June news and new 2015 clinic schedule - Nouvelles de juin et nouveau calendrier des formations 2015

Clinic schedule in Ontario for 2015 and an update on the Weekend with Pat Parelli in Quebec.
To read the whole newsletter, click here http://conta.cc/1GpOQL1

Calendrier des formations 2015 en Ontario et nouvelles du Weekend avec Pat Parelli au Québec.
Pour lire toute l'infolettre, cliquez ici http://conta.cc/1GpOQL1

February News and Updates - Nouvelles et mises à jour de février

In the news for this month:
The Parelli Intensive Foundation Clinic now a 3 part series, a Pat Parelli clinic, and more learning opportunities!  Check out our updated event schedule.

Click here to read February's newsletter

Les nouvelles de février:
Le Stage Intensif est maintenant une série de trois formations, un stage avec Pat Parelli et de nouveaux évènements! Voyez notre cendrier des évènements à venir.

Cliquez ici pour lire l'info-lettre de février

For the first time, a weekend with Pat Parelli in Carignan, Quebec

For the first time, Pat Parelli will be coming to Quebec and presenting a 2 day clinic!

A weekend with Pat Parelli May 30th-31st in Carignan, Québec.

It's official! Pat #Parelli will be in Quebec May 30th-31st for the first time EVER! Pat will be presenting the Parelli program and coaching riders on their problems with horses. 

Come as a spectator or apply to take your very own lesson with Pat Parelli. A few lucky riders and their horse will have the opportunity to have a 3 hour private lesson with Pat to expose and solve common behavior problems.

In addition, 10 tickets will be auctionned for a private dinner with Pat hosted Saturday night, with all profits going to the Parelli Education Institute. This is HUGE! 

Tickets on sale now, best price and rider applications before March 13th. 

I have personally dreamed of this for the last 15 years. Click below for info and to get your tickets.

Information, tickets and rider applications here 
http://www.lesencansdechevauxcarignan.com/horse-clinics.html

November News - Winter lesson specials and Early Bird rates for the Parelli Intensive Foundation Clinic (and more!)

November newsletter - Winter specials and EB rates for the 2015 #Parelli Intensive Foundation Clinic (and more!) 

In this month's news:

• Horseless Workshops
• Winter lesson package specials
• Registration opens for the 2015 Parelli Intensive Foundation Clinic - Early Bird rates
• Rider Biomechanics training
• In the press...
• Savvy Tip of the Month
• Quote of the Month
• Items for sale
• About Covey Hill Farm

Click here to read the newsletter

Info-lettre de novembre - Leçons à petit prix pour la période hivernale et tarifs Early Bird pour le Stage Intensif Parelli 2015 (et plus!) 

Dans les nouvelles ce mois-ci:

• Ateliers sans chevaux 
• Forfait de leçons d'hiver à petit prix
• Les inscriptions sont ouvertes pour le Stage Intensif Parelli 2015 - tarifs Early Bird
• Cours de biomécanique du cavalier
• Le conseil Savvy du mois
• La citation du mois
• Articles à vendre
• La Ferme Covey Hill

Cliquez ici pour lire l'info-lettre

Join us for the 2015 Parelli Intensive Foundation Clinic!

Join us for the 2015 Parelli Intensive Foundation Clinic in Havelock, Quebec!

7 Games, 4 Levels, 4 Savvys! Are you ready?

Announcing the 2015 Parelli Intensive Foundation Clinic with Geneviève Benoit, 3 Star Instructor, and assistant junior instructors (TBA). Dates:  June 28^th to July 2^nd, 2015. 

5 days of intensive Parelli led by a top notch instructor and graduate of Pat Parelli’s Mastery program - this is THE event for dedicated students who are aiming for excellence!   

Are you a dedicated Parelli student ready to move forward? Are you looking for an opportunity to participate in a week of intense learning with an experienced instructor, without having to travel across the continent?

This event is an opportunity to get in-depth coaching and immerse yourself in the Four Savvys with an aim to reach for Levels 3 and 4.

The format of this clinic has been completely revisited with the primary objective being to ensure the participants receive much more individual attention. Attendance is limited to 10 riders.

The first afternoon will consist in theory, and each of the next four days will begin with a remuda - a get together for discussion and Q&A. You will then spend the rest of the day in group learning sessions with your horse! You will also be assigned homework every day: watching a DVD, reading an article or any other assignment to help reinforce your learning.

The last afternoon will be dedicated to focused lessons, which will be observed and commented by all the participants.

Minimum requirements for participants with a horse are Level 2 completed (blue string) and able to ride your horse in a group. 

