learned alot from the concepts of Lyons and other authors, but they didn't give me enough direction to start actually working with my horse.I found Parelli's book to be the best help - it started out with more specific exercises and details on how to applied what I'd learned. In one year working with Parelli book techniques a few times a week my horse went from green broke to "too well trained" to be enough of a challenge for me. I have since attended Parelli seminars and bought the "system" to start my new horse. I disagree with the reviewer that said some of Parelli is untrue or unsafe - that some horses cannot be ridden bareback. Parelli has a very detailed system with very specific pre-flight checks that guarentee your horse will be safe before you get on. If the horse is not safe to get on bareback, then he is not really mentally ready to get on with saddle & bridle either! It's all about preparing his mind and starting a relationship - and it does take patience & lots of work (DON'T try to rush it or shortcut). If you are looking for a quick way to make your green broke horse into an old trail horse, this book is not for you. But then again, you probably will get sick of trying to "train" your horse and be like the 80% of new horse owners that quite before the 1st year is up. In Parelli training with Teri Palmer, I saw some "un-sane" horses with terrible relationships with their owners being ridden by the last day with a lead rope and halter. My new horse was on the other end - terribly confident and walking all over me. It took him a VERY long time to pass the "pre flight checks" (as Pat says to each new lesson & test, "I've never seen it take more than 2 days!"), but once he did, it allowed me to ride with more confidence and way more safely (no one in the program had a single problem, spook, stubborness, or anything on their horse!!!!-and everyone was there because their horses were terrible originally). The book does describe these pre-flight checks, but I recommend getting a video or going through training if you are unsure about any one of them since seeing it is easier to understand than reading it. I do say though that although the book is a good start, the parelli trainer sessions (level 1) really helped me with some of the confusion and questions I had about certain techniques. It was very expensive, but so interesting that my auditing husband signed up for the last 2 days after the first 2 were so progressive. I would highly recommend that if you are serious about trying parelli, you consider sessions with a 3 or 4 star trainer, even over buying the system. And find a friend interested in working with it also - it's easier to bounce concepts off each other and get some feedback while working your horse. And it helps with motivation - I'm a "common just do it NOW" type person and it took alot of motivation to take a step back and really do things right (as my horse was ready for). I'm actually out here today looking to buy Linda Parelli's riding video - I feel that I'm not quite communicating what I want to now that I'm up on my youngster bareback and I really like the way Linda communicates her ideas (she helped organize Pat's). One other nice thing about the book - if you don't like it, you can alway sell it for asking price on ebay. One downside with parelli - although you can make your own tools (and I did), his ropes and carrot stick are really one of a kind and are expensive. His rope is custom made for his company, and is much much heavier than all other ropes - you cant buy this rope at any store that I've found, or already made lead ropes of this sort. I used much lighter rope of the same size & softness, with heavy clasps on the end, and it's much less effective in giving signals (but it does work sort of). The carrot stick can easily be replaced with any 4-5 foot stick with leather taped on the end(and he uses golf club handles on the end) and if you are new at it a lighter stick won't wear you out as fast (this stick is heavy). The savvy string is a must - it's also extra heavy weight, and there are no replacements (trust me I tried). And obviously rope halters are easy to make or buy on ebay.
Rating: 
Summary: It kinda frustrates me
Review: Don't get me wrong I like Pat Parelli and I can't wait to be at a level to use his techniques. But he's expensive. And not for the novice trainer that is on a limited budget. I think to get the most from him you have to buy his whole program or go to his ranch camp. I'm new at training and most of his stuff is too...i don't know....not specific. I think he is more of a fine tuning type guy until you are really experienced(or can afford his stuff) But I love his philosophy and ideas. So if your a novice I'd suggest waiting till ya get some time under your belt....try Clinton Anderson or John Lyons to start!
Rating:
Summary: Natural Partnership
Review: Great book and easy to understand... I am currently going through the stages of Level 1 of the Parelli Program. This book along with a Parelli demonstration I saw inspired me to begin the program. Since I've started reading this boook and have been doing the program I feal that I know my horse better and that my horse knows me. We are in tune to each other when riding and on the ground. If you are interested in the NATURAL and CORRECT way of TEACHING your horse AND yourself, get this book!!!
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Summary: If you love horses you MUST read this book!
Review: I bought Pat's book a couple of years ago and enthusiastically read it from cover to cover because I love my horses and want to learn to interact more effectively with them. I appreciated the concepts which Pat discussed but I found myself saying to myself "That will never work with MY horses!" Then March of 1998 I got an opportunity to see Pat in person at his SAAVY day in Emma, MO. The experience literally changed my life. I now see my horses in a totally different way. I have since re-read his book and can now fully understand what he was trying to convey. I also bought several of his videos which have also helped explain what he discusses in his book. I wholeheartedly believe that anyone who wants to understand and relate to their horses must read this book. And if you get the chance to see Pat in person, don't let ANYTHING keep you away!
Rating:
Summary: It's a great book!!
Review: I bought this book at a local book store and I enjoy it. The only reason I would give it a 4 is because I think it needs more illustration to identify what it is trying to say. I'm the type that can look at a picture and understand more than I could by just reading. I have been refering to this book everytime I need help, I'm training my own horse. I want my new colt to be the best horse to his ability. This book explains alot that helps him mentally, not only phisically. I would recommend this book and trainer to any one that is in the process of training a horse or just keeping an old horse in line and something new to learn. If any one has a question about natural horse-man-ship with your horse refer to this book and it will help you understand what to do. Thank You, Leslie
Rating:
Summary: The Horse is the Best Teacher
Review: I do not agree with all Pat's methods. But it is not torture. I strongly recommend that "I would give it zero stars if I could" go out and watch his or her horses for a while. They do not bribe each other or politely ask the other to move. They bite and kick. I do not beat my horses, I just act like another horse that knows her stuff. My horse respects me and even though it sometimes comes to "bites and kicks" we get along great and she does anything I ask her willingly. She loves me and I never force her, I spend time with her and just give her love. I feed her treats and give her rubs. I watch the way she acts in a herd and try to mimick her when we play. Watch a herd of horses and then try to say that Pat's method is not even a little right. I learn from various people and do not try to pretend to be an expert, but Clicker training is not what is natural in a horse herd. They play games, not exactly the way Parelli does, but we are not horses so we need ways to make our body more like theirs, Pat is not a big corporate dude, he does not have sponsors. Take time and think, feel, act, and play like a horse. Pat is using his methods to try and get people to do what horses do. Sure you can never "bite" your horse and he will love you, but he won't respect you. Take time and let your horse teach you, this book is worth reading along with many others. The message many "natural" trainers are trying to get across is that the horse will teach you what you need to know, you just have to listen.
Rating:
Summary: One of the greatest horse-rider books ever!
Review: I have read this book and taken a Parelli course. I have been riding all my life and I consider the Parelli instruction absolutely the best on earth. Every horse and every rider will benefit from this book.
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