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The Four Savvys Levels Program

 

"Savvy is natural know-how. It's understanding times ten. It's horse wisdom. It's knowing horses mentally, emotionally and physically. It's knowing when to be, where to be, why to be and what to do when you get there"

Pat Parelli

On the ground

1. Savvy-Online 

Online is the first Savvy and the most successful entry point into the Parelli Program.
You will discover a whole new world of fun things to do with your horse. You will learn to communicate with your horse over various distances, about obstacles and challenges – for example: sending your horse in the trailer on the end of the 15 m rope, sideways over a barrel, jumping obstacles or flying lead changes.

Playing on the ground, using a halter and a lead rope, lays the corner stone for trust, respect and connection in everything you will do together. You will learn how to stay safe with your horse and solves problems already on the ground, like: spooking, kicking, biting, rearing, your horse running on top of you, pulling away or tying issues.

2. Savvy-Liberty

Imagine the amazing feeling when your horse wants to be with you, wants to follow you, synchronizes with you – and all this without a halter or any rope attached. Imagine an wide open space with nice grass. Your horse canters next to you full of energy and exuberance, changes direction on your request, turns of the haunches because you made 180° turn and finally, just where the most delicious grass is growing you give the sign to stop. Your horse comes to a halt with a sliding stop and starts to graze. After a minute or so the game starts again and the feeling of happiness runs through your body...  

Liberty is the ultimate truth test for your relationship with your horse. Liberty teaches your horse to come to you, follow you, have purity of gait, doing flying changes, spins, slide stops and develops self carriage. With Liberty, your mental and emotional connection with your horse will grow leaps and bounds, to the point that you truly become partners.

When riding:

3. Savvy-FreeStyle

Cantering with your horse bridle-less on the beach into the sunset – the ultimate dream – this is the ultimate Freestyle! In Freestyle you will learn to achieve such a strong mental, emotional and physical connection with your horse, that you will feel as one unit. With this strong connection you will be able to ride circles, transitions, stops, jumps and even lead changes without using your reins.

FreeStyle riding – riding with a loose rein - is an essential component of any well-rounded horsemanship education. In fact, here at Parelli, we think it’s so important that we’ve based half of our entire in-saddle program on FreeStyle! As your riding skills improve and your horse gains confidence, you’ll have more fun together than you ever thought possible. And really, isn’t that what it’s all about?

4. Savvy-Finesse

Finesse is about the ultimate refinement. It encompasses riding close to your horse. with concentrated reins, with soft, polite and willing feel and with vertical flexion. It involves a deal of savvy. Riding with finesse means that your cues are virtually invisible. Nothing you do requires more than 100g. Your horse becomes an extension of you. Finesse should be light, beautiful, like a dance without force.

 

Click through the video gallery and watch an inspirational video for each Savvy

 

 

 

Click the "Plus" icon to explore the Four Level of Parelli Natural Horsemanship:

 

Online

In Level 1 you learn how to build Rapport, build basic skills and you learn how to stay safe around your horse by playing the 7 games online with the 3,7 m Lead rope. You will also learn about Prey –and Predator Psychology and how this affects our everyday life with our horses.

Tools

  • Halter
  • 3,7m Leadrope
  • Carrot Stick and Savvy String

Online

Level 2 is all about gaining more confidence and enjoyment with your horse. You start to play with your horse on the 7 m rope, be more imaginative and creative with the 7 games and the patterns you learnt in Level 1. You will also learn how to be more subtle and effective with your phases and start to have fun with your horse playing on the ground.

Tools

  • Halter
  • 3,7m Leadrope, 7m Rope
  • Carrot Stick and Savvy String
  • Obstacles

Freestyle

In Level 2 Freestyle riding is introduced, you should be finished with Level 1 online before starting Freestyle. You will ride with a natural hackamore on loose reins and learn how to be effectively safe and gain a mental connection with your horse. You will learn about saddling with savvy and pre–flight checks to make sure your horse is actually safe to ride. You will learn how to lightly and effectively guide your horse at walk and trot and how to speed him up and slow him down with confidence.