Gallery students are an integral part of all theory and simulation sessions, and get to observe and comment all riding sessions.  There are no prerequisites for Gallery students.

EARLY BIRD RATES IN EFFECT UNTIL JANUARY 31ST FOR RIDERS AND GALLERY STUDENTS

Rider spots will be awarded on a first come, first serve basis! A 50% non refundable deposit is required to reserve your spot.

Covey Hill Farm is a beautiful private facility in Southern Quebec, set on 250+ acres of sloping terrain at the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains.  The property features a gorgeous indoor arena with professional footing, a state-of-the-art barn featuring large airy stalls, hot and cold water wash bay, large pastures and lots of space to play!  We are also building an outdoor playground.  The private lake is a short walk away for a refreshing swim on a hot day.  Covey Hill is adjacent to the US border and Upstate New York, an easy trip from Plattsburg and Burlington.  It is 45 minutes south of Montreal, Vaudreuil and St-Lazare, and a short drive from Ottawa, Cornwall and Bromont/Knowlton.

Click here for pictures of the facility https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153356160404778.1073741842.207591719777&type=3

There is a full service campground nearby as well as several other lodging options and we have a few RV spots available on the property.  The area has lots to offer for after hours dining or touring and to entertain your non horsy partner!

We look forward to seeing you there!

  

For more information about Geneviève, visit http://vifargent.com/meet-genevieve-benoit/

For more information, program, registration forms and documents, visit http://vifargent.com/parelli-intensive-foundation-camp/

Event page on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/events/749683901771686/ Or contact Geneviève Benoit, Licensed Parelli 3-Star Instructorwww.vifargent.com THE HORSE SOUND IN MIND AND BODY, NATURALLY!

A new home for VifArgent, returning to Quebec! Retour au Québec pour VifArgent!

EN FRANÇAIS CI-DESSOUS

September News!  Announcing my relocation to the Eastern Townships.

Click to read my September newsletter! 

This month... News - VifArgent is relocating! Student Successes Rider Biomechanics The 7 Keys to Success Savvy Tip of the Month

Nouvelles de septembre.  J'annonce mon retour au Québec! Ce mois-ci.... Nouvelles - VifArgent revient au Québec Réussites d'élèves Biomécanique du cavalier Les 7 Clés de la Réussite Conseil Savvy du mois

Cliquez pour lire mon info-lettre de septembre! 

You enjoyed this article?  Let us know by submitting your comments and feel free to share with your friends!

For more info on Parelli training, visit www.vifargent.com

Nouvelles de juillet et mise à jour sur les évènements à venir! July News and Updated Schedule!

Ce mois-ci...

• Dernière chance de vous inscrire à la formation Débutants de septembre!
• Articles à vendre
• Leçons de biomécanique du cavalier
• Déménagement prévu pour l'automne

This month...

• Learn how to set up your horse for success - SW Ontario workshop August 10th
• Equipment for sale
• Rider Biomechanics lessons
• Moving this fall

Click here to read the newsletter... Cliquez ici pour lire l'info-lettre

You enjoyed this article?  Let us know by submitting your comments and feel free to share with your friends!

For more info on Parelli training, visit www.vifargent.com

June 2014 News: A Time of Change and New Achievements! Juin 2014: Une période de changements et de nouvelles réalisations!

It has been a while since you have heard from me, and that is because I have been caught up in a whirlwind of unexpected events and change since my last newsletter.... 

Announcing my new certification as an Official Coach for the International Society of Rider Biomechanics!

This month, read about all my changes and travels.  Check out the upcoming event and this month's Savvy Tip.

Click here to read more June 2014 Newsletter

You enjoyed this article?  Let us know by submitting your comments and feel free to share with your friends!

For more info on Parelli training, visit www.vifargent.com

Il y a un bon moment que vous n'avez pas eu de nouvelles par courriel, et c'est dû au fait que j'ai été happée ces derniers mois par un tourbillon d'évènements inattendus et de changement... 

J'annonce ma nouvelle accréditation en tant qu'entraîneur officiel pour l'International Society of Rider Biomechanics!

Ce mois-ci, je relate mes aventures et mes derniers changements.  Vous pourrez consulter le calendrier des évèenements à venir et le Conseil Savvy du mois.

Cliquez ici pour lire l'info-lettre de juin 2014

Vous avez aimé cet article?  Faites-nous en part en écrivant vos commentaires et en le partageant avec vos amis!

