 |
Stacy and Frederik
"FROM A MAGNIFICENT GLADIATOR TO A
GUARDIAN ANGEL"
Two years ago I purchased a beautiful Friesian stallion
‘Frederik the Great,’ he was imported from Holland and trained
at 4th level dressage, he no sooner hit the U.S. when he won
several Nationals and Grand championships in Dressage. When I
saw him for the first time loading off the trailer and walking
into the arena my heart skipped a beat, he looked like a
magnificent Gladiator prancing into the arena.
I was not familiar with Parelli then, but I noticed that when
he was saddled and went into the arena it looked like he was
just “going to work”with no emotions involved just head down
as if to say “I will do as I am trained.” Naturally no one
else noticed this, just commenting on how beautiful he moves
and so on. I also noticed that when he was lead from the
ground , he kept his shoulder out at you as if to say “Don’t
come any closer”. He was friendly, he let you rub him but he
was very mouthy. All of these things bothered me something in
my soul felt this is not right. Every one I talked to just
gave the same old advice, ‘This is all normal , or he is just
a stallion, or just smack them when they do something wrong’
which I never agreed with.
One day Cindy Savage manager of Twin Springs Equestrian Center
where Frederik was boarded, introduced me to a Parelli DVD,
when I watched it I immediately signed up for a membership
bought all the DVD’s, ropes, halters and the famous “carrot
stick”. I searched for clinics to go to but there was not one
where stallions were permitted . I new I was on my own just me
and all the Parelli materials so I started working with this
beautiful stallion with no trainer just your DVDs, the Savvy
Club and ongoing advice from Cindy Savage. I watched every
video and read every article, Frederik started transforming
right before my eyes. I could hear him say, ‘Oh thank you for
treating me with dignity and respect, I will treat you with
the same.’ I saw a personality come out I had never witnessed
before in him, and what a grand and beautiful Left Brain
Extrovert he is.
I think the Competition Events are wonderful and I love to
watch the abilities of the horse, but as you Linda have shown
thru your expertise of Dressage and working with Walter Zetti
it can become even more beautiful to watch and exciting to
compete when the horse is shown respect and working in harmony
WITH the rider.
Everyone comments on what a close and unique relationship
Frederik and I have, I call it HORSE HUMAN.
When I took him to the vet for collecting sperm I had him on
the 12 foot Parelli rope and my carrot stick, no leather
halter, stud chain or whips. The vet asked me, What do you do
with the stick? He thought I hit him with it or something, I
just explained it was an extension of me. Then he gave
Frederik a wonderful compliment, he said “ I noticed your
stallion is well behaved, I wish more of them were like him,
he is quit a gentlemen”. I think I stood another 2 inches
tall.
But what I would like to share is something I wish every horse
human could experience. The true bonding any Horse and Human
can have through the proper HORSEMANSHIP relation that Parelli
is so passionate about.
Recently, I was in an accident and broke my heel and the side
of my foot, after I got out of the hospital and came home I
was in a wheel chair. My heart hurt so bad I missed Frederik
we had become so close. I just had to see him, so my husband
wheeled me out on the porch where I could see him. When I
called to him he lifted his head turned around and ran over to
the fence whinnying all the way. Naturally I began to cry, I
so wanted to jump up and run over to him as he did me. He kept
whinnying as if to say, “Why don’t you come over here”. He
never left the fence while I was on the porch. Every day I
would sit on the porch, he would come running talking the
whole time.
After 2 weeks I talked my husband into wheeling me out to the
small pasture area and leaving me with Frederik, my family
thought I was crazy but my husband trusted in my judgment. He
wheeled me out and gave me my carrot stick, then he left. I
called out to Frederik and sure enough here he came trotting
over to me, I was a little nervous at first knowing just out
of excitement he could unintentional hurt me, but Frederik did
the most unusual thing.
As he approached closer to me, he slowed way down, I talked
very softly to him as he got closer. My leg laid straight out
in the wheel chair with a soft cast. As Frederik came up to my
foot he sniffed my toes then took his lips and barley touched
the tip of my toes, then he gently moved up my leg sniffing, I
spoke softly “Good Boy”, then he came up to my face and
nibbled on my cheek very softly giving me a sweet kiss.
Frederik then positioned his head and neck over my leg from
the side, then just stood there. He never moved, 30, 40, 45
minutes went by and he never moved . I truly believe he was
WATCHING OVER ME.
This Magnificent Gladiator of iron clad has become “My
Guardian Angel.”
Pat and Linda, I thank you for sharing the Love and Passion
you have for your continual commitment to spread your message
about the Horse/Human relationship. Hopefully stories like
this will encourage people to change and give the Horse an
opportunity for LOVE, LANGUAGE AND LEADERSHIP.
We were able to get a picture of him guarding over me.
Thank You Again and God Bless!
Stacy Nazario
Pinnacle Friesians
Originally written to Pat and
Linda Parelli, 2009
|
VISION AND
PURPOSE
Twin Spring
|
|
|
|
|
