THE FULL STORY: “When I first saw Casper, he was the buckin’est horse I ever met,” says internationally recognized trainer Pat Parelli, which is saying a lot since Pat competed professionally in rodeo bareback bronc riding for 14 years. But Casper, a black Quarter Horse stallion, is now one of Pat’s favorite horses. “I always learn something from every horse in my life. Casper was a challenge, but because of what I could teach him through our Savvy System,” says Pat, “he’s become a really great partner. One of the things in our program we teach people is to think, act, and play like a horse. And because Casper really likes to play, it’s been fun to build a partnership with him. Playing with him on the ground is exciting, and riding him is extremely rewarding --- it’s like ‘getting into the wind.’ ” Casper now travels with Pat and the Parelli Natural HorseManShip team throughout the U.S. giving demonstrations and exhibitions to thousands of people. Pat and Casper teach people about equine behavior and psychology to help them understand how horses think, to communicate with them naturally, and to build a trusting relationship between horse and rider that is beneficial to both. Casper spends autumn and winter in Florida at the Parelli’s new International Savvy Center in Ocala and the spring and summer at their International Savvy Center in Pagosa Springs, Colorado.
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