Pour plus de détails sur la formation Parelli, consultez www.vifargent.com

The Parelli Education Institute, helping to make the world a better place for horses and the humans that love them

A Few Words from Seth Burgess, Your New Team Coordinator

The Parelli Education Institute has a new customer coordinator, and I had to share this great post where Seth very effectively summarizes what Parelli and the Institute are all about, from the horse's mouth!

We equines instinctively know that if we separate ourselves from the herd, we’ll die!  That’s why we work so closely together.  We’ve been trying to get our message across to humans for centuries. The problem with you humans is you spend too much time obsessing about right and wrong and separating yourselves from the herd by judging and condemning each other.  If we did that we’d be dead!
We are so thankful that Parelli is getting our message out.  Be strong enough to stand alone, be yourself enough to stand apart, but be wise enough to stand together when the time comes.

Welcome to the team, Seth!

If you are heading out to Pagosa Springs, Colorado for any of this summer's courses on campus, Seth will be there to greet you and help you every step of the way.

The Parelli Education Institute is part of something big.  You folks are serious about making the world a better place for horses and humans, you have a great team that knows how to work together, you have wonderful supporters, AND you are Parelli because it WORKS!

Click here to read more about what Seth has to say...

For more info on the Parelli Education Institute, visit their web site

Click here for the 2014 Schedule of courses at the Parelli Campus

You enjoyed this article?  Let us know by submitting your comments and feel free to share with your friends!

For more info on Parelli training, visit www.vifargent.com

Info-Lettre Mars 2014: de retour d'un séjour avec Linda Parelli March 2014 News: Back from Linda Land

Geneviève Benoit, Caton Parelli and Aurélie De Mévius at the Parelli ranch L'info-lettre de mars 2014 est publiée!  Ce mois-ci...

Mon stage avec Linda Parelli Les hauts et les bas des trajets longue distance en hiver Le cours Horsenality/Humanality avec le Dr. Patrick Handley Rencontre avec Christoph Hess et Silke Vallentin Qu'en disent les élèves Opportunité: Coordonnateur d'évènement Le truc savvy du mois Les évènements à venir À Vendre

Click here to read more....

The March 2014 is out!  This month....

Riding with Linda Parelli The ups and downs of long distance hauling in winter The Horsenality/Humanality course with Dr. Patrick Handley Meeting Christoph Hess and Silke Vallentin What the students are saying Opportunity: Event Coordinator This month's savvy tip Upcoming Events For Sale The team at Linda Land - Linda Parelli, Liz Jones, Sean Coleman, Aurélie De Mévius, Iris Kleber, Ryan Pfouts, Sarah Bert - and I am taking the photo! You enjoyed this article?  Let us know by submitting your comments and feel free to share with your friends! For more info on Parelli training, visit www.vifargent.com

Holiday Wishes and Gift Ideas - Souhaits des Fêtes et suggestions de cadeaux

In this issue:

• 2013 Recap
• Video Coaching Programs
• Gift Ideas and Year-End Sales
• Upcoming Events
• The Parelli Intensive Foundation Camp - 7 Games, 4 Levels, 4 Savvys
• One Last Thought to Begin 2014

Click here to read the whole newsletter

You enjoyed this article?  Let us know by submitting your comments and feel free to share with your friends!

For more info on Parelli training, visit www.vifargent.com

Dans ce numéro:

• 2013 en bref
• Programmes d'enseignement par vidéo
• Suggestions de cadeaux et soldes de fin d'année
• Évènements à venir
• Le Camp Intensif Parelli - 7 Jeux, 4 Niveaux, 4 Savvys
• Une dernière pensée pour entamer 2014

Cliquez pour lire l'info-lettre

Vous avez aimé cet article?  Faites-nous le savoir en transmettant vos commentaires et partagez avec vos amis!

Pour plus de renseignements sur la méthode Parelli, consultez www.vifargent.com

November News! Nouvelles de novembre!

The November newsletter is out: Horseless Workshops and Video Coaching November Special!

This month:

• Horseless Workshop Series and Upcoming Events
• Parelli Four Savvys video preview - Lateral Flexion with Linda and On Line Lesson with Pat
• Inspiration video - Teaching Flying Lead Changes
• Tip of the month - the Squeeze Game
• Shims for sale

Click here to read the newsletter!

L'info-lettre de novembre est disponible: Ateliers sans chevaux et offre spéciale sur l'enseignement par vidéo! 

Ce mois-ci:

• Série d'ateliers sans chevaux et évènements à venir
• Aperçu vidéo des quatre Savvys Parelli - la flexion latérale avec Linda et leçon On Line avec Pat
• Inspiration - Pratiquer les changements de pieds en l'air
• Le truc du mois - le Jeu du passage étroit
• Releveurs de selle à vendre

Cliquez ici pour lire l'info-lettre!

