What does YOUR journey to savvy look like? The power of doing simple things with excellence and having support

Earlier this year, I launched a brand new distance group coaching format which has drawn attention from students around the world.  Ever since I started teaching Parelli 10 years ago, I have always wanted to be able to follow students on their journey for more than a couple of days at a time.  Clinics are certainly fun and I love to see the changes in people and horses that can be achieved on only a couple of days;  they also foster new friendships and a sense of community.  However, once everyone goes home,  the instructor might not see or hear from those students again for months if not years, and we can only hope that they have felt inspired enought to continue seeking more knowledge.  I always felt a bit disheartened to see the same people come back year after year and look exactly the same as the year before.  Why were they not progressing?  

Looking in the mirror at my own horsemanship, I reflected on those times where I was not making progress and at the obstacles I had to face to keep advancing my skills and my horses.  Like most students, I don't have my own facility and I have to contend with the constraints of boarding.  In order to be allowed to be different, I have in the last few years resorted to boarding my horses at small, privately owned facilities which are open to a Parelli mindset.  That freedom to do the kind of horsemanship I want to do often comes with lack of training facilities, no indoor arena, small spaces to ride and having to contend with weather conditions - challenges that most of my students also face daily.

Isolation is another factor we all experience unless we can be lucky enough to be surrounded by like minded professionals or friends.  Keeping the motivation alive and managing pitfalls can be challenging without support, even in the best of times.  Compounded with factors involving weather, time, timing, availability and just plain lack of focus or goals, this can be a steep hill to climb even for the most dedicated rider, especially when it means finding time away from work or familly, having to get in the car and commute to the barn!

So with that in mind, I created a group distance coaching format which is designed to address these issues.  

Students have joined from all walks of life, ages and stages.  From beginner to Level 4 students, some as far as the UK and Australia, it has been a diverse yet incredibly fun group of aspiring horsewomen (and now even a gentleman!) sharing and supporting each other while being guided and instructed through various horsemanship concepts and assignments.

The key to J2S Your Journey to SavvyTM is that everyone is on their own journey and while guided, is allowed to progress at their own speed and level.  The primary rule is a good attitude, natural, positive and progressive, and we also try to have fun as we learn.

We celebrate our accomplishments and breakthroughts, and help those who are in the Learning Pit see what is on the other side of the wall.

It has been absolutely wonderful for me as an instructor to see students actually gaining depth and scope into the program, improving their relationships with their horses and getting more and more savvy each month!

Here are a couple fun pics and videos of current J2S members and what they have to say about their journey.

Melody (Brandon, Manitoba) started out in the middle of a harsh Canadian winter in the Prairies. She was still recovering from a major horseback riding accident which left her physically impaired and scared to ride.  But mostly, she had to come to terms with the fact that she did not understand why her horses did not act like partners. This is her third J2S class and to quote:  "I have attended many clinics and ridden in many places -- BC, SK, MB, ND, CA -- but I learned to learn in J2S and it has completely changed my horsemanship."   She has started to ride again, with savvy, and after almost getting out of horses altogether, is now having a great time with her four equines.  Here is fun movie she made of her Haltering with Savvy assignment.

Karen (Nova Scotia) has been a long time Parelli student, but her new partner Java, a young LBE, caused her to seek more regular support.  His playful and dominant nature constrasted sharply with her RBI Humanality.  Through distance coaching and a dedication to studying the program, Karen has made huge strides with her young horse and they are now having a lot of fun together.  Check out her dragging an object project video after I challenged her to teach Java something purposeful and interesting. 

"For me, this J2S class has all been about inspiration. I am able to put all the other key words together when I am inspired by watching each of us learn and grow with our equine partners, share BFO's that hit us in the middle of the night, post triumphs, a few set backs and then more triumphs, and all under the excellent guidance of Geneviève who allows us to take this journey exactly as each of us needs to. That's Inspiration!!"

Sandra and Mariya (Melbourne, Ontario) are a mother and daughter team and Sandra has been a Parelli student for many years. She had however never really taken instruction from a Licensed Parelli Instructor, and was having trouble keeping Mariya interested in riding and playing with her pony Ginger.  I visited their farm a couple of times in 2015 and Mariya's interest started rising.  

