Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the Midwest Horse Fair.
Sadly, I was disappointed in particular by one clinician there:
Pat Parelli
One evening, I was back in the barns with a friend relaxing after a particularly stressful day. We were discussing round pens for sale and decided to wander into the stallion avenue barn to look at the sales demo that was set up there.
Pat Parelli was warming up for the evening show in the arena. That was fine. He was riding one horse and had another horse loose with him. OK.
So he exits the arena and rides right down the middle of the pedestrian walkway through the pavilion. Riding in a pedestrian walkway (marked in a VERY LARGE SIGN that says No Equestrian Traffic) is bad enough, but the loose horse is with him. The stallions are getting riled up.
There are still people in these barns. There are people appropriately in the pedestrian walkway.
I am disappointed that someone that is supposed to be teaching others chose to be a poor example and put people in the pavilion at risk. Not all the people at the expo were horse people. Many are not. Trust me after a weekend of people trying to feed fingers to horses, it is apparent that plenty don't have horse knowledge.
How can a clinician that makes a lot of money selling information to (often) newcomers, can not realize the danger of his actions?
I am so very disappointed by this.
What's even more disappointing is that this wasn't an isolated event. After reading on Facebook, apparently other Parelli trainers also present also rode through the pedestrian walkway. Why? What's it to prove besides to endanger individuals present?
I am so very disappointed by this.
What's even more disappointing is that this wasn't an isolated event. After reading on Facebook, apparently other Parelli trainers also present also rode through the pedestrian walkway. Why? What's it to prove besides to endanger individuals present?
That's sad... I don't have any firsthand experience but I've heard stories of other things like this. It's almost like he has that "do as I say, not as I do" mentality... :\
ReplyDeleteWhat was worse was that his associates/professionals were also apparently doing it. I didn't see that, but it was posted on FB about it. Very disappointed and such a major safety hazard.
DeleteWow, I am really shocked that any knowledgeable horseperson would do that -- I mean, a LOOSE HORSE in a pedestrian walkway, next to stallions? That could have ended really, really badly -shakes head-
ReplyDeleteExactly. Seems like the perfect recipe for someone's kid to get squished.
DeleteThere are major clinicians at the expo every year and this is the first time I've seen such a majorly blatant safety issue. Very disappointing.