You enjoyed this article?  Let us know by submitting your comments and feel free to share with your friends!

For more info on Geneviève Benoit, Licensed Parelli 3 Star Instructor, visit www.vifargent.com

Foundation and specialization, and how it might have something to do with the number Zero

A few times a year, I make an incursion into the world of traditional horseback riding to learn from other coaches who are much better at specialization than I am, another way to work on improving my own horsemanship.  After years of putting specialization (in my case jumping) aside to focus on my foundation skills through natural horsemanship and having achieved Parelli Level 4, I find myself much better equipped to focus on performance riding.  Dressage is one of the disciplines that now fascinates me, partly because of the level of horse-rider harmony necessary to achieve brilliance and to turn into into an expression of dance; partly because of the level of precision and lightness required to do it well; and also because it pushes me to acquire a much deeper understanding of proper horse and rider biomechanics.  As a bonus, I get to see some really fancy horses with great breeding, which is always a treat!

A couple of weeks ago, I audited a day of clinic with Hélène Arianoff, a long time student of Nuno Oliveira.  The latter is widely acclaimed as a master of modern day classical dressage and horsemanship.  Nuno Oliveira chose not to compete and practiced dressage as an art form.  He had the reputation of having a phenomenal seat (although you could pick his position apart depending of which school of thought you adhere to); mostly, he had a natural talent for bringing out an extraordinary level of brilliance in the horses he rode in a very short period of time.  Any long term student of his would sure possess a lot of knowledge to pass on to the rest of us!  Along with picking up many nuggets of savvy dust, as a teacher I am always interested in observing the kinds of things riders and horses are struggling with and how another clinician might go about helping them solve their issues.

For this clinician, as is often the case with other masters I have had the opportunity to study with, most of the lessons consisted in bringing the students back to basics, and improving those basics in order to advance. What we saw were a series of holes in the horses' and riders' foundation that were preventing them from getting the results they were looking for.  We all know how tempting it is to want to focus on refinement and specialization... to have a vision of a fancy task or maneuver and to want to have it working here and now... while forgetting there might be a few ingredients that are missing to make it easy for the horse to succeed!

I like to think of it as trying to do calculus when you are still struggling with basic arithmetic and algebra - it can get confusing pretty fast.  Think of what it might be like to try to do math with a missing number. For example, can you imagine counting without the number 0?  It is possible, but definitely not easy.  The number 0 did not always exist, it was actually first invented in India, and initially made scientifically available by the Arabs.  It was a breakthrough in the history of mathematics that made adding and subtracting much easier and led to many other scientific advancements.  Before the number 'zero', there was an undefined gap for the counting of nothing!

Back to horsemanship:  as humans, it is so easy to be direct lined, and by that, don't think I am judging anyone, as I catch myself doing it all the time!  As an observer at the Arianoff clinic, I could clearly see where someone might be struggling and be missing a essential piece of the puzzle, and how putting that piece back in the right order was the key to helping them improve.  This is something I do with my students all the time, and it may sound repetitive or frustrating at times, but it is an integral part of good horsemanship. You will hear Parelli refer to it as foundation before specialization (see footnote *).

For example, a rider who has not yet acquired an independent seat and the ability to isolate the aids will not be able to communicate clearly an advanced maneuver such as half-pass or even something simple like a canter depart.  We saw several examples of riders struggling to let go of the reins or to isolate each leg in order to help their horse find the answer.  As a result, the trainer had to spend quite a bit of time helping them learn to soften their hands, use their seat without clenching with the legs, use their legs without clenching on the reins, hold a dressage whip without interfering with the bit, etc.  All foundational skills of the rider that need to be in place in order to practice good dressage.

The teacher also had to contend with foundational issues in the horses - horses dull to the aids, leaning on the leg or not wanting to go forward or stop, horses who did not understand the cues and many, many horses who had trouble with contact.  She started each session showing the students exercices to improve hindquarter control - a foundation of every natural horsemanship program!  We found out most of these beautiful dressage horses could not easily move their hindquarters independently of the rest of their body, and the riders had to work very hard to get there!  I have to say I was impressed to see how most of the horses in the clinic were fairly calm...  However, few seemed connected... Most of the issues were related to a lack of responsiveness, resulting in the riders having to work very hard (to the point of sweating and getting out of breath) just to get the appropriate amount of response from their horse or to maintain the chosen gait. Before they could ever dream to get that flowing half-pass or sharp flying lead change, they needed to think about how they were using or not using their own bodies, and how prepared their horse was to actually attempt a higher level maneuver.  Hélène had them practice many basic exercices - move the hindquarters, move the shoulders, get in a rhythm at the walk, walk a good circle, leg yields, backing up, give and take the reins, transitions, trot and canter departs, gait control, etc.  I was struck at how similar it was to what you might see in a Parelli clinic, except the horses and riders happened to be dressed up in very fancy outfits and tack!