Tools

  • Halter, 3,7m Lead Rope
  • Carrot Stick, Savvy String
  • Natural Hackamore
  • Saddle with Saddle Pad

Online

In Level 3, you and your horse will begin to achieve harmony together while playing on the 45 foot Lariat Rope. You will learn to master your intention and energy and the responses from your horse will continue to improve in quality and consistency. You will play a lot in higher gaits and with obstacles, improving your horse’s level of impulsion and emotional fitness.

Tools

  • Halter
  • 3,7m Leadrope 7m Rope
  • 15m Lariat Rope
  • Carrot Stick and Savvy String
  • Obstacles

Freestyle

In Level 3 you will work a lot on keeping your responsibilities as a rider, using the power of your focus and developing an independent seat. You will also strongly work on teaching your horse to keep his responsibilities which includes: 1. maintaining his gait – having good impulsion, meaning that he is as easy to have him go forward as it is to stop him. 2. maintaining direction: your horse will learn to willingly follow your focus through playing with the patters with the goal that you need your reins less and less until you can ride all the patters with the carrot stick

Tools

  • Natural Hackamore
  • Snaffle Bridle
  • Carrot Stick
  • Saddle with Pad

Liberty

You will learn how to get and maintain a strong mental and emotional connection with your horse at liberty in a round pen. You will play all 7 games at liberty and your relationship with your horse will become more and more harmonious.

Tools

  • Carrot Stick and String
  • Round Pen (18m-20m diameter)
  • Obstacles

Finesse

Finesse Level 3 is all about preparation, and ensuring that you’ve got a good grasp on the prerequisites for the more advanced maneuvers you’ll develop in Level 4. In Level 3, you will introduce the Snaffle and develop an understanding of bits, bridles, and correct rein responsibilities. Ideally you only start doing Finesse once you are already well into Level 3/4 on the ground and almost finished with Level 3 Freestyle.

Tools

  • Snaffle Bridle with Horseman's Reins
  • Saddle with Saddle Pad

Online

Throughout Level 4, you will continue to test and refine your bond, to the point that your communication cues are almost invisible. You will introduce driving from zone 5 with long reins, giving you another tool and opportunity to get creative with your horse. 

Tools

  • Halter
  • 3,7m Leadrope, 7m Rope, 15m Lariat Rope
  • Feather Lines
  • Carrot Stick and Savvy String
  • Obstacles

Freestyle

This is the Level where it all comes together. You and your horse are connected mentally, emotionally and physically and your horse has reliable respect and impulsion. You will learn to ride your horse without anything on the head while feeling in total harmony with him!

Tools

  • Natural Hackamore
  • Snaffle Bridle
  • 2 Carrot Sticks
  • Savvy String
  • Saddle with Pad, Bareback Pad

Liberty

In Level 4 you will achieve mental, emotional and physical refinement with your horse. You will play 7 games with elegance and with almost invisible cues. You will learn how to ask your horse for complex manoeuvres such as spins, flying lead changes and close range circles. Toward the end of Level 4 you are even able to play with your horse at liberty in big open spaces.

Tools

  • Carrot Stick and String
  • Round Corral (18m-20m diameter)
  • Riding Arena or Pasture
  • Obstacles

Finesse

In Finesse the bit contact is introduces. You begin to ride with a soft contact, refinement and precision. You will develop the fundamentals of performance, for both western and English sports. The horse’s mouth is the most sensitive area of his body, both physically and emotionally. It takes a great deal of feel to effectively communicate with your horse through the bit without causing opposition reflex or fear. This is why you should be already well advanced and good with your freestyle riding before starting Finesse.

Tools

  • Cradle Bridle or Comfort Snaffle
  • Finesse Reins

 

For more information check out the Parelli website www.parelli.com 

 

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