I am finding this book very helpful. I love to learn new things about horses, and dealing with them, and anything that will help improve my relationship. And this book is giving me something new an positive on every page. Even after my 14 years of dealing with them!!!

I did not find this book helpful at all. Mr.Parelli is all over the place with his writing. There are no real instructions on how to train, just his philosophy. I did not find the book useful, it will be the first book to go in my garage sale pile. He's very "showy".

This book, along with the entire Parelli Levels DVD home-study, Savvy monthly magazines and DVD's, Liberty & Horse Behavior DVD Set and the Success Series DVD, teach a philosophy of thinking like the horse, caring for your horse with leadership and love, and always keeping it natural.
Parelli, who is very experienced and knowledgable in the theory and practice of horse training, psychology and behavior, teaches us how to understand how horses think and learn. It's nothing short of amazing.

Once you read this book, you'll want to learn more, and Pat & Linda Parelli provide many valuable resources to support you on your journey with your horse. Together they teach the 8 Principles of Natural Horsemanship, stressing that preparation, patience, love, language and leadership are all important keys to learning how to read, motivate and trust your horse - and most importantly, build and grow a bond with your equine partner.

Parelli teaches that since 99% of problems with horses are 'problem people' not 'problem horses' his book and their entire study program, is really a people-training guide. The Parelii's step-by-step program is easy to follow and will take you from "green" to savvy in regards to discovering your potential, revealing your horse and treating your horse with dignity, compassion and understanding.

I've been on the Parelli Journey for nearly two years now, starting from "scratch" and knowing only that my love for my horse was the engine that would motivate me. I had no idea what I was getting into, but when I was introduced to the Parelli's Natural Horsemanship study, I was guided in a profound, logical, confident way - it was as if Pat and Linda were right there with me. Start with this book, open your mind and heart to new challenges with your horse, and you will discover a journey that fuels your equinne passion with knowledge, principles, communication, leadership, and a bond of trust and love. Thank you Pat and Linda.

I thought this book was excellent! I am a new horse owner and found it to be very helpful. Also, I am not into hurting my horse so reading about working with him naturally was right up my alley.

I love the parelli level system but this book is poorly organized and not very helpful. It is more about a philosphy and witty remarks than a method of training. Stick to the level DVDs.

i enjoyed reading and value the information in this book.even if you don't have a horse just love them you would find this book interesting.

Four stars go to the content, because Pat Parelli is a demi-God in the field of horsemanship, and so anything he has to teach us will be amazing, and teach us he does in this book. But, the layout, photography, and even the writing is sub-par. Layout wise I find the book a bit intimidating/confusing and unorganized. Photography is okay, many times blurry, and the photos are mostly in black and white. The writing at times is cool, because it sounds like he is talking to you, but often it is repetitive and too wordy. I give it four stars, though, because there is so much you can learn from the book once you overlook its defects.

Very good, clearer and more concise than what I have seen Parelli do on video. Much less rambling and very to the point.

Author writes in an easy to read conversational format. He emphasises the importance of horse and rider spending time together to get to know each other. Building of trust on both the horse and rider. I recommend this book. Also watch RFD TV on satelitte.

This is it. Everything is in this book. One can study this book for years and find something new in it each time. Natural horsemanship is so old, it's new again. Pat Parelli is the only one who has managed to put it all together in one place with one title. Since the Dorrance brothers and Ronnie Willis have graduated to Horseman's Heaven, the next best thing is learning from one of their star pupils. Pat is entertaining and almost always profound. The only question is do you savvy savvy?

While I liked some aspects of Pat's book I found it confusing, unclear, in some instances, repetitive and in some cases, not useful for me at all. He mentions that horses that bite (my horse) bite because you let them get too close (duh!) yet the 1st lesson to gain respect has you touching the horses muzzle to get him to back up (my horse tried to bite me- so, now what?). One of the next exercises has you touching his chest, you know the part of the body directly under the horses' head.... the head that has the biting teeth in it... my horse tried to bite me again! I am giving up on Pat's book for now. Clinton Anderson's book "Down Under Horsemanship" teaches how to use a stick to keep the horse away (not using it to threaten but as an extension of your arm). Clinton's book has step by step pictures and explanations of what can go wrong (both with the horse and human) and how to fix what went wrong. Both he and Pat have similar philosophies but Clinton's book flows much better, gives better examples, describes problems and solutions and stresses how to progress. I would stick with Clinton's book.