Blue Moon - Photo A. Macfhay

This brought me back to my first dressage clinic with my new horse Blue Moon this summer at Eddo Hoekstra's farm.   I spent over 2 years developing this horse before testing the quality of our foundation during the three days of the clinic.  There was very little sweating, even though it was quite hot outside.  She showed that she truly understands the basics:  go and whoa, move the various parts of your body in various ways, and respond appropriately to pressure (less than 4 ounces), maintain gait and direction.  With those elements in place, it is actually amazing how easy the more advanced exercises become, and I was the first one surprised when Eddo asked us to attempt some rather advanced dressage movements (collected gaits, counter canter, canter departs from the walk and halt, half-pass, half step!);  no one was expecting perfection, but we did get positive results.  Blue Moon may not have carried the perfect frame all the time, but Eddo never said ANYTHING about her head carriage; we lost forward impulsion at times in some of the exercises; most importantly, she was so calm, connected, and responsive throughout the lessons.  The focus was on refining basics building up to more advanced, and never, never drilling in any of the movements.  Get a try and move on to something else and if it is not working, try a different approach!  It was right in line with what I have learned in Parelli.  Blue Moon put her heart into it and always gave it her best shot.  We were both smiling at the end of the day!

Knowledge and skills come from a unending process of studying, applying, and experimenting.  You can read books and watch videos, and that will feed your mind with knowledge and information.  But then, you need to be able to take this information and translate it into practice, and develop skills, which takes time and dedication.  For most of us, this can be challenging to do without expert help.  As you advance, you may need to get back to more reading and observing to add to the knowledge, and once again, use it until it becomes a part of you.  This is a continuous process.  Many of the riders at the Arianoff clinic possessed a lot of theoretical knowledge; they just had not yet acquired the ability to translate it to their riding and were thus investing in their learning.  They will hopefully be able to carry on by themselves at home and as they make progress, will again look for more information and support to take them to the next level, a never-ending spiral of learning and self-improvement that as horsemen, we all have to learn to love and enjoy.

Below is a clip of Master Nuno Oliveira teaching a horse to move with straightness by doing exactly the opposite of going straight.  He is mobilizing the various parts of the horse and doing a lot of lateral work to dissolve any contractions, helping the horse find the right way of moving - causing his idea to become the horse's idea.

* Examples of what would be considered specialization in horses:  any equestrian discipline or competitive sport such as dressage, jumping, driving, eventing, cow working, cutting, western pleasure, working equitation, hunter, ski joring.  Trail riding and working horses (hauling wood, plowing, transportation, mounted police) are also specialized.
Parelli Natural Horsemanship is a foundational program for horses and riders.

You enjoyed this article?  Let us know by submitting your comments and feel free to share with your friends!

For more info on Geneviève Benoit, Licensed Parelli 3 Star Instructor, visit www.vifargent.com

VifArgent.com 3.0 est maintenant EN LIGNE!

Après plusieurs mois de réflexion, de planification et de travail, interrompus par mes déplacements et mes activités d'enseignement, c'est avec fierté que je vous présente VifArgent.com 3.0!  Il s'agit de la troisième version de mon site Internet, remodelé et sur une toute nouvelle plate-forme beaucoup plus flexible et performante!  

Refaire un site, c'est un peu comme rénover une maison.  On pense pouvoir prévoir le temps et le travail que ça prendra, et une fois en route, on se rend compte qu'il a encore beaucoup plus à faire et on découvre toutes sortes de choses à réparer ou à améliorer!  Surtout quand le site est très riche en contenu, comme c'est le cas pour VifArgent.com.

Voici un sommaire des améliorations apportées:

Une nouvelle apparence, modernisée, aérée, plus élégante, plus facile à lire!  Je suis certaine que vous ne vous ennuierez pas du texte jaune brillant et des bannières qui défilent!  Ouf, il était grand temps de se refaire une beauté!

Il sera beaucoup plus facile d'y naviguer et de trouver exactement le renseignement que vous cherchez.  Nous avons installé une nouvelle hiérarchie de menus et complètement refait la structure.  Il y a beaucoup de contenu sur ce site et il était parfois difficile de s'y retrouver.  Alors nous avons mis les murs à terre et tout reconstruit!

