Parelli Job Update

I know I have taken forever to update people on my Parelli job interview. In ways, I am still processing my experience. It was a whirlwind of emotions for me. I flew in to Pagosa Springs, Colorado and met with Mark Weiler, CEO of Parelli and Sue Shoemark, VP of Parelli. We talked about everything "horse." Mark is very personable and I liked his energy. He made me feel so welcome and important. I think Sue is a kindred spirit, I liked her right away. On of my highlights is slipping away with her to get coffee. I felt I was out with a good girlfriend, not a potential boss. The morning flew by quickly and they had arranged for me to go visit Pat and Linda for lunch. I can't talk about specifics of our meeting just to preserve the confidentially of the interview, but I can tell a little bit about my experience. This is a story I will cherish and feel is fun to share for people who enjoy and practice Parelli. Mr. Weiler and I arrived at Pat and Linda's house and we went in. There was Linda, making lunch and Pat was just wrapping up on a video shoot. I put my nerves in check. They are important people to me, having been my inspiration for the past 3 years to become a better person for my horse. Not to mention, in my business, television news, I have been hired over the phone 4 times. Interviews are a new thing for me. I reminded myself to breathe, relax, and enjoy the opportunity. I think many would be surprised to know what an amazing cook Linda is. She started chopping things and whisking them into bowls. Within minutes, she had prepared a wonderful tuna salad and a cabbage salad with seemingly little effort. We sat down and talked horses and social media. We looked at many of your blogs. In particular, Mustang Diaries and Grey Horse Matters, I pulled you both up to show Pat. I enjoyed sharing with them the horse blogging experience and what our cyber community means to us. It was very enjoyable, but also very business oriented. I stepped out and they talked amongst themselves. I stood outside and took in the beautiful scenery of Pagosa Springs. The mountains surround you on all sides. It is a beautiful place. In that moment, I panicked a little. Could I be the right person for the job? Would they like me enough to offer me the job? Could I leave my life in Oregon? How would Maddy (my horse) deal with a move? Could I survive on half my salary to experience my dream job? Mark came out and we continued our tour of the ranch and then the rest of corporate. I ran into Ann Kiser, my mentor and teacher from Oregon. She is there on a trial position. It felt so good to see her. The Parelli Ranch is an amazing place. The corporate headquarters are stunning. I think they have revolutionized horsemanship around the world and they make a conscience effort to make this a better place for horses. So why didn't I take the job? Some days I ask myself that same question. For me, it was all about timing. It just felt "off." Things felt too perfect back in Oregon to disrupt and fears about the economy and a change in pay scared me. At the time, my decision loomed over me and kept me up at night. I quickly decided one day to just not take it. And as I hit the "send" in my email to Mark, I wondered "what have I done?" There is no way to know if I made the right choice. But I do know I will work for the Parellis one day in some capacity. Maybe I will become an Parelli instructor or a Parelli ambassador. The one thing I do know, I feel more confident than ever that I have chosen my mentors wisely and will continue to pattern my horsemanship after the two people, Linda and Pat, that have changed my relationship with horses for the better.