There are a lot of so called "natural horsemaship" books, dvds etc out there. I was already steered in this direction because my horse is a parelli student, but I usually tend to do my own thing and so, I checked out a few of the other programs out there, and bought this book despite some reviewers opinions about Pat being a great salesman, using terms that didn't need to be used, creating his own language etc. Let me say this.. yes, this book which is relatively inexpensive in the big scheme of how much horse training costs. It is also Pats "hook", or method he uses to spark interest in his program. It works. It is a great overview of the parelli program, but if you are looking for one little book to teach you how to do it, don't waste your money. The books alone, even if you are an experienced horseperson, are not going to give you enough information. If you want to get a feeling for what natural horsemanship is all about, the book will answer the questions you have, and spark some new ones! I have the entire parelli program now, and am going to one of the conferences this year, to see the Pat and his wife Linda in action. The book hooked me! I'm a praelli devotee now, and urge all horse people to give it a try. Its a new way of interacting with horses, that makes it more fun than you can imagine, while stressing safety and savvy around these large, potentially dangerous, but wonderful and beautiful animals. I know.. just drink the cool aid!
Robin

I bought this book for my daughter she thought it was good but did prefer John Lyons and Pat Parelli's DVD better as it was visual and this book was against some of her own ideas but a great book if you like the techniques that Pat Parelli uses.
He uses phrases a little old fashion for the younger generation and therefore my daughter found his relationship to the horses a little hard to understand as she did not know the people he refered to.
It does teach all about respect for the horse and from the horse and is well described none the less. A lot of important facts about how to teach a horse, use of spurs, trailer loading, tools, yeilding and many basic detailed descriptions of cantering, techniques of he rein, timing, Desensitizing, voice cues and much more. A great all in one book with black and white photos.
Has a different technique to John Lyons which she decided she liked best after reading this book

You'll be able to train any problem horse with these useful tips for the professional trainer. This handbook is full of technical jargon, but the information is useful.

A MUST have book. Very easy to read, informative but get his DVD's as well - they will help to explain the concepts.

A MUST have book. Very easy to read, informative but get his DVD's as well - they will help to explain the concepts.

Pretty good book. Lots of useful tips on training problem horses. Some of the training is a bit too technical for the non-professional horse person. Makes me want to go to a Parelli clinic.

When I bought this book, I was looking for an introduction to the Parelli style of natural horsemanship. I was hoping to find a simple, clear text on how to improve both my riding skills and my understanding of horses - to find the horse version of dog behaviourists Patricia McConnell or Turid Rugaas.

Unfortunately, I found this book shallow, poorly organised and hard to understand.

Parelli has a strange style of writing, badly organised and hard to read. He seems to delight in giving us numbered lists of concepts ("six keys" "eight responsibilities" "seven games" "six yields"), as if he is under the impression that putting something in a list is just as good as fully explaining it. The useful information that is present is disorganised and is plumped out with pages of conversational filler. There wasn't a clear logical order to the exercises, not much discussion of horse body-language or herd structure, no discussion on the theory behind this method, or how it compares to learning theory and behaviourism. There certainly wasn't enough practical information here for a beginner to start using any of the methods with their own horse.

Overall, there were some interesting concepts in this book, but the writing style really let it down. The material deserves to be re-written, using clear syntax, sensible structure, plenty of photographs, and step-by-step instructions. I certainly wouldn't recommend this book to a Parelli beginner, though perhaps those who already understand the concepts of Parelli would find some value in it.

I loved the concept behind the technique and found each step usefull from the first page to the last. What's best, is that I saw success right away after applying these steps. I loved the way the book read. It was easy to follow and the illustrations reinforced the text beautifully. However, since the author made his own training aids, I wanted to know how to make them, too. So, I found myself wanting more when I hit the last page, at least a reference page to where I could purchase said training aids or learn how to make them myself. Also, a question is still unanswered. If the knots of the halter are strategically placed, where are those strategic places, and why are they stratigic?

Save your money. Spend time with your horse. Go to an actual clinic or trainer if you can afford it. Parelli's writing is difficult. The concepts are difficult to understand and there is little practical or useful information. Horses are fairly simple. Parelli makes it sound exotic. It's not.

I would recommend or even make it mandatory for everyone even thinking of going near a horse to read this book. Pat Parelli gets it from the horses point of view, and makes it easy for us to get it too. I have a 2, 3 and 4 yr horse. I have worked with all of them utilizing the theories presented in this book. I have also bought his partnership level 1 and the tools to go with it. It works, my horses are responsive and a joy to be with.

