PONY CLUB DEMONSTRATION

I thought the demo was really impressive, I'm glad that you and Moira rode too as I've heard Parelli slagged off on a number of occasions because people don't always see anyone ride and then think we're too frightened to get on the horse, or maybe we haven't been given "permission" to mount yet, when really the person doing the Parelli is not at that level yet. Some of the comments I heard from the audience were "What, do they just whisper it in the horses' ear or something?!" (To ask for permission) Children are always difficult to convince/please though so I also think you had quite a tough audience.
I hope that the instructors could see how the horses were willing to do tasks/play games and how focused they were on you as their leader, and that it would be nice if everyone could have that sort of a relationship with their horse.

Ulrike, N/Hants

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Dawn M, N/Hants

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You really blew me away with what you have all managed to achieve! I am completely hooked and can't wait for the NEC event!
I reckon that Catherine has found something where slight deafness is an advantage, she seems very perceptive of the horse and the body language needed to communication, and I was very impressed and really enjoyed the demo lesson.
I feel I am now getting a picture of what you can achieve and also how to achieve it. I am going to buy a pack at the event and get started ASAP.

Lucy Curtis, N/Hants

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Take care, Hope to see you girls on the Parelli site...
Best Wishes,
Shelly Morris
Thomson, GA
USA

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SILKE VALLETIN FEBRUARY 2006

Thanks for a great weekend, learnt loads. Silke was brilliant and I thought it was really good the way she treated everyone individually rather than make everyone do the same thing regardless if it was appropriate or not! We really enjoyed the whole weekend and loved watching the liberty stuff, I always find it quite emotional, don't know why? Just remember to keep "shagging" that saddle, glad you saw the difference on the video because when you "got it" he slowed to a lovely trot and you didn't slap the saddle.  Well a big thank you for organising the weekend, would love to do it again and this time bring my youngster who by then I will be able to ride.

Yours naturally

Wendy Smith

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Hope you are well, the Silke weekend was fantastic, I think she is a brilliant teacher and she teaches with a lot energy, also she could see individual needs of each person  which she gave time to as well as keeping everyone else busy, also Silke as a great personality and great sense of humour which goes along way in teaching, great weekend.

Nick Smith

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Thought I'd drop you a line to say 'Thank you' for arranging this weekend. Although I only came on Saturday, I thoroughly enjoyed it and learnt loads. I though it was great that we were involved as spectators from the start by judging the various challenges. I found the trailer loading particularly useful and it was great to watch different people try throughout the day. The whole day made me want to rush home and play with Fin! Plus I was really disappointed not be able to return on the Sunday as I would have loved to have seen the liberty stuff.

Thanks again Michelle Hart

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A big big thank you for a fantastic weekend. I enjoyed it SO much and learnt SO much too. Put my name at the top of the list for her next visit. She was such a good teacher, I am glad I came for two days. I had trouble sleeping trying to remember all the things she was saying, I was listening so hard. I wish I had taken a note book and pen.

Julia Bye

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What can I say, bl**dy fantastic, what a wonderful person. We have had a great time watching and have learnt so much. Congratulations to those who passed their level 1. Well done to all that took part and especially well done to you Dawn for organising it. So sad it's over.

Love from Dawn Morton and Evelyn Essam x

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First I must say a big thanks for organising another fab weekend. Really enjoyed it and so wished I could have had my horse there, but more determined than ever to get her there this year. Sooner rather than later I hope. My head was bursting with all the info from Silke so how you all with horses there must feel I don't know. She's an amazing woman and makes everything look so simple, like you said the old light bulb kept switching on over the weekend. It was fantastic that she managed to cover such a lot and that she got everyone doing tasks from different levels. It was encouraging to see that you could try little bits and pieces of Level 2 and 3 even if you hadn't got to those levels yet. Once again thank you and please pass on my thanks to Silke and let her know what a huge push she's given me.

Carole Ryan

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I'm still floating about ten feet above the ground, it all feels a bit surreal. I thought the whole weekend was just perfect and will write you a proper email when I have recovered my senses. Well done and thank you for organizing it all.

Susi Boyd

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Well, it's just over a week on and it's finally starting to sink in that I've passed my level 1. And the amazing thing, having played this weekend, is that it HAS made a difference... and all of this is down to both the incredible weekend with Silke and to your patience and help over the past few months.

So, the weekend with Silke... wow!

Right from the start, Silke was very friendly, funny and direct, a lovely combination. She was very clear at explaining new concepts (and lets face it... all the Level 2 concepts are new to me!) and in picking up how minor adjustments to our actions would impact on the horse. Her knowledge and confidence allowed her to demonstrate time and again with individual horses that when there's an issue, its rarely the horse "getting it wrong" but us! And lets face it, until we know that, how can we ever make progress? It is so completely about reading the horse and responding immediately (if not sooner) by releasing pressure or increasing it... I am so jealous of Silke's ability to do that!! But it means she showed us how it will be when we get it right... The precise order of events over the weekend are a bit of a blur now (so much to take in)... but there were definite personal highlights throughout:

1. Learning to try and channel more energy but less movement into a longer phase 1, then moving more quickly up through the phases if there is no positive "try" (I really love this because it works well with Cookie, who ultimately as a submissive mare does just want to get it right so once she understands she/I was much lighter)

2. The whole concept of "winning" the games

3. Playing at liberty (a first for me) in an arena full of other horses doing to same and managing to keep Cookie's focus on me (!)

4. Trailer loading (and then doing it at liberty!!!). Silke's one on one attention really helped me to see how being clumsy with your hands on the rope gives the horse the wrong signal.. when I thought I was giving her rope to go in, I was wiggling it so she'd scoot back out again! As soon as I managed not to wiggle, she didn't back out (there's a surprise!). As a PS to trailer loading, I did it this Sunday with the lorry... and she went straight up the ramp on her own with me on the ground and then stood at the top, facing out (but as they are used to turning sideways to travel in the lorry when loaded and coming out forwards, that didn't worry me too much) but waited patiently until I asked her back down!! So all of my fears/excuses as to why I yo-yo'd her in were unfounded..

5. Improving the sideways game, which was a weakness of ours... again what I learned from Silke was reinforced by you this weekend by our first real success away from the "rails" and on Sunday she did it whilst at the end of her 12 ft line!

6. Doing ridden simple canter lead changes... as that was the first time I'd tried Parelli at a canter.

I'm sure there were more, but these are the ones that stick out in my mind. Oh well, and of course, passing Level 1, LOL!!

The only negative for me was starting with the tournament, as both Cookie and I lost confidence at the first obstacle and clung to each other for the rest of it. I was probably intimidated by it because I was one of the least experienced participants, and the rest of the weekend did very successfully build up my confidence to beyond where I started, but I did feel anxious, under pressure and "watched", which in retrospect is exactly what I then made Cookie feel. I would have loved to try it again at the end of the weekend to see if where we'd improved! Anyway, who did win it?!?

In summary, if my brain is a sponge, there were many, many moments when it was bursting at the seams... as well as a couple of moments when I felt like everything had been squeezed out and I hadn't a clue what to do next! One thing's for sure... I absorbed so much new information that weekend, I feel very excited by how that has opened up my vision and made going forward from here much more exciting, both in progressing with Cookie as well as having more confidence now to go back and start Level 1 with the more charming but "challenging" Bahita.

And one things for sure, no matter how much I think I love Cookie, that love just keeps on growing and growing as we make this journey... I am so proud of her I could burst

And for that, I thank you both enormously. Silke, when are you coming back??!!!

Susi Boyd and Cookie