In Mariya's words:  "When Geneviève came to Ontario last year, I hardly ever played with my pony.  I was unmotivated and going backwards.  After my first lesson, things changed. I started playing with Ginger at least once a week.   After my second and third lessons, I became motivated and confident about riding again."

Both then joined my distance coaching programs, and are now enjoying a lot of great horse time together.  

Mariya has started riding again and passed her Level 1 with flying colors last fall (L1++).  She is just about ready to submit Level 2 On Line.  This video of Sandra and Mariya made the Parelli social media pages and was their take on an assignement which instructed them to do something fun and imaginative with their horses!

Lisa (Rodney, Ontario) has always dreamed of having a great connection with her mare Derby.  Her little Appaloosa is 21 years old and has been there and done that, and she is a great, safe, steady riding horse.  However, for years, she showed no interest in her human partner and would leave when Lisa showed up.  Through lessons and distance coaching, Lisa learned how to motivate Derby to find her and catch her, and then to connect and want to stay.  For Lisa, this is a dream come through.  Derby will now seek her and catch her from way back in the pasture, leave the herd and the hay to be with her human partner. As a bonus, she is now exhibiting a lot more expressive behavior during their play sessions and offering lots, rather than just being submissive and obedient.

Says Lisa:  "Went out to the pasture this afternoon to bring Derby in for our foot picking project and all the horses were down at the bottom of the pasture . I called Derby and she lifted her head and started walking towards me. Then she started trotting and she trotted the whole way up the pasture to me ... at the front of the whole herd!!!! Trotting !!!! TO ME !!!! Derby !!!! How extremely awesome is that???"

Our next instalment of J2S Your Journey to SavvyTM will be revamped this spring and be centered on the 12 Touchstones of horsemanship.  For me as an instructor, it has been so much fun watching these students grow and learn throughout the year, even during the winter months where we focus on small but important tasks that to keep improving their feel, timing and balance, and their overall relationships with their horses.  By having them study with me consistently for several months, I am able to get to know them, coach and support them through highs and lows, and really see them blossom.  There is nothing more rewarding that that for a coach!

Your Journey to SavvyTM is a group distance coaching program spanning four months and run by Geneviève Benoit, Licensed Parelli 3-Star Instructor.  Students from all over the world gather to share their journey, celebrate their achievements and support each other.  Check out the student video from the first class in 2015!

Find out more information at www.vifargent.com/yourjourneytosavvy or on Facebook www.facebook.com/yourjourneytosavvy

Cactus, Cattle and Cowboys Fair Spotlight with Blue Moon and Menina

Here is the video of my spotlight at the fair last weekend with Blue Moon and Menina. There was a lot of noise and commotion, we were competing with tractors, generators, draft teams, the horse show in the adjoining ring and a live band on stage! I had to redub the music because the audio track was so bad... Both mares were superstars, I am so proud of them! ‪#‎Parelli‬‪#‎Horsemanship‬ ‪#‎Instructor‬ ‪#‎HorsesLiberty‬ 

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

Key to Success No. 7 SUPPORT

Right at the beginning of his Natural Horsemanship book, Pat Parelli introduces his Level 1 theory by outlining the six keys to success.  They are:  Attitude, Knowledge, Tools, Techniques, Time and Imagination. Since the original publication of the book years ago, a seventh key has been added:  Support. 

In my earlier posts, we focused on the first six keys:  Attitude, Knowledge, Tools, Techniques, Time and Imagination.  In this post, I will introduce the last key to success, SUPPORT.  This one is truly one of the most important one of all!

Key 7: SUPPORT

As in any long term project that requires motivation, commitment, thoughtful planning and perspiration, the support of like-minded people who are on a similar journey becomes critical in allowing horsemanship students to continue advancing, keep on track, and as needed, to find encouragement and inspiration.

