Honoring her life by sharing her story and helping to save more horses from being misunderstood.
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The Parelli Foundation provided a 2018 Horse Welfare grant to the SPCA of Texas. This partnership effort included a video demonstration with Pat Parelli and a horse from the SPCA of Texas in 2019 for the promotion of horse welfare through natural horsemanship education.
In the video series Pat Parelli demonstrates how to build a partnership with “Wendelin”, a three-year-old filly found running with a feral herd running wild in south Dallas, Texas. Wendelin had not been handled before her capture and though had been with an outside trainer for four months prior to this series, many steps had been skipped in her education.
When this video series was taken, Wendelin had been with the SPCA for about 4 months, had received some basic training, been ridden a few times, but she lacked confidence and had “a bit of an attitude.” Pat shows us the holes in her education and how to fill them using natural horsemanship.
Sadly, after this video was taken, Wendelin was sent to two trainers not related to Parelli Natural Horsemanship. Apparently, these trainers were unable to address behavioral issues that were prohibiting Wendelin from being made available for adoption. Unfortunately, we learned that the decision was later made to euthanize Wendelin, according to the SPCA of Texas, due to behavioral issues. Here, our Executive Director, Summer, addresses this news.
We are incredibly saddened by this tragic and unnecessary outcome for Wendelin.
In order for her life to have the most meaning, the Parelli Foundation will honor her life by sharing her story and by doing our utmost to impact other horses through natural horsemanship by establishing “Wendelin’s Fund”.
Since 2015, we have made over $120,000 in grants available through this program to dozens of non-profit equine welfare centers. Your donation will help us do more for horses like Wendelin; those who need the power of natural horsemanship to make a change for their future.
This video series speaks volumes about the importance of education and working together to do our collected best for horses in peril, which is precisely why we are committed to do all we can to ensure equines across the United States are adoptable and secure in their homes.
We encourage anyone involved with an equine with special needs to contact a reputable natural horsemanship professional before making a decision regarding euthanasia or giving up on a horse being suitable for adoption due to undesirable behavior.