Take the chance to build up a relationship like you have never had before.

Experience what it is like to be joined to a horse, to ask and be answered as though there is no one else in the world but the two of you ... this conversation has no words. Natural Horsemanship means that every human effort is made to see things from the horse's point of view, treating a horse as though you are also one of the herd, and learning how to play the game of the pecking order and win. 

Natural Horsemanship is derived from watching horses interact with one another, and learning to think as much like a horse as possible.  Why? Because horses have their own language, and it is the human's responsibility to learn that language.  Many problems arise from the assumption that horses should learn human language and not the other way around.  Now, it is not always petting and stroking - that is not how horses behave with each other.  It is dominance games, climbing up the pecking order, becoming a leader that can be relied upon, and self-development.  And that's just for the human! From the horse's perspective, it requires responsibility, having the desire to please the leader, and mental fitness. These are both shortened lists, but the difference to "normal" is in the name - in Natural Horsemanship, the true nature of the horse comes first and the relationship is bridged by the human.

Here at the Rocking Z, we practice Natural Horsemanship learned from the Parelli Foundation, Martin Black and Monty Foreman.  Parelli Natural Horsemanship has developed an incredible method of teaching Natural Horsemanship to people without leaving gaps.  The fundamentals are taught through Pat Parelli's Seven Games.  The first three games build rapport, and the last four games put that rapport to a purpose.  These games are taught on the ground and applied at all times around the horse, whether riding down the trail or starting a colt who's never been touched. Not only do we practice these skills, but we teach them to our guests so that everyone who comes to stay with us can experience what Natural Horsemanship is about.

Savvy

Within horsemanship there are four areas of skill, called savvies.  These are broken down into these groups: On-Line, which is groundwork with ropes attached, Liberty, which is groundwork with no strings attached, Freestyle, which is riding with no need to use your hands, and Finesse, where the horse and rider are in collection and unison together.

All of us at the Rocking Z are continuously working on our skills and learning more every year. We annually host clinics from 6* Parelli Professional Dave Ellis and 4* Parelli Professional Jody Grimm Ellis as well as Martin Black.  Our family is rooted in horses, and getting to ride with these top equine professionals every year keeps us challenged and improving all the time.  We love sharing these skills with our guests, and watching them develop so quickly with the right principles, timing, and feel.