Un nouveau bouton permettant de basculer entre le français et l'anglais sur TOUTES les pages!
Des boutons faciles à trouver vous permettant de partager n'importe quel contenu sur vos réseaux sociaux ou par courriel en un seul clic!

Des boutons évidents pour nous trouver et connecter sur les réseaux sociaux!

Les photos ont été modifiées et actualisées, et vous y trouverez de nouvelles images captées durant nos récentes activités.

Accessible et visible sur les appareils mobiles - téléphones, tablettes, etc.  Ça aussi, il était grand temps.  

Une section Ressources mise à jour et actualisée avec de nouveaux liens.

Une nouvelle plate-forme technologique qui nous permettra d'évoluer le site beaucoup plus facilement et d'y ajouter de nouvelles fonctionnalités comme la vidéo, un espace réservé aux membres, etc.  Ce n'était tout simplement pas possible dans l'ancienne version.  Ce site sera beaucoup plus flexible et dynamique!

Pour les francophones du Canada et de partout ailleurs, le site de VifArgent est depuis déjà longtemps une ressource appréciée pour tout ce qui touche à Parelli et nous continuerons à remplir ce mandat au mieux de nos capacités.

Vous êtes invités à visiter notre nouvelle maison et à me soumettre vos commentaires.  Si vous décelez quelque chose qui cloche, n'hésitez pas à nous en faire part; malgré toutes nos vérifications, il est toujours possible que quelque chose nous ait échappé!

Naturellement vôtre,
Geneviève Benoit    

Click and find me!

N'hésitez pas à partager cet article avec les amis que cela pourrait intéresser!

VifArgent.com 3.0 is now LIVE!

After many months of thought, planning and effort, with some interruptions due to my travels and my teaching engagements, I am proud to present VifArgent.com 3.0!  This is the third iteration of my web site.  It has been redesigned on a brand new platform, which is much more flexible and efficient than the previous one!

Relaunching a site is a bit like renovating a house.  You think you can plan how long it it going to take and how much work it is going to be... but once you are in it, you realize that it will take a lot more work and you find all the things behind the walls that need to be fixed or redone!  Especially when it is a high content web site like VifArgent.com!

Here is a summary of the enhancements you will find:

A new look, modern, airy, elegant, crisp and a lot easier to read!  I am sure no one will miss the bright yellow fonts and moving marquee banners!  We were long overdue for a makeover!

Much improved navigation.  It will be much easier to find exactly what you are looking for.  We have put in place a new hierarchy of menus et completely redone the structure.  There is a lot of great content on this site and it was sometimes hard to get to it.  So we tore down the walls and redid everything!

A brand new toggle button between French and English pages, on EVERY page!

Easy to locate social media and email buttons so you can share any content with your friends in one click!

Easy to find buttons to find us and connect on social media!

Photos have been modified and improved, and you will find new pictures taken at recent events.

Mobile!  The site can now be viewed on smart phones, pads, and other mobile devices.  This was also long overdue.

The Resources section has been updated and new links have been added.

A new technology foundation which will allow us to grow the site much more readily and to add new functions such as video, a membership only section, etc.  This just could not be done in the old version.  This site will be much more flexible and dynamic!

VifArgent.com has long been a go-to place for French speaking Parelli student in Quebec, Canada and other parts of the world, and we will continue to fulfill this mandate as best we can.  Anglophones also find it a great place to access information otherwise hard to locate elsewhere.

You are invited to visit my new home and to send us your comments.  If you find something not working, please let us know; despite all our efforts to make sure everything was ready to go live, there is always the possibility that we might have missed something!

Naturally yours,

Geneviève Benoit  Click and find me!

Feel free to share this post with friends who might be find it useful!

Spring is coming! Are you ready to get started or to resume your progress?

Spring is coming!  For many horse lovers, it is a time to start spending more time outdoors and to resume equestrian activities after the long winter months!  As always, I look forward to sharing with you again this year the incredible journey called Parelli.
I often get asked the following question:  Where do I need to start on my Parelli journey?  So here are a few tips to get you on your way and to set you up for success, or to help you advance if you are already active in the program and need guidance for the next step.

Also in this newsletter: 

• Parelli Intensive Foundation Camp with Ryan Rose
• Unique opportunity at the Parelli Horse & Soul Tour in London, ON
• Upcoming Events  

«My play time has been limited, however I have put your last advice to good use with Java my LB/E (lots of backup/sideways and "no rules" concept, exercise before obedience, etc) and we have made progress with lots of connection from him. In fact at our last play day here a few  weeks ago my Parelli friends had commented on how much we had advanced since last fall.» 

