Did you have a dream when you got your first horse?  Has this dream become reality?  Would you like to improve your savvy, your relationship and your communication with your horse, to see unwanted behaviour disappear, to ride with confidence, to develop harmony with your horse, to have fun with him?  Geneviève Benoit teaches Parelli Natural Horsemanship,  a program based on the natural language and psychology of the horse.  Rapport, mutual respect, communication and trust are the keys to winning your horse's heart.  This foundation applies to all horses and to all disciplines of riding, English or Western.  It is structured by level to provide a systematic and progressive approach to learning to be savvy with horses.  You start at Level 1, and then go on to Levels 2, 3 and more if you wish.  Levels 1 to 3 are about teaching people about horses.  This is where you will learn to think like a horse and to play their games so that you can communicate.   Levels 4 to 6 are where you learn to  teach horses.  I am currently working on Level 4 in the program.

This program is for everybody.  You don't have to be talented or be a stuntman.  It does not take years to see the results.  All you need is commitment, heart and desire, and the right tools to learn and be effective.  This program is unique because the information has all been made available to you, in the form of a logical process, and there are lots of ways to access the knowledge Pat has gained and shared over his lifetime.  It all boils down to the seven keys to success!

 

How do you wish to improve your horsemanship?

Clinics are available for groups up to 6 riders.  They are often organized by students of the program who wish to gather up a group to advance, learn and to enjoy an intensive shot of savvy together!  A 2 day clinic provides an overview of one level.  For example, Beginning Level 1 is strictly on the ground.  Advanced Level 1 also includes a riding component.  Level 2 is also divided into Beginning and Advanced.  I teach Levels 1 and 2 of the Parelli program.  Auditors are welcome at clinics.

Why attend a Parelli clinic?

Clinic coordinators can benefit from free lesson time as a thank you for their effort in organizing a clinic.  What is involved in being the host or coordinator of a clinic?  You basically share the responsibility of arranging it in your area - here is what you might be doing:

For more information on clinics, click on Clinic Description.  You would like to organize a clinic in your area, please contact Geneviève!

Workshops are for Parelli students who are going through the program but need specific help or feel stuck.  Workshops are informal and can last 3 hours or a full day.  They are typically customized to meet the needs of a small group of participants.  They are the right format to teach specific skills or to work through particular problems, for example, trailer loading, circling game, etc.  They usually have a theme and are focused on one savvy at one level.  Workshops are held on a regular basis at equestrian facilities who choose to host them.  They can also be set-up to learn and practice specific horsemanship skills such as horse care, ground work, first aid, equipment or any other topic.  There are no auditors at workshops.  Please contact us if you'd like to host a set of workshops at your facility.

Private and semi-private (2 people) lessons.  This is the way to go if you want to receive a lot of personal one-on-one interaction.  Lessons are tailored to your level of experience and to your objectives, whether your goals are to relax, to become more confident, to gain ground skills or ridden skills, to better understand horse psychology, to become a horseman or woman, to advance in the program or any other objective.  My teaching style focuses on safety for you and your horse, respect for the horse and the rider, and the fun of working and making progress.  A personalized lesson plan can be provided upon request.  Lessons are given at your barn with your own horse, or with a horse that you would like to build a relationship with in order to advance.  If your horse is with me in training, you can come to my host facility to take your lessons.  There are no auditors, unless special circumstances warrant getting the instructor's permission.

Video coaching and assessments.  Can't get to a clinic or workshop and you need immediate help?  Or you are ready to submit your assessment?  You can send me your videos for the assessment of Level 1, or just to get help and individual coaching in order to make progress.  Please contact me before you send in your video, I do travel quite a bit and it's best to check first to ensure I can give you a prompt response.  Click here to download the video submission  form.

Horse Training Services 

At certain times of the year, I can offer the opportunity to take in horses in training for students of the Parelli program.  Your horses are housed at the same facility that boards my own.  They are well cared for and I supervise them daily. 

Optionally, your horses can also be started on the natural feeding program that is described in the section on Horse Health, which is also the one I use for my own horses. 

Training is designed according to the needs of each customer, and the horse owners can book private Parelli coaching on site with their own horses.   

Examples of training programs: 

Young horses, ground skills prior to starting under saddle:  knowing how to stay tied, trailer loading, clipping, showers, grooming, prep for the farrier, prep for vet care, leading correctly, 7 games.  The horse learns to accept humans and their tools with confidence and respect, can be handled safely and will remember this behaviour for the rest of his life.  I cannot offer colt starting at the moment due to a lack of adequate facilities (no round pen), but the learning above is a prerequisite to starting any young horse and will put it well ahead of the game.  Please note that this is a topic very dear to my heart and in which I am specializing.  I strongly believe in putting a solid education and foundation a horse before it is ever ridden, and makes everything else that much easier for the rest of his life.

Started horses:  learning or refining the ground games, improving the games under saddle, purity of gait, long reins, learning longitudinal and lateral flexion, engagement, vertical flexion.  These are only examples; there are vast possibilities according to the level of the horse and rider.  Mares and geldings only, I will not accept stallions. 

This service is booked by the month, 2 month minimum.  Space is limited and only available to students of the Parelli program.   For more information, contact me. 

About Geneviève

Geneviève Benoit has been active in horses for 30 years as a rider, competitor, groom, trainer, breeder and teacher.  She officially worked at the 1976 Summer Olympics supporting the Pentathlon equestrian teams.  Certified as a Coach (Classical Riding) by the Canadian Equestrian Federation since 1996, she was in 2003 the first Quebec rider to achieve her Level 3 in Parelli Natural Horsemanship, and is currently the only licensed Parelli  instructor in Quebec.  She spent over a year in training at the Parelli ranches in Florida and Colorado to obtain her instructor's degree.  She returns to the ranch on a yearly basis to upgrade her horsemanship and teaching skills.  During her stay at the Parelli ranches, Geneviève was able to audit clinics by Craig Johnson (Reining World Champion), Luis Lucio (Olympic medallist in dressage) and Walter Zettl (dressage master).  She has also been a student of Jack Brainard, a personal friend of late Tom Dorrance, mentor to D. Wayne Lucas and a legendary horseman in the Western performance world.  Geneviève is now a Licensed Parelli 2-Star Instructor and travels to barns across the country to teach Parelli to horse lovers.  You can read my full biography by clicking here.