When I started on my natural horsemanship journey in 1999, it was definitely the path less traveled. In fact, only a very small handful of people in my part of the world had heard of this new approach to horses and for the most part, we were ridiculed, shunned and basically considered too different to be part of the ‘in’ crowd. It was a lonely journey and I found myself connecting to other like-minded students mostly through various Internet groups and communities around the world. With no instructors nearby and no access to the technology resources we have today, it was a journey of trial and error and it was often very frustrating. It took grit to stay on track and keep going despite the criticism, the failures and the obstacles. This was a time when showing up at an English barn with a rope halter was a big No-No, and no one really understood why we ever wanted to play with a horse on the ground.

Thankfully, things have evolved in the last ten years and there is a growing interest for natural horsemanship methods and the importance of building a sound partnership with the horse. Natural horsemanship students are still a minority, but we are a growing minority, and with an increasing number of prominent members who are succeeding in competitive circles, the likelihood of being dismissed as ‘only good for people who don’t ride’ is subsiding.

Athletes such as Canadian Lauren Barwick, 4-Star Parelli Senior Instructor and Paralympian, who has been to 3 Paralympic Games, 4 World Championships and a great number of other international competitions; Lauren most recently claimed Silver and Bronze at WEG in Normandy and gives inspiring demonstrations with her dressage horses all over the world.

Click here for a short video of Lauren demonstrating horsemanship savvy with her Paralympic mare Off to Paris.

Luis Lucio is head of the Spanish dressage team and has recently been appointed to the FEI. He has been a long time friend of Linda and Pat Parelli and integrates natural horsemanship methods into his training program; in fact, Luis lists Parelli Natural Horsemanship right at the top of his home page. Click below to watch a video of Luis Lucio riding Grand Prix movements with nothing on his horse’s head.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kt-JuqJtZA&feature=youtu.be

Luca Maria Moneta is an international show jumper from Italy and a long time student of the Parelli approach who is making his mark worldwide as a successful competitor. Luca has been dubbed the ‘carrot man’ after he explained in an interview how he won a puissance class at the European Championships by rewarding his horse’s try with a carrot after each successful jump.

In the Western world, one of Pat Parelli’s top students, Elli Pospsichil, just finished in the Top 15 at NCHA Cutting World Finals in Fort Worth, Texas.

So what does this have to do with support? Well, these very inspirational people all have something in common: they did not achieve their results alone. They have sought and enlisted a lot of support and when they need help to resolve an issue or find a better way, they don’t hesitate to go to someone who is more masterful than they are to get help. Linda Parelli regularly teaches Luis and Luca, Elli studies full-time with Pat Parelli and Lauren has spent many days and hours with the Parelli’s to hone her skills and figure out her complex horses. They think up, not sideways, in everything they do, including when the time comes to find a mentor.

Nowadays, there is no reason to feel alone in your backyard or at your barn trying to learn. There are Licensed Parelli Professionals available worldwide who have dedicated their lives to helping students reach their goals; most of them offer many different teaching formats, in person or through distance coaching. They can help point you in the right direction, find the resources you need, get unstuck and support you through your journey.

In addition, the Parelli Program is underpinned by a robust subscription based training support system. If you want to achieve measurable and sustained improvement in your horsemanship skills, consider a Parelli Membership Plan a pre-requisite to that progress. The Parelli members club is gathering a vast community of horse lovers and giving them access to a huge Learning Library available on line to support students on their pathway.

Finally, there are play groups and natural horsemanship communities popping up everywhere, even in far away places like Africa and Indonesia. If you reach out, you may find there several more like-minded horsemanship students near you just waiting to find a buddy and have play dates! Or start you own support group, organize a few simple activities and you might be surprised who shows up! We even have communities of students who are spread out in different countries and meet through Skype and video to challenge and support each other. A great example of key no. 6, Imagination, at work.

What are you going to do in 2015 to find or build your support network and reach for your horsemanship goals?

Wishing everyone a very Happy Holiday Season and lots of great horse days in 2015! As always, keep it natural!

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

Your Journey To Savvy - A Guided Group Learning Program at Home to Advance Your Parelli Journey

Announcing Your Journey To SavvyTM - A Guided Group Learning Program at Home to Advance Your Parelli Journey.

