Raising the Bar

Through personal experience I have found that the most effective goals are those designed to have a clear end in sight, challenging to achieve, and built in accountability to keep me focused along the way. With this in mind, I have set a list of goals to work towards over the next four months. Each of my goals will be a stepping stone in preparing for the November Parelli Fast Track program. These goals are very important to me because the more prepared I am coming into the Fast Track, the more I will be setting myself up for long term career success. As far as accountability goes, I invite those following my blog, as well as close friends and family, to keep me in check by asking about my progress along the way. I am extremely excited to work towards these ambitious goals (particularly earning my level 3 green string) and I will make sure to get it done with a little fun : ) 

Short Term Goals

1.      1. Finalize my resume and cover letter (June 12)

2.      2. Submit application for October-November 2011 Fast Track (June 30)

·         Video portion (June 24)

·         Written portion (June 12)

3.      3. Earn my Level 3 Green string with Vanilla! (October before Fast Track)

·         Online official assessment (July 15)

·         Freestyle official assessment (August 26)

·         Liberty official assessment (September 23)

4.      4. Purchase some key pieces of equipment (To have by the Fast Track)

·         45' line

·         Wade saddle

·         Confidence snaffle

5. Begin and complete the entire P90X exercise program before the Fast Track program  

The next 4 months are going to be packed with adventure, challenges, fun, and progress! Please feel free to ask me about how I'm coming along in any part of my journey. I'll be sure to write about, and celebrate, any of the goals I have accomplished along the way. For now I will be using calendars and notes to keep track of what I have done. I will also be watching other Parelli students and professionals to take note of what I am aiming for in terms of quality and skills in my horsemanship technique.

To those following my blog, thank you so much for your encouraging words! And a special thank you to Toby for supporting me so much through the entire process. This blog would not be nearly as beautiful if it was not for his photography, video, and technical ability. Check out his blog to see more of his amazing work!  There will be more of his lovely photos, and more of my progress on next week's blog as well. Be sure to stay tuned. 

Keep it Natural,

Lianne Joy

Lights, Camera, Action!

Cheers to my first video blog! Here are 6 short videos of Vanilla and I playing on-line. Some of the skills are very new to Vanilla and are still being polished, such as jumping over barrels and leading by the tail. She is also a low spirited RBI (see previous blog to find out what that means) and needs to do things at a slower pace in the learning stages. We are really just taking our time and playing around, but this was a very valuable learning experience in how to make the most of filming in the future.

Part of accomplishing my Parelli goals involves filming my official assessments as well as filming a short video to go along with my Fast Track application. In preparation to complete these goals, Toby Brooks (my wonderful boyfriend, talented photographer and videographer) came out to do some simple test shoots. I must say that being filmed is not as easy as I thought it would be because it tempts the predator in me to jump out and be over critical of myself and my horse. I want to be excellent, but not at the expense of my horse’s confidence, dignity and respect, so I need to be particularly aware that I never sacrifice principles for my goals throughout the process.

Here are three important lessons I took away from the experience and will apply next time the camera is on me…

• Prior and proper preparation prevents poor performance: Next time I will play more before the camera is rolling to make sure that Vanilla and I are on the same page.
• Practice like I’m being filmed and film as if I was just practicing: I need to be as consistent as clock work to ensure that Vanilla and I are at our best.
• Never compromise principles to reach a goal: I touched on it earlier in the post, but it is worth repeating. Keeping the relationship between my horse and me intact is more important than any filming! There is always time to do it right.

In the end, I was really happy with the videos! They are a great way to step back, reflect, and evaluate my horsemanship as if I was a fly on the wall. Some of the qualities I look for in myself when reviewing the footage are timing, use of phases, release from pressure, and consistency of body language and communication. When looking at Vanilla I like to make note of her facial/ear expression, whether she is responding or reacting, lightness/slack in the rope, and how much she is offering me on her own. Basically, does the overall picture look like harmony, trust, communication, respect, and fun between two friends, or does it look like anything short of beautiful? I hope this helps people following my blog, who are not familiar with horses or the Parelli method, view these videos with more understanding of my goals. I will be posting more videos and pictures in the near future so stay tuned because it’s only going to get better.

Keep it Natural,

Lianne Joy

Introducing Vanilla Dream

It is so important for me to share my appreciation for the love and support of those closest to me as I work towards my goals of becoming a Parelli Professional. My friends and family were incredibly supportive throughout my academic career, and have continued to cheer me on as I chase my lifelong dream to train horses. In addition to my amazing support system, I must take a moment to recognize my equine partner through this journey...Her name is Vanilla Dream!

Vanilla is my current levels horse that pretty much fell into my lap at the perfect time. Her story started in Venus, FL where she lived on over 20 acres of land with a few other horses and was rarely bothered by people. When she was three, she was sent to Miami, FL as a gift for a 13 year old girl. Vanilla had very little experience being handled, had never been started under saddle, and was then placed in the hands of novice horse owners. The family had the best of intentions to treat their new horse with love and care, but as Pat Parelli says, "green on green makes black and blue", and Vanilla proved to be too much for her new family. In fact, she proved to be too much for her first trainers too. She managed to buck the trainers off multiple times, even breaking one trainer's ribs! She was then donated to Horse Tamer Ministry so that Sal (my dad) could give her the proper attention she needed to find the right home. Can you see where this is going? Needless to say, I began playing with Vanilla and soon fell in love with this little horse.

