How to organise a course in your area...

Anyone can organise a course from an Endorsed PNH Instructor. You will need to know how many people, prices and dates. You will normally need a minimum of 6 PNH students who are willing and able to come SO you need firstly to email or phone an instructor and find out when they're available to come to Scotland. Then you need to mail other students, it may be that you have some email addresses of other students but if you email me (Shelley) with the proposed dates of the course, what level it will be and where it will be taking place then I can email ALL the SS members for you.

Once you've sorted out dates and potential students then you need to get deposits from the students and make sure they pay up before the event so that you can pay the instructor when they come. Also make sure everyone has your email address and home phone and mobile numbers in case they need to get hold of you and give everyone good instruction on how to get to the place the course is being held.

If you are holding a Level 1 course then a sandschool, indoor arena or small paddock is usually big enough for 6 students. For a Level 2 course you will need a bigger paddock and for a Level 3 course you'll need a largish field. Remember that L1 students use 12' ropes, L2 students use 22' lines and L3 students use 45' lines so think of 6+ students using these ropes with the circling game and you'll see how much room you will need.

Also you may need to think of B&B for people, where they will stable or field their horses overnight, is there any facilities ie. toilet, tea & coffee facilities etc. Then there are things like obstacles for the course, does the facility have jump wings, poles, barrels, cones or other things you can use for play.

Anyone wanting a private lesson from an Endorsed PNH Instructor will again have to get hold of the instructor and ask if they can come out to see you when they're in Scotland. When an instructor comes to Scotland it's a great idea to have them here for as long as we can, ask them to do a few courses in different area's dealing with different levels and then maybe some private lessons too as then they don't waste money running around up and down the country.

You may need to sort out some insurance if the venue hasnt' already got it in case of property damage.

Make sure everyone knows where there is a First Aid kit and report ANY accidents to the person hostessing the event.

Go to www.parelli.com to get PNH Instructor email/phone details

What to take with you if you are attending a course...

For a one day course then things are pretty easy. If a few days then make sure you have everything just in case. Saddle and saddling equipment, halter and ropes, carrot stick, riding clothes, rain clothes. Sunglasses, sun hat and suncream.

Sometimes it's good to take feed or hay for your horse if you have to leave them tied to your trailer at lunchtime, maybe take electric fencing if there is available turnout for lunchtime for a single day but this is a must for extended stays. Take buckets for water, grooming kit and succulents for horse.

I also take rain rugs in Summer and outdoor rugs in Winter just in case, it helps keep a dry, clean horse for the course days.

Also make sure you have food for you, I take lunches with plenty to drink to stop myself dehydrating in Summer, fruit is great and snack bars in pockets for on the course in case you are like me and need to graze now and then during the instruction.

Make sure you take a small note pad and pen to write down all the notes you'll be taking and a phone in case of emergencies. Put together a small first aid kit for yourself, plasters, headache tablets, tampons, hand wipes, small sewing kit. Also make sure ALL your equipment has your name or distinguishing marks on it. I've always put tags on my saddles and cloths and put coloured electric tape around my ropes.

If you remember the things you need then the course will be fun as you won't have to worry about anything.

Now go and enjoy a course.

What to expect on a course....

Well certainly a lot of fun and a lot of learning. Instructors like to get to know you first, find out what you want from the course, where you are in the program with your horse. There may be a few simulations in the mornings or at the beginning of each session which are a lot of fun and help break the ice with students, they are also really great learning modules.

Instructors also allow you to be where you are in the program, they don't push you to do things they don't think you're ready for and anyone that has any issues about certain things then just tell the instructor so that they know your thresholds with your horse. At anytime you have a query or problem go and talk to the instructor. If you have issues with your horse then the instructor will often help you iron those out by working with the horse for you but you need to ask if you're having problems and feel you can't deal with them. The nature of PNH is for you to learn through your own experiences, if you're happy to try to sort things out with the information at a course then fine, if you need more help then please ask.

During the sessions when you're with your horse there is usually a warm up session online, learning new strategies and tasks and a lot more than the basic's in the program. Then when you get to ride the instructor will open up new ideas for you and new tasks, ways to help motivate your horse if it's LB or calm your horse if it's RB. The whole idea of a course is to expand on what you already know and to help motivate you to progress.

The one thing I always remember Pat saying is: "Level 4 is just Level 1 with excellence". Courses will help to fast track you through the program, it will give you LOTS of new ideas, motivation and inspiration. By even just spectating you will learn LOTS too.