Learn * Experience * Share * Achieve * Celebrate

This program was designed to answer many of my students’ and my own challenges with learning the Parelli program at home.  Many of us feel the need to break through the feeling of isolation, have fun, stay progressive, keep the motivation alive and find ways to continue advancing despite weather, facility or time constraints.  The program will provide accountability and consistency, which are key to reaching your horsemanship objectives.  It is built to help you stay focused, stay on track, spark your imagination and inspire new ideas through regular homework, consistent help and support from a Licensed Parelli Professional, as well as opportunities to connect, share and celebrate your achievements with other members of the group.

Starts January 1st, 2015

For more information or to sign up, visit www.vifargent.com/yourjourneytosavvy

The 7 Keys to Success - Key no. 6 IMAGINATION

Right at the beginning of his Natural Horsemanship book, Pat Parelli introduces his Level 1 theory by outlining the six keys to success.  They are:  Attitude, Knowledge, Tools, Techniques, Time and Imagination. Since the original publication of the book years ago, a seventh key has been added:  Support. 

In my earlier posts, we focused on the first five keys:  Attitude, Knowledge, Tools, Techniques and Time.  In this post, I will introduce the sixth key to success, IMAGINATION.

Key no. 6  IMAGINATION

It’s not about doing circus tricks. The obstacles and toys help us build a conversation and engage our horse’s mind to solve a puzzle.

Did you know horses learn 7 to 10 times faster than humans?  We are the slow ones!  We need to learn to become more imaginative, more sensitive and more creative when we play with our horses. Horses get so easily bored and frustrated by people when it is just the same thing every time, over and over. They need to be positively stimulated at three levels: mental, emotional and physical. They need to play and have fun when they learn.

Over the span of the first four levels in the Parelli Natural Horsemanship program, there are a multitude of tasks laid out to help us take a more imaginative approach to the development of ourselves and our horse.  These steps not only keep us progressive and advancing, but help keep the horse interested in learning and spending time with us. 

Pat Parelli’s rule of thumb is 80% consistency, 20% variety.  Consistency builds confidence, reliability, and trust and solidifies the learning.  Variety is the spice of life!  It keeps things engaging, interesting and fun.  

Being imaginative also means you may have to change your approach and tailor your session to the horse that shows up that day or in that moment.  Only fools keep doing the same thing expecting a different result!  If your technique is not producing the results you are looking for, you may have to come up with a different way of asking the question or helping your horse find the answer.  This is where adding more savvy arrows to your quiver by diligently keeping up your studies of horsemanship will be helpful.  If all you have are one or two ways of doing each exercise, you will soon find yourself out of arrows if those one or two are not working!  Great horsemen know there are many ways to get to an outcome and are able to quickly read the situation and adjust accordingly.

Imagination will stop your horse from getting bored or burned out by you or the way you train.  The Parelli Levels program will help you get started and build an awesome set of skills on the ground and riding.  It will shape you as a leader for your horse, teach you to plan your sessions, show you patterns to use as exercises and give you some creative goals to aim for, for example, leading your horse by the tail, or teaching him to put all four feet on a pedestal.

You don’t always have to do unusual things.  Just advancing your horsemanship abilities improves your leadership and keeps things appealing for your horse.

Imagination can make all the difference. Your horse will thank you for it!

The round pen needs to be a playground, not a torture pit!  How many things can you think of doing in a round pen?

We would love to hear your comments or questions.  If you enjoyed this post, please don’t hesitate to share with your friends.

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

Team Parelli succeeds at the Quarter Horse Congress!

The following post was written and contributed by Pat Parelli, and reprinted from the Parelli blog.   To ensure that you’re always up to speed on the latest news from Pat and his team, be sure to “like” his Facebook page, and keep an eye on his Parelli Connect profile. Take it away, Pat!

It’s been about three decades since I was a professional competitive horseman. Back in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, I participated in reined cow horse and cutting competitions pretty regularly. Since then, my focus has been helping regular people achieve extraordinary results with their horses. For the most part, I’ve taught recreational riders, so it’s been a pleasant surprise to be invited to such events as the AQHA World Championship, the APHAWorld Show, and the World Equestrian Games over the past few years. Most recently, I was invited to present and compete at the Quarter Horse Congress in Columbus, OH.