K.M.L., Nova Scotia

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Apprendre Parelli: Découvrez comment déchiffrer le langage de votre cheval et devenir un leader efficace pour votre partenaire équin.

Il me fait plaisir d'annoncer un premier évènement Parelli à Trois-Rivières! 

Apprendre Parelli

Découvrez comment déchiffrer le langage de votre cheval et devenir un leader efficace pour votre partenaire équin 

Atelier sans chevaux et démonstration avec Geneviève Benoit, Instructeur Agréé 3 Étoiles.

4 mai 2013 à l'Hippodrome de Trois-Rivières.
Une présentation de Équinos Évènements Équestres

RABAIS POUR LES INSCRIPTIONS AVANT LE 1 MAI 2013! 

COUREZ LA CHANCE DE GAGNER VOTRE INSCRIPTION!

IL SUFFIT DE VOUS INSCRIRE AVANT LE 1 MAI 2013 ET VOUS POURRIEZ GAGNER LE REMBOURSEMENT DE VOTRE INSCRIPTION. LE TIRAGE SE FERA AU DÉBUT DE LA FORMATION LE 4 MAI 2013.  C'EST PAYANT DE S'INSCRIRE PAR COURRIEL!

  

INSCRIPTION SUR PLACE pour la formation et la démonstration:  Argent comptant seulement. 

Détails et inscriptions 

Caroline Thibeault 

equinos@videotron.qc.ca
www.equinos.ca 

(819) 380-7211

Cliquez ici en savoir plus!

Entrevue avec Ekuus, Partie 5 - Interview with Ekuus Part 5

Je vous invite à écouter la dernière partie de l'entrevue avec la Fondation Ekuus, organisme québécois de thérapie facilitée par les chevaux visant les adolescentes victimes d'agression sexuelle (Approche Egala).

Cette semaine, il a été question des 7 Jeux avec le cheval, des ressources et du soutien disponibles au Québec pour apprendre l'équitation naturelle et des efforts nécessaires pour arriver à exceller avec les chevaux.  Nous avons brossé un portrait des qualités humaines et de l'attitude requises pour tisser un lien solide avec nos partenaires équins.  Il est établi que c'est à l'humain de modifier son comportement et son approche afin d'aider le cheval à comprendre ce qu'on attend de lui et à fonctionner dans son monde.  Geneviève Benoit partage certains aspects de son cheminement personnel au fur et à mesure qu'elle progresse dans son horsemanship.


N'hésitez pas à mettre vos commentaires ci-dessous!

Cliquez ici pour ré-écouter la partie 1
Cliquez ici pour écouter la deuxième partie 
Cliquez ici pour écouter la troisième partie
Cliquez ici pour écouter la quatrième partie

Cliquez ici pour écouter le segment de cette semaine! 

This is the last part of the interview with Fondation Ekuus, an organisation here in Quebec using horse assisted therapy to help teenagers who suffered sexual abuse (Egala certified).

This week, we discussed the 7 Games, the resources and support available in Quebec to learn natural horsemanship and what it takes to learn to excel with horses.  We touched on the human qualities and attitude required to build a strong relationship with our equine partners.  Ultimately, it is up to the human to modify his behavior and approach to help the horse understand what we want and how to operate in Humanville.  Geneviève Benoit shares aspects of her personal development journey as she progresses in her horsemanship.

Click here to listen to Week 1
Click here to listen to Week 2 
Click here to listen to Week 3 
Click here to listen to Week 4

Click here to listen to this week's podcast

Février 2013 Offrez-vous une belle relation avec votre cheval -- February 2013 Give yourself the gift of a dream relationship with your horse!

Cliquez ici pour lire le bulletin de février 2013! Click here to read the February newsletter!

Dans ce numéro:

• Camp Intensif Parelli 2013 avec Ryan Rose, Instructeur Parelli Senior 4 Étoiles
• Ateliers sans chevaux
• Occasions uniques
• Organisez votre propre stage
• Le truc du mois
• Gardez le contact

In this issue:

• Parelli Intensive Foundation Camp with Ryan Rose, 4* Senior Parelli Instructor
• Horseless Workshops
• Unique opportunities
• Organize your own clinic
• Tip of the month
• Keep in touch

The Problem is not the Problem....

With permission from Karen Rohlf, I am reposting this great article about learning and attitude published in the January 2013 Dressage Naturally newsletter.  

