The Horse Tamer Series Blog – Episode 8: Lindy & Sedona

“Many horses are physically scattered because they’re mentally and emotionally scattered.  They really don't understand what it is we’re asking them to do.  Playing with a horse on the ground until they have rhythm, relaxation and understanding will give you the partner in the saddle you’ve always dreamed of.”  Pat Parelli

In September of 2024, Pat Parelli released his expertise to an even broader audience with the launch of The Horse Tamer, a series now streaming on Tubi, Amazon Prime, and Apple TV+. In this captivating 8-episode season, Parelli works one-on-one with horse owners facing significant behavioral challenges, offering insights and techniques that highlight his four-decade commitment to building love, language, and leadership between horse and rider.

Each episode in The Horse Tamer introduces a unique partnership in need of Pat’s guidance.  Over the next few weeks we’ll be introducing you to our cast and crew, the special horses, owners and trainers who make up the beloved characters in this one-of-a-kind equestrian series.  

Can you believe we’re taking a look at the final episode in this season of the Horse Tamer?  Time sure flies when you’re learning and having fun!  Last but certainly not least in this season, we meet Lindy and her gelding Sedona.  Sedona has developed a dominant and willful attitude that’s made their partnership difficult, if not dangerous.  Pat’s goal is to help Lindy get back to the basics by re-establishing the boundaries and communication needed for a safe, respectful partnership.

Pat truly starts with the very basics, teaching Lindy a Horseman’s Handshake, a natural way to introduce yourself to a horse.  Next he selects the best tools for the job, a longer line and a halter that enhances rather than muddles communication.  Then they move into playing the 7 Games, going forward and backward, up and down, and moving in circles and sideways.  This is building a language to both diagnose and solve Sedona’s behavior challenges.  

Pat asks Lindy an important question, if we dropped the rope, would Sedona leave?  At the beginning the answer is yes.  So playing with the Circling Game becomes about getting him focused and connected.  It’s not just the physical piece of the puzzle; it's about building understanding and gaining mental and emotional as well as physical connection.  This is the goal of the circling game: develop connection and teach the horse to maintain gait, maintain direction, and look where he’s going.  In other words, act like a partner.  

Next Pat teaches Lindy one of the most universally needed lessons: teaching your horse to catch you. This comes down to rewarding connection by playing the boomerang game and using reverse psychology.  After about 4-7 sessions playing this game, your horse will choose to come to you vs. you having to catch him.  This is learning to think like a horse-man, a foundational concept in the Parelli Program, so powerful yet readily available for anyone to learn.  

As Pat and Lindy continue with the circling game, they focus on building equality to the right and to the left and on developing functional behavior that will translate under saddle as well.  This is so much more than lunging.  It’s about doing less and the horse doing more.  It’s the opposite of micromanaging.  

Next, Pat, Lindy and Sedona transition into a super interesting part of the session.  Pat turns Sedona loose and together with Lindy they play the Village Game, teaching Sedona to connect in a larger area where he has so many more choices and options.  This is how Pat naturally establishes that he’s in charge of the forward motion and that Sedona should synchronize with his energy which is a crucial piece to success in the saddle as well. 

Just before getting on, Pat takes a few minutes to test and teach Sedona to think through and understand pressure.  It’s about energy management.  Controlling our energy through time and space so that we can influence and control our horse’s energy through time and space, and it's best done first on the ground so that it’s simpler for our horses to understand in the saddle as well.  

Under saddle, Pat focuses on the fundamentals: asking for permission to get on, then neutral lateral flexion, yield the hind quarters and back-up.  These are the A, B, C’s of riding, teaching a horse to respond appropriately to pressure while being ridden.  

When it’s time to hand him back over to Lindy, he encourages her to learn to play with Sedona’s active mind, to have a plan so she can stay one step ahead, and to establish a pattern of playing with him on line first until she sees a behavior change and Sedona consistently responds appropriately to pressure.  Then and only then should she proceed to riding. 

Ultimately this is Pat’s charge:  follow the program so that you can win all 7 games in a way that you win your horse’s respect and he never loses any dignity.  It’s a worthy charge to each and every one of us who love horses. 

So share with your family and friends, whether they are horse owners, horse lovers or just looking for a good TV program.  This is clean, kid and animal friendly, edu-tainment at its finest.  Gather your two legged and four legged family close and settle in for some great Horse TV, now streaming live for free on Tubi and and also available on Amazon Prime and Apple TV+!