Thanks to Pat and Linda Parelli's Horsenality breakthrough, I was able to connect to this previously misunderstood horse. Vanilla is a right brain introvert (RBI) which, in a nutshell, means that she is not the most confident horse and when she gets overwhelmed she freezes. If she is pushed too far, she explodes in fear. So, knowing this, I took things really slow and was extra friendly, building her confidence in me and in herself. This technique has paid dividends! Vanilla has become a willing partner with her ears forward and positive expression. She also demonstrates an obedient, inquisitive, intelligent and confident nature. I am so proud to say that she allowed me to start her and in less than 8 months, not even 100 rides, we are practicing online at level 3, riding freestyle with a carrot stick (walk, trot, canter, and basic patterns), and becoming more connected at liberty.

Principle #7 of Pat's 8 principles is that "Horses teach riders and riders teach horses" and this is exactly the case for Vanilla and I. In the past I've played with many horses and each of them has been the perfect teacher in that part of my journey. Now, Vanilla is my newest teacher and is pushing me to learn more about developing horses than ever before. I never suspected to be working with a little paint mystery horse. I'm more of the big warmblood, dressage, sport horse type, or so I thought. Vanilla Dream has melted my heart and I know that she is the perfect horse for me on this wonderful adventure.

If you would like to follow Vanilla's progress, check out Parelliconnect.com and search for Vanilla Dream!

Keep it Natural,

Lianne Joy

The Close of a Chapter and the Start of Endless Possibilities

I've done it! I'm finally graduated from the University of Miami with a B.B.A and major in Entrepreneurship! After four years of hard work, growing pains, great company, and important milestones, I can finally say that I am an Alum of the "U". My main motivation in doing well was more a sense of responsibility, competitive spirit, work ethic, and keeping sight of how my efforts would pay dividends in the future. It was an exercise in discipline that, in the end, has been key in shaping who I am today. Here is a brief reflection of some of some of my university highlights...

Most seniors on the verge of graduating make it their goal to coast to the end by taking simple electives or the least challenging classes possible, but this is not how my final semester panned out at all! In fact, my final semester was the most challenging and rewarding of my entire academic career because the classes shifted from theory to hands on learning. In MGT 307, our class was responsible for 7 different projects (with a total of about 40 students) all aimed at improving the Girl Scouts USA (GSUSA) South Florida chapter. Instead of jumping into one of the groups, I volunteered to be the project manager for the entire class. This included acting as a liaison between our project sponsor (Pauline Russell) and students, developing and implementing a project timeline, managing progress and resources allocation, and creating a comprehensive final presentation for the GSUSA organization. Because I enjoy communicating with others, working in team environments, and keeping track of the "big picture", it was a joy to work in this capacity.

Above Image: Shaking hands with Donna Shalala, the President of the University of Miami.
Below Image: Shaking hands with Frances Aldrich Sevilla-Sacasa, the Interim Dean of the School of Business at the Univeristy of Miami.

In my MGT 455 class we were given the opportunity to work as consultants for established entrepreneurs. My team and I were placed with Sean Wolfington, a serial entrepreneur who produced Bella (the number one independent film of 2010) and created the digital marketing plan for Shakira (just to name a couple of his accomplishments). Throughout the course of the semester our team worked relentlessly to create TennisDaily.com, an online community for tennis enthusiasts to create a profile, connect, share, and blog about all things tennis. This project included creating the site itself, filling the site with original content, promoting and recruiting members, and developing a profitable business model for the future. Not only did this project require team collaboration (which was a joy with such a wonderfully fun group), but we were pushed to create large scale, concrete deliverables beyond the scope of the classroom environment. I am proud to say that the sight is still up and running, so go check it out : ) Also, Sean and his brother Ryan Wolfington were incredible mentors throughout the entire process. They offered great wisdom on how to achieve our goals, encouraged us to really chase our dreams, and offered their assistance in our career goals. I can honsetly say that I have grown both professionally and personally as a result of being part of this project.

On Stage, singing the Alma Mater in front of the Graduating Class of 2011.

One of the most rewarding accomplishments of my final semester would have to be when Zach Hirsch and I were named the grand prize winners of the 2011 Business Plan Competition! After one and one half years of working on our plan, we entered our business in the competition as one of about 70 entries. Once we made it through the preliminary cuts we had to make presentations in front of some very established entrepreneurs and potential investors. They grilled us on every nook and cranny of the plan, but we were confident because prior and proper preparation made all the difference in the world. We walked into that competition just wanting to learn and get some valuable experience, but we were overjoyed when our business, Microbe Armour, was announced as the winner of such a prestigious award at the University of Miami.

My beautiful family whom I am loved and supported throughout my life and and in the pursuit of my dreams.

So here I am, graduated and ready to face the world, and I am so excited about the next chapter in my life! I am going to chase my dream of becoming Parelli Professional, spending my days playing with horses and training people in the art of horsemanship. Ever since I was a little girl it has been my desire to spend my life around these magnificent animals, but it was not until I discovered Parelli Natural Horsemanship that I knew how I was going to do so. This organization is filled with lovely and caring professionals, empowering atmosphere, individuals committed to never-ending self improvement, and a wealth of knowledge about horsemanship. This is the type of business, community, and talent that I want to surround myself with. It is also the type of environment that I want to contribute to and see grow around the world. My dad tells me that if I do what I love, I'll never work a day in my life. This is exactly what I aim to do. I am going to give all my efforts to working within my passion which is to make the world a better place for horses and humans. This blog will be my platform to share my experiences from week to week and I invite you to follow my journey! It's going to be an exciting ride : )

Keep it Natural,

Lianne Joy