We have all been faced with situations where we have felt out of comfort zone and the pressure of being watched.  The attitude we set as a learner is an important key to being open to new things and to allow the learning process to take place.  But it does take a bit of work on our part!  Fear is often what prevents us from signing up for that great clinic or from showing up at the special event or the gathering - fear of making mistakes, of being watched, of not being as good as everyone else, of not being perfect or just of being in the unknown.  We can't control what we feel, but we can sure take control of how we choose to interpret those feelings and the meaning we give them.  The same goes for the time we spend with our horses and our progress through the program we choose to follow.

«If we want to be the best we can be, the path is not always one of absolute ease and levity. But I think we can find joy, curiosity and happiness there as well.» ~SH

Shelby reminded me that me that we met in a class at the Parelli Ranch in 2006.  She rode a fancy Lusitano and we connected since I am very fond of the breed.  From there, she has moved on to study with Karen Rohlf and is now an endorsed D,N instructor.
I hope you will enjoy the article!  Geneviève Benoit
 
“The Problem Is Not The Problem...”

D,N Endorsed Clinician Shelby Hume has some words of wisdom for anyone who has experienced the challenge of being in a lesson or clinic where you and your horse are learning new things.

Happy New Year!  I have decided to challenge myself with more writing this year. I don’t know what “more” means or will result in, and I don’t even know if my name and writing really know each other.  But I always tell myself (and friends) “stretch and grow”!  Still, I am fearful; I have always admired great writers (like Karen!) But, how does one start “writing”? What do you write about? How do you write? Talk about paralysis through analysis! So, I have decided to use some of my favorite quotes to shape my writing experience.

I find for me, there is nothing like a good quote to help me through the day or an experience. This one seems to match my new challenge. . . “The problem is not the problem. The problem is your attitude about the problem.  Do you understand?” ... and I can picture Johnny Depp’s  now infamous portrayal of the all-knowing swash buckling poetic pirate thinking this simple statement is so very applicable to horsemanship, life, relationships anything you can think of!

I don’t even really “like” the word PROBLEM. I would rather challenge or opportunity. But since reality may often find our minds creeping there, and in essence of using the true quote, we will stick with it.
Let’s look at it in the light of horsemanship alone (knowing the assimilations and applications are
endless). How do you approach learning a new “maneuver”? At first is one excited? But then, as we try
to proceed, are we willing to keep our attitude about the “problem” surrounded by a light of curiosity, determination, and happiness?

This can be very hard when we are a human learning the maneuver for the very first time. In addition, we are often riding a partner who is trying to learn the maneuver for the very first time. Furthermore we are in front of an instructor who we admire and value trying to do the very best we can and often times we are not comfortable with being uncomfortable in front of them. The complications and challenges are innumerable.
In theory this can be understood. In the moment it can be very hard to exercise. I think the following are some steps that would help any of us:
• Arrive as prepared as possible. Do your homework! (Both you and your partner)
•Choose a mentor that you trust and can have dialogue with.
•In the moment try to channel playfulness in response to pressure.

Remember learning was HARD when we were in school, things were not always “easy” and it seems the older we get, the less comfortable we are with that, and the greater fear we have of imposing unrealistic expectations on our partners. But, as long as we proceed with what is fair, reasonable and possible (where have we heard that?) don’t be afraid to roll your sleeves up and have some fun!
If we have not been down the path of developing a horse to the level of our dreams before, trust that it is not easy!


Even if someone has had the opportunity to ride amazing “school masters” the process of developing our own horse is a completely different experience and one I WANT to learn. We will be in new and uncharted waters for our horsemanship and as we stated earlier; often times for both you and the horse. So why would we expect this to proceed without a few minor “growing pains?” This seems unrealistic doesn’t it? I know the more I have considered my horse in this journey the more I can be certain of two things: I will make good choices in who helps us, and I always consider his welfare to the best of my abilities. That does not mean I sacrifice believing in what I and my horse can accomplish. Remember, a lesson or a clinic is a moment in time where you are out of your comfort zone, the experience of that lesson or clinic is often times one of more pressure and exposure then you typically experience in the comfort of your own facilities.

Going away from that experience and using the skills that were uncomfortable at that time but making them “your own” upon returning home is what will really build us as individuals. If we want to be the best we can be, the path is not always one of absolute ease and levity. But I think we can find joy, curiosity and happiness there as well. In the end, it will come down to how we want to focus our energy towards our own personal “sweet spot” in the frame of learning new skills. I cannot wait for the new year and what it brings!

~ Shelby Hume