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Hi there. I like a little of each.. LOL in order I guess it would be Clinton Anderson, Chris Cox, Parelli, and then Dennis Reis.
I was originally way into Parelli when I began my natural horsemanship adventure. However, I got frustrated because it seemed like it was becoming way commercialized and more into the show of it. I started to feel kind of like they would show you how you could do these great things with horses and use their already trained horses, then it was a matter of do you have the money to buy all the expensive DVD’s to try and learn.. (only my feelings) I had seen Clinton Anderson years ago when he was kind of a no name. I started watching him again on RFD and I was hooked because he was showing you how to actually learn this. He used horses that were not his own ect.. He showed you it all. Yes he has DVD’s to buy but you dont have to if you pick up his shows on TV and go to his tour stops. I have bought a few single ones but that is it. I also like his sense of humor.. LOL Chris Cox is the same way he puts it all out there. Dennis Reis is alright but it seems a lot of just round pen work on tv.. I do not dislike any of them. I do think Pat Parelli is phenomenal as a horseman and enjoy watching him. I got real tired of watching Linda practice on humans LOL. Yes I am a visual person. ) They are all great. I just get it better from Anderson
Great question

I really don’t know any "natural" horsemanship trainer that I like. I don’t even think there is a such thing as "natural" horsemanship. Think about it… You never see wild horses get ridden, lunged, fed, farrier visits, vet care, etc., etc. in the all-natural wild.

I don’t key in on one trainer. I read most of their stuff and took what I thought was neat and useful for myself and for my horses. They all have their pointers. I don’t believe in natural horsemanship because it is the only way I find useful to train a horse. The right way. I don’t like following people, but obsorbing things like a sponge and coming up with my own ideas. Not paying hundreds bucks for DVDs and buying a ball and lunge crop I could get for 3/4 less of a price at a store. I do not really like Pat Parelli but I really like lateral longing. I love Stacy Westfall and Jean Francois Pignon

Stacy Westfall, she’s jsut amazing with horses and the way she rides is just superb

Clinton Anderson(he can dummy-proof it, and I understand it better, lol)
And then Stacy Westfall(the most amazing bareback rider I’ve ever seen)

Clinton Anderson in the horse world is the equivalent of Ian Dunbar in the dog world. What they teach is to the point, practical, and it just works.

I like their accents as well, lol.

Some trainers, such as Pat Parelli for horses and Cesar Milan for dogs — they’re just as much (or more) about entertainment and money as they are training. I don’t like ‘em.

They all preach the same thing: Be good to the horse.

Set up an idea and let the horse follow through.
Don’t use force, pain or gimmicks.
Use common sense.
Treat the horse with respect and kindness and like a partner, not like a slave.

Tom Dorrance is my absolute favorite. Because he’s the one who brought it all to the public.

"NH" ideas about no force has been around since the Greeks.

All good trainers (regardless of any title) will say the same thing.

You can be calm, assertive and get the job done.

Or you can be a neandrathal and use pain or a bad temper to make things happen and not be able to trust your horse 100% because he can’t trust you 100%.

I like the NH ideas….if you want to call it NH…or just plain ol common good horse sense.

Tom Dorrance
Ray Hunt
Johnathan Field
Clinton Anderson
John Lyons
Chris Cox
Craig Cameron
Larry Whitesell.

Oh and NH is also based on Classical Dressage…..so I really have to say I like:
Colleen Kelly
Jane Savoi

Huge fan of Clinton Anderson. My christmas list this year is comprised of various clinton anderson DVD’s that I’m asking for!! His techniques are tried and true. My trainer has begun watching him and studying him the past six months or so and I’ve seen so many horses of all kinds of backgrounds (including ‘wild’ mustangs) respond well and quickly to his techniques.

There is no such thing as natural horsemanship. It is not natural for a horse to carry a person nor is it natural for a man to ride a horse, was only done to lighten the load man had to carry and get him where he was going faster than walking, the horse did not have anything to say about it.

The first I ever based any training on was John Lyons, it can be argued whether or not he is a natural horseman, but I liked him and he made sense! The trainer I probably take most from is Monty Roberts, his techniques almost never fail. I do watch and read the rest and take from each what I can use and apply to the horse in question. They all have their place. There will always be, however, that one horse that will make you rethink EVERYTHING you think you know

Monty Roberts! For sure.

Definitely not Parelli that’s for sure…

Mine is a tie between Stacy Westfall and Clinton Anderson
Stacy is so brilliant! She rides bareback so well, I want do the same!
Clinton–I just understand what he’s saying! It all makes sense to me, and the first time I tried something he said (and only time) it helped SO much! I was amazed

Hate Parelli. Ick ick ick!

I love Rick Gore and Ellen Ofstad, but I really don’t like Prat parelli’s ways of teaching. I think that him and his little minions have been brainwashed by money.

Chris Cox. Love the way his horses will work on a loose rein. He doesn’t even have to have the bit move when he works them, just picking up on the reins and his body movements make them respond with such lightness and willingness.

I think a lot of the horses that C.A. trains must hate him with that over and over and over flex to the side crap he does. And to see the Novice people buying all that glorified crap that he sells that cost so much.