Post by Casper on Feb 20, 2007 18:43:02 GMT -5
ISC 'Macho Man' Makes the Grade!
With a group of students at the Parelli International Study Center standing in the stirrups in a riding ovation, 14-year-old Caton Parelli completed his assessment July 13 and was pronounced an official Level 1 graduate by his dad, Pat Parelli.
"It feels great," Caton said. "I'm Level 1! Now I'm gonna kick some butt."
Making the accomplishment especially noteworthy is that a year-and-a-half before Caton suffered a life-threatening stroke that robbed him of the use of the right side of his body.
By focusing on only a positive outcome, and through his indomitable will, Caton was soon walking the halls of the hospital and was released two months sooner that expected. "He's the Comeback Kid," Pat said.
"Pat never lost sight of Caton's potential even though he was told he would never walk or talk again," Linda Parelli said. "There were setbacks, yet he's overcome them, and here he is, he's Level 1.
"Horses have always been a big part of Caton's life and development. But daily encouragement to believe in himself and his own abilities has been the key to overcoming obstacles a lesser person would succumb to," she said.
"If anything, Pat's caused Caton to reach inside of himself to do what he's had to to accomplish the task," Linda said. "He's taught him self-reliance."
Few students or instructors at the Study Center escape Caton's razor wit and curiosity, especially his father, who, incomprehensible as it may seem, is regularly set up by Caton as the straight man for his jokes and puns.
"Caton approached his Level 1 assessment with equal aplomb," Pat said. "He begged to be tested. He just wanted to know what tasks to do."
Getting up into the saddle in the proper position and putting the hackamore on the horse presented the most difficulty because of his right side disability, Pat said. But he completed his other tasks with ease.
"I felt the biggest thing was to have no lesser test for him," Pat said. "He was proud to show me but he wanted to do this for himself."
Concludes Caton: "Piece of cake."
Terms of Use | email: pnhusa@parelli.com | Intellectual Property Notice
Copyright © 2006 Parelli Natural Horsemanship, Inc All Rights Reserved | Photography Copyright © 2006 Coco All Rights Reserved
With a group of students at the Parelli International Study Center standing in the stirrups in a riding ovation, 14-year-old Caton Parelli completed his assessment July 13 and was pronounced an official Level 1 graduate by his dad, Pat Parelli.
"It feels great," Caton said. "I'm Level 1! Now I'm gonna kick some butt."
Making the accomplishment especially noteworthy is that a year-and-a-half before Caton suffered a life-threatening stroke that robbed him of the use of the right side of his body.
By focusing on only a positive outcome, and through his indomitable will, Caton was soon walking the halls of the hospital and was released two months sooner that expected. "He's the Comeback Kid," Pat said.
"Pat never lost sight of Caton's potential even though he was told he would never walk or talk again," Linda Parelli said. "There were setbacks, yet he's overcome them, and here he is, he's Level 1.
"Horses have always been a big part of Caton's life and development. But daily encouragement to believe in himself and his own abilities has been the key to overcoming obstacles a lesser person would succumb to," she said.
"If anything, Pat's caused Caton to reach inside of himself to do what he's had to to accomplish the task," Linda said. "He's taught him self-reliance."
Few students or instructors at the Study Center escape Caton's razor wit and curiosity, especially his father, who, incomprehensible as it may seem, is regularly set up by Caton as the straight man for his jokes and puns.
"Caton approached his Level 1 assessment with equal aplomb," Pat said. "He begged to be tested. He just wanted to know what tasks to do."
Getting up into the saddle in the proper position and putting the hackamore on the horse presented the most difficulty because of his right side disability, Pat said. But he completed his other tasks with ease.
"I felt the biggest thing was to have no lesser test for him," Pat said. "He was proud to show me but he wanted to do this for himself."
Concludes Caton: "Piece of cake."
Terms of Use | email: pnhusa@parelli.com | Intellectual Property Notice
Copyright © 2006 Parelli Natural Horsemanship, Inc All Rights Reserved | Photography Copyright © 2006 Coco All Rights Reserved