It’s taken me years to realize that, when it comes to the Parelli Program, competitive horsemen and women are mostly looking for the 3 Rs: reference, relevance, and thenreverence. When looking for what Parelli can offer them, most performance horse owners are searching for a reference, someone who has done well in competitions (English, Western, or other sports) while implementing the Parelli Program in their training.

Lately, there have been many Parelli students who fit this criteria! All over the world, from local competitions to the Olympic Games (see Lauren Barwick and Luca Moneta), Parelli students are succeeding in the competition arena! And now, Team Parelli (myself, my son Caton, and Elli Pospischil) is consistently taking part in cutting competitions. At this time, two of our horses are qualified in the Top 15 in the world, and will likely be competing in theWorld Finals in Fort Worth, TX this December. Additionally, Elli is going to compete in the $2000 Limited Rider division.

Combine this success with the invitations I’ve received to do demonstrations at these high-level events, and all of a sudden I’ve had the opportunity to present the relevance of theParelli Program to thousands of horsemen from the competitive world.

This recent trip to the Quarter Horse Congress was a first-time experience for me, and it was very exciting for all of us. Elli did a great job in her division and ended up with an 11thplace finish. Quite a good result, considering the group of roughly 50 very talented competitors in that class. Cutting, if you’re not familiar with it, is one of the most complex equestrian sports out there. While technically you’re competing against other riders, your real competition is the cow.

Meanwhile, Caton ended up receiving three standing ovations: two in the competition arena in the two classes he entered, and the third in a father/son demonstration that we performed in the Celeste Center on Friday evening as the openers for the PBR bull riding evening session. Check out the great action photos below for a few more shots of me, Caton, and Elli during the competition.

Both of the horses I brought, Sparkplug and Scout, did quite well in their divisions, and both wound up receiving medals. I entered Sparkplug in the bridleless cutting competition, and we marked a 226 in the finals and ended up in 3rd place – the highest score either of us have ever marked in a three-judge competition.

What’s most exciting to me are the doors that are opening up for us. I think the students that are riding with me – Elli, Caton, and Carlos Osorio – have actually opened more doors than anything I’ve done, because people are seeing not only them and their horses doing quite well, but the tremendous growth they’ve achieved in a very short period of time.

People are starting to ask us questions, and it’s starting to make sense to them. Foundation before specialization. Put the relationship first. Never-ending self-improvement. So here we are, sharing an inspired vision to help make the world a better place for horses and humans, and modeling the way by putting that relationship first, not only with our horses, but with our fellow competitors as well. The future is bright; it’s in our hearts and our minds, and this experience has confirmed that ambition can be a great thing if it’s tempered by patience, principles, and sequence.

Remember, keep it natural!

– Pat Parelli

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

The 7 Keys to Success - Key no. 5: TIME

Right at the beginning of his Natural Horsemanship book, Pat Parelli introduces his Level 1 theory by outlining the six keys to success.  They are:  Attitude, Knowledge, Tools, Techniques, Time and Imagination. Since the original publication of the book years ago, a seventh key has been added:  Support. 

In my earlier posts, we focused on the first three keys:  Attitude, Knowledge, Tools and Techniques.  In this post, I will introduce the fifth key to success, TIME.

Key 5: Time

When they are first learning about the Parelli program, some people might comment that it seems to take a lot of time.  In our society of instant gratification, we tend to want to want to find out what buttons to push to get an immediate result or ‘fix’ the horse.  Unfortunately, this does not work with relationships in general, and certainly not with equines.  One of my favourite sayings is ‘Take the time it takes so it will take less time’.  How many people do you know won’t take the time to do it right, but will continue doing the same thing over and over again without improving their result?

You have to invest time to improve yourself and your horse, IN THAT ORDER.  Yes, you see, most often the answers lie within us, and the horse is just a reflection of our level of knowledge and horsemanship.  Looking in the mirror can be challenging, but once we commit to becoming better partners for our horses, they will often turn around very quickly.  Horses learn 4 to 7 times faster than humans; that is a built-in genetic feature that has allowed them to survive through the ice ages.  We are the slow ones!