Mr Parelli writes in a self-opinionated, pompous style about horses, trying to give the impression that he is the guru of all things equine. While his methods have undoubtedly enabled a large number of people to improve their relationship with their horse, one must remember that there are untold millions who have a wonderful relationship with their horse which owes nothing to either his expensively-marketed system or the costly, cutely-named gadgets which seem to be an integral part of this.
With attention being paid everywhere to accident prevention, Mr Parelli would also do well to remember that many children will follow his methods. Novices need to remember things like helmets and sturdy shoes and Mr Parelli is in a position to set an example.
All in all - not impressed.

Great book! Full of help and hope for horse owners. Everything is ready to use and easy to understand!

This book is wonderful and it should be required reading for anyone who owns or rides a horse. It is easy to follow and the ground and saddle techniques DO work.
I also recommend the Level one home study package.

I started here years ago and have never looked back. This book will help you lay the foundation for everything else you want to do with your horse. There are other knowledgable horsemen and their programs that are very worthwhile, this one just worked best for me.

It saddens me to think people are still being taken in by so-called "natural" methods. I was one of those people for a long time. To be completely honest, I was quite fanatical about PNH, thought it was nice and kind and "the only way" to train a horse. It was CRUEL to do anything else!!

I had a bad experience with an instructor bashing the **** out of my frightened horse. Even in fear, he would never hurt a person. She had no excuse. Before anyone dismisses this as me having one bad experience with a "mis-informed" pupil who had somehow "slipped through the ranks of kindness" - I THOUGHT THAT TOO! I was in complete denial that PNH could endorse such horrible methods.

However, well over a year later, during which much of my time has been devoted to thoroughly researching not only PNH but any "NH" trainers, and also 'training' my horses - no longer using NH methods (and the horses are so very much better, too) I have come to the realisation that NH is a crock of ****. There is NO need to dominate your horse, it is ridiculous to "act like a horse" and equally ridiculous to try to be "alpha". NH... PNH, and yes, Pat Parelli himself - VERY HARSH. Read between the lines. Turn the sound down and really look at what he is doing in the videos.

We are not horses, we are humans, a completely different species - and horses know this! They are not stupid. Horses do not 'naturally' WANT to hurt or 'dominate' humans. Maybe a young horse will at some stage see if he can move the humans as horses move other horses... this is just a test and if the human says "no" and claps hands or even (depending on situation) ignores this behaviour or laughs at it... the horse learns that the human is not going to act like another horse and at the same time doesn't want them to treat them like one.

With abused horses it is obviously different but once again dominating them (more abuse basically) is NOT the answer.

I don't really like clicker training as I feel it doesn't give the animal credit for being intelligent either, but I would recommend CT over NH any day as it's not harsh. However the best thing to do is forget the books and techniques... spend some time with your horse, no gadgets and only a web halter and lead if indeed you even need that, with you as the human and your horse as a horse... two species getting along together, not one trying to be something they are not. You CAN become your horses trusted friend and get your horse to want you as their leader without doing any of that. (And yes, you can earn their RESPECT too. The kind of "respect" in NH is actually FEAR.) Contact me if you'd like some help or advice or if you agree and just want to discuss this. andnowforsomething_completelydifferent@hotmail.com

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!

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!

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.

I would hope that every one of Pat Parelli's detractors carefully read this book. I'm not a PP groupie but the more I read this book the more I see how his ideas are mangled and maligned by those who are put off by the razz-a-matazz, or jealous of the celebrity or perhaps have seen a bad example of his pupils.

This book is an introduction. It tries to cover all the principles of Natural Horsemanship (PP style), introduce the Parelli philosophy, give you a couple of exercises to start out with, talk about the gear and discuss PP's life and experiences. Covering such a wide range of topics, it is easy to complain that it covers none in depth - but it was never intended to.

What I particularly like about the book is that, if you are willing to read it (perhaps several times), in its entireity you get a much better picture of what Pat Parelli is really all about. Here is a man with an understanding of the horse as a complex being in its own right - not a big dog or a cow or a surrogate baby or a tractor. He explains equine motivation, and needs and how understanding and working within those boundaries will make your relationship with your horse much more satisfying (for both of you).

To be "nice" I give this book a "2 star" as it interesting reading. There are now a lot of other books available that I would recommend rather than this book.

This book offers a structured approach that people find comfortable but I would recommend that if you do buy this book also buy Mark Rashid's book, "Horses Never Lie: The Heart of Passive Leadership," and/or Marty Marten's book "Problem Solving, Preventing and Solving Common Horse Problems" and/or "True Horsemanship Through Feel" by Leslie Desmond and Bill Dorrance.