I will be forever grateful for our introduction to Parelli Natural
Horsemanship in the mid 90s. Even more so, the arrival in my life of a
little quarter horse filly, Sassy, at six months of age, exposing me to a
need to immerse myself with gusto into all that the Parellis had to offer
from 2005 onwards in order to be the best partner I could be for her.
Many clinics followed over the years, and once we were riding together, we
had the privilege of hosting Parelli clinics at our own property based in
the Kanimbla Valley, Blue Mountains, Australia, under the invaluable
guidance of our gifted Parelli Instructors. It was during these clinics
that I came to know the most amazing people locally, all of us sharing a
common bond: a love for horses and their welfare and an admiration for
Parelli Natural Horsemanship combined with a will to put those Parelli
principles to purpose. In our case the purpose was refining our
horsemanship and setting out on the trail as a group with our equine
partners, from the mountains to the sea, in as safe an environment as we
could possibly make it for all of us and most especially for our horses.
And so the Kanimbla Savvy Parelli group was born and lifelong friends were
made, amongst its human and equine members. We are know a group of ten!
Our equine partners include an Appaloosa-Jester, an Arabian-Chief, a
Brumby-Rascal, a Curly-Digger, four Quarter Horses-Barney, Jedda, Sassy and
Vinnie and two Thorughbreds-Pearl and Pepper. We also sadly lost two of
valued equine partners Max and Nelson this year who will be forever missed
but the lessons they taught us will live on forever.
Here are some of those friends describing their Kanimbla Savvy experience:
Astrid – final year high school student:
It is being part of the Kanimbla Savvy group in the last few years that has
been a massive journey for me. It’s not all about the playdays, or
heading to other places for adventure and horsey clinics, but it is the
group that inspires, teaches and guides me along my Natural Horsemanship
journey, each and every time we meet whether daily, weekly or monthly. As
a group, the conversation always continues where it left off. The
laughter, delicious food, friendship and all things horsey are what makes
Kanimbla Savvy important to me and I couldn’t have asked for a better group
of people to help me and my horse evolve in the world of Parelli.
Anne – psychologist:
Being part of Kanimbla Savvy has been life changing for me. I have done
things and been places with my horse with the support of the group that I
would never have dreamed possible. Our first beach holiday with the horses
was a dream come true. Now it’s an annual event eagerly awaited. I always
come home from our playdays on a high after a day of fun, friendship,
eating yummy food and talking all things horses.
Michelle – veterinarian:
Being a newer member to the Kanimbla Savvy group in the last two years, I
can only say what an amazing journey it has been. Being part of the
Kanimbla crowd has allowed me to reinspire my horse journey and meet
lifelong friends. Experiencing Parelli again, after a long break, with
this amazing crew has been nothing short of remarkable. It is a fantastic,
encouraging and supportive group who if you see them every week or every
month or have months in between, it is like it was yesterday. It is as
much a horse journey as a culinary experience with great food, cider and
espresso coffee. I feel so lucky to have such amazing instructors in such
fabulous locations and be part of such an amazing natural horse world.
Peta – emergency services:
Being part of Kanimbla Savvy is like food for the soul – great friends,
fun, going places and doing things that I wouldn’t have dreamt of! Having
the ongoing support of our group and wonderful Parelli instructors has been
an invaluable part of my horsemanship journey.
Paula – registered nurse:
My own Parelli group of many years had sadly dissolved and I was at a loose
end when Aggi asked me to join the team. The girls always support me
wholeheartedly when I arrive with either of my 2 horses, Jedda or Barney.
Even when my kelpie ripped up the favoured lounge, spreading its inner
linings in a disastrous fashion all over the place, I was quietly rescued
and it was neatly stitched up for me (I’m not a sewer…). The girls were
all there for me when Jedda and I rode with Linda for her Finesse Training
Sequence last year, a great thrill for me to again be taught by with Linda,
as I also was lucky enough to ride a few years back in the Game of Contact
on my older horse Sovereign. I will have the friendship of the ladies in
the group for years to come and can look forward to more and more horse
time with them. I am indeed fortunate!
2017 has seen three of our members achieving their level two and others
well on there way to level three and four! Together with many adventures
including numerous clinics home and away, workshops, beach rides, mountain
rides and too many play days to count. Recently we attended a clinic at the
Australian Parelli Centre with five riders and two auditors, our auditors
helped both horse and humans even filming one on one sessions giving us a
super opportunity to consolidate our learning on our return home.
Being a member of Kanimbla Savvy group has allowed both equines and humans
all to expand their confidence and gently explore brave new worlds. We are
endlessly grateful for each other’s support, our most gifted Parelli
Instructors alongside the Parelli’s themselves and, most infinitely, our
beautiful, patient horses.
Aggie Van Den Bosch
