How to Play Parelli Games With a Horse

Playing the Seven Parelli Games with your horse is a great way to earn the horse's respect. Horses are natural followers, and these seven games help you become your horse's leader. The seven games consist of the Friendly Game, the Porcupine Game, the Driving Game, the Yo-Yo Game, the Circling Game, the Sideways Game and the Squeeze Game. Here's how to play Parelli Games with a horse.

1 Gain trust from a horse by playing the Friendly Game. Allow the horse to stand freely without being tied. Rub hands all over him until he accepts them everywhere. Then use a lead rope, bags, blankets or anything else to rub on him to "desensitize" him. The lets him know he is not going to be hurt.

2 Remind a horse to move away from pressure rather than push against it with the Porcupine Game. Use fingers to press against the horse, not releasing pressure until he responds by moving away. Start with soft pressure, only advancing to harder pressure if there is no response.

3 Teach a horse to respond to applied pressure by playing the Driving Game. This game gets the horse to move without having to touch him. Start out close to the horse and get him to move away and around by tapping the air with a lead rope or hands. Move further away once the horse responds to the implied pressure.

4 Send a horse forward or backward without touching him by playing the Yo-Yo Game. Stand facing him and wiggle your finger, then arm and then the lead rope if you get no response. Once he moves backward, stop all movement so he knows that is what you want him to do. Practice until he moves backward at the wiggle of your finger.

5 Motivate a horse to move freely while keeping him easily controlled with the Circling Game. Send him in a circle by leading his nose in the desired direction. Allow him to circle you by passing the lead rope behind your back when he goes in a circle. Let him make two passes and then gently pull on the lead rope, which signals him to return to you.

6 Instruct a horse to move sideways with the Sideways Game. Let the horse stand loose with a halter and lead rope. Face his nose to a fence or wall so he doesn't move forward. Using fingers to "push" his body in the desired direction. Use the steps in the Porcupine Game for this procedure.

7 Begin the Squeeze Game with a large open space between you and a wall or fence. Send your horse between you and the object by leading his nose in the desired direction. Slowly close the gap each time he passes through. This game can help when bringing a horse through a gate or into a horse Trailer.