Learning is sometimes best done without a horse!  Simulations are a great tool to improve human skills

The great news is that Parelli has a detailed and sequential program that will help you learn what we learned much faster, because you won’t have to spend time figuring out the lessons the hard way! Ask yourself, how much time do you get to spend with your horse? Is it always enjoyable and stimulating? Would you enjoy spending more time if it was more interesting and rewarding? Would it help if the time really counted for something?
Here is the other piece of good news.  With time well-spent playing with your horse, even if you need to take a break in time, you and your partner can pick up right where you left off – there will be no gap in learning.  Why?  Because you are building a relationship… It would be like picking up a conversation with an old friend you had not seen in a while. The foundation of love, language and leadership in equal doses solidifies the relationship and it sticks.

You may also want to consider this question:  are my horse’s basic needs being met when I am away?  Horses need more than food and shelter to thrive mentally and physically.  They require constant movement, social interaction and play to avoid stress, illness and mental disorders.  Keep in mind that even if you see you horse an hour a day, he has 23 more hours to think about things he could be doing either with you, without you or to you… 

Most importantly, make that limited time you might have to spend with him count, so that he starts looking forward to your visits!  I love it when my horses head for the pasture gate when they hear my truck in the driveway, and wait with anticipation as I walk towards them with ears pricked forward and all eyes on me!  Wouldn’t you?

If your horse is recreation for you, are you recreation for your horse?

We would love to hear your comments or questions.  If you enjoyed this post, please don’t hesitate to share with your friends.  Until next time, keep it natural!

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

The Seven Keys to Success - Key no. 2: Knowledge

This is the second article in my series for ProChaps on the topic The Seven Keys to Success! Right at the beginning of his Natural Horsemanship book, Pat Parelli introduces his Level 1 theory by outlining the six keys to success.  They are:  Attitude, Knowledge, Tools, Techniques, Time and Imagination. Since the original publication of the book years ago, a seventh key has been added:  Support.

Last month we focused on the first key:  Attitude.  In this post, I will introduce the second key to success, Knowledge.

Key 2: Knowledge

For a very long time, most people equated expertise with horses with someone’s ability to ride a horse no matter what.  While this is still the case in many parts of the world, there is now a growing awareness that horsemanship involves way more than just staying on horseback.  Riding is less than half of what you really need to know to be good with horses. There is so much more… how they think, how they learn, what’s important to them, how to communicate with them, how to help them thrive mentally, emotionally and physically, help them reach their own potential and bring out the best in every horse.

Knowledge can be obtained in a number of ways. One of the best features drawing horse lovers to the Parelli Natural Horse.Man.Ship system is the wide array of structured educational material available to support their learning. In addition to the tools that help us to be more effective and to learn feel and timing, Pat and Linda Parelli are constantly producing books, audio and video material to help their students acquire savvy right at home.  This includes a dedicated member site, the Parelli Savvy Club, which offers support, social connection, information and a vast body of learning resources all available for a very affordable membership fee.

Nowadays, thanks to the Internet, you can actually start to learn Level 1 basics on line as a member of the Savvy Club, an option that was not available when I started my natural horsemanship journey in 1999 and would certainly have made my learning so much faster and easier!

Knowledge is also available from Licensed Parelli Professionals.  This passionate group of people dedicate their lives to helping students advance their horsemanship and gain a better and deeper understanding of the materials included in the home study material. Taking lessons and attending clinics keeps students on track and motivated and helps them accelerate their progress.  A qualified instructor helps students recognize when they are repeating the same mistakes over and over, empowers them with new arrows for their quiver and prevents them from practicing the wrong techniques; in other words, they can expertly guide them through the various steps of their learning journey. Working with a LPP is like a super shot of savvy!

Every Licensed Parelli Professionals has been personally and officially approved by Pat Parelli. No one else is. Pat chooses his professionals very carefully and sets a very high standard to ensure that his program is being taught as it should. The training to get this stamp of approval is long and intensive, ensuring that those that teach it have the calibre, the savvy and the human qualities to share the program correctly, safely, fairly, without deviation, empowering their students and horses to learn effectively. Achieving Level 4 horsemanship is a prerequisite for all aspiring Parelli Professionals, which guarantees the students access to a high level of ability and deep understanding of the horse.

