Level 4 -Really knowing what you thought you knew-

Level 4, boy what a ride...

I have heard Pat say it many times, in person and also in different recorded formats: "You don't know what you don't know, until you know it!" But some times you think you know it and then you find that what you thought you knew, was only a piece of it... I think that the missing link is EXPERIENCE (the tenth quality of a horseman).

So I have been playing towards level 4 now for a while now, hoping that if I don't focus on it too much it will just kind of show up... 

I was riding today, preparing for a local event called the Extreme Cowboy Race, and I had an excellent ride! I was playing with canter yo-yo's, quality stops, turns and flying lead changes. I have heard of refining flying lead changes to the point where you can do them with your seat! Well today, it was really starting to happen for Jack and I!!!

I was mulling this over at the end of our session as we walked out of the arena and something that Pat has said came back to me "Level 4 is the fundamentals for performance and it is by no means the end, it is the beginning and where the majority of the work starts"...

Now, as I am getting nearer to the standard of level 4, I am really starting to feel like I can go out and do something with my horse and represent Natural Horsemanship well, with a level of understanding, savvy, and competence.

That is what Parelli does; it helps prepare people and their horses for whatever they want to go out and do. It does not have to take forever but I can promise you, it will take as long as it takes!

So enjoy the journey!!

Keep it Natural and Savvy!
Kailaan and Jack