There are also other requirements to be admitted into the professional training program, such as experience, horsemanship, the ability to work in teams, interpersonal skills, teaching ability, emotional fitness, work ethic, personal habits, etc. Parelli instructors are not only horsemen and women, they are trained to teach! We have all met someone who is able to do something with a horse but lacks the ability to communicate their knowledge effectively.  Last but not least, we are required to update our skills which are re-evaluated on a yearly basis. This ensures a very high level of competence, currency and consistency with all Parelli instructors.

Speaking of the Parelli levels:   Levels 1 to 4 are designed to teach humans. Teaching horses is quite different and is best achieved after Level 4.  One of the best pieces of information we can share with you is “Green on green makes black and blue”.  The skills, athletic ability and experience required to train a young or challenging horse are extensive, and it may not be something you want to undertake if you are just getting started in horses!  Be smart and realistic when it comes to choosing the equine partner that will help you learn and grow in confidence.

We would love to hear your comments or questions. 

Until next time, keep it natural!

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 Seven Keys to Success: Key no. 1 Attitude

Geneviève Benoit and Pat Parelli at the Florida Campus in 2007

Check out the first of a series of blog articles I will be doing in the next few months for Prochaps on the topic The Seven Keys to Success!  This week, I am posting about Attitude and what it means to your success with horses (and other life endeavours).

Right at the beginning of his Natural Horsemanship book, Pat Parelli introduces Level 1 theory by outlining the six keys to success.  They are:  Attitude, Knowledge, Tools, Techniques, Time and Imagination. Since the original publication of the book years ago, a seventh key has been added:  Support.

Through this blog series, we will be touching on each one of these keys.  Achieving any horsemanship goal is a journey that requires commitment, perseverance, focus and discipline as well a substantial amount of effort sustained over a long period of time. As in any major endeavour in life, these seven keys, if understood and applied, will help you succeed beyond your expectations. Some may come more easily to you than others; however, to get the formula right, we need to keep our focus on all seven keys.

Key 1: The Horseman’s (Woman’s) Attitude

Can you be natural, positive and progressive all at once, all the time? Most people are either one or the other at any time, sometimes two of these things, but can rarely master all three at once. Some people are natural, and positive, but they get stuck doing the same thing over and over and fail to make progress. Others are very progressive, but may not be taking the time it takes to do it in a natural way; they tend to resort to force and artificial tools to reach their goals. And then there are people that will find wrong with anything and everything, including their own selves; as they strive to achieve their goals, they don’t understand that often they are standing in their own way.

Attitude is a choice that we make every day. How we decide to perceive our life and respond to life’s events is really up to us! We each have the ability to choose our attitude and to view the possibilities in every situation. When things are not working as expected, it can be tempting to blame the horse.  Remember that you picked him and bought him, he did not have a choice!  What are you doing to bring out the best in your horse?  What are you doing to become the best leader for him you can be?  What are you choosing to see?

The Parelli program teaches us to stay calm, cool and collected, which is exactly what we would like to see in our horses! A natural, positive and progressive attitude allows us to focus your energy on our goals, on the good that surrounds us everyday, on the little successes and on the gold nuggets that lie on the path waiting to be found. Trusting the process to get there, even though it may not look like the finished product yet, is another way to define the right attitude of horsemanship.

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

I love my horse! Or how I got into Parelli Natural Horse.Man.Ship

At their invitation, I have been publishing on the Prochaps Blog which features inspirational article for all riders.  Here is the first one published on April 14th, 2014.

Geneviève Benoit, a Licensed Parelli 3-Star Instructor and Equine Canada Certified Classical Coach, performs at the London Parelli Horse & Soul Tour Stop in 2013 – wearing her Prochaps (photo).

At ProChaps, we are really proud that she has accepted our invitation to share her story-and much more- with you.  On the 3rd Tuesday of each month, she will go through one of the Parelli 7 Keys to Success: Attitude, Knowledge, Tools, Techniques, Time, Imagination, and Support.

I love my horse!  Or how I got into Parelli Natural Horse.Man.Ship

Click here to read more...  http://blog.prochaps.com/love-horse-got-parelli-natural-horse-man-ship/