First blog is about me... and why I'm blogging for you!

Hello all! Some of you might know me in person, some might know me from Parelli Natural Horsemanship, some might know me from comments on your blogs, and some may have just randomly found my blog. All ways of coming to my blog "Just Horsing Around With Gina Chianello" and reading this is great. So for my first blog I thought I would re-post some "About Me" type blogs I wrote from last year.

Also, I would like to tell you that the main purpose of this blog is to share other blogs that I come across that I think more people should read or just look at some fantastic pictures or videos. Nevertheless, if it's on here you should check it out :)

For now here is a little about me and what I've been up too these past 6 months.

Comments? Questions? Concerns? You can find me on:
Facebook; Gina Chianello-Parelli Natural Horsemanship
Twitter; GAChianello
Parelli Connect; Gina Chianello

Meet Parelli Social Media Intern Gina Chianello

by Gina Chianello on July 13, 2010

My name is Gina Chianello, I’m nineteen (now 20!) and I’m from Oregon. I graduated from LaSalle High School and I’ve finished my first year at college. I have always LOVED horses. I started taking riding lessons when I was 8 and when I was thirteen I got my own horse. Titan, my (14.3hh 800lb) gelding, had just turned 2 and he was, and is, the love of my life. We were fortunate enough to find a natural horsemanship trainer right around the corner from my house who was Parelli based. My Mom took me to a clinic and I knew this Parelli thing was for me.
Today, Titan (now 16.1hh 1,300lbs) and I are still growing in our relationship and working on level 3. My mare, Bayli, and I are rounding level 2. We’ve been learning at a steady pace and as Pat says, “If you take the time it takes, it takes less time.”
I’m currently a social media intern for Parelli at Parelli Central in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. I’m enjoying this opportunity to see Parelli from the inside and it’s nice to know that the Parelli I fell in love with at age thirteen is just as wonderful as I had imagined it. The other interns and I are helping out the social media team by commenting on blogs, helping out Facebook, Tumbler, Parelli Tube, and other channels. It’s exciting to be a part of helping humans help horses and changing the world by spreading the word through the internet.
The past two weeks of working here has been a dream, there is so much support for what we are doing. As well as my family, friends, and my boyfriend Jake cheering me on at home.
Colorado is so beautiful and if anyone gets a chance to see the Parelli Campus, don’t hesitate. I still get goose bumps driving up to the lodge for meals and seeing the students, Externs, Interns, and Proteges all come together. So far I’ve been in Pagosa Springs 4th of July parade, went to the town Rodeo, hiked all over the ranch, had the opportunity to help with the Parelli games, and just enjoyed the atmosphere of the ranch.
My adventure has just begun and I’m excited to tell you all more soon!
~Gina Chianello

Parelli social media intern Gina Chianello training her horse Titan with natural horsemanship

Parelli social media intern Gina Chianello riding her horse Titan with natural horsemanship

What I actually do at Parelli Central!

by Gina Chianello-Parelli Natural Horsemanship on Thursday, July 29, 2010

You can thank Jamie Weigel for this post! She suggested I explain to people what it is I do as an intern for Parelli Central. I'm not you're normal intern for Parelli. I'm not building on my horsemanship skills persay nor is my work based out on the ranch. I work at 7 Parelli Way in the building specifically for Parelli Central. As a representative for Colorado put it, "this building is like the pentagon, you see the building and you know Parelli employees are inside but you really have no idea what they're doing in there!"

Well, If you haven't had a tour of Parelli Central, ( which we give all the time and If you are in Pagosa Springs CO anytime, we give tours 8-5 Mon-Fri) I will tell you what I do and what the other departments do. We have LOTS offices here. Downstairs is customer service, so if you have called to Parelli those are the wonderful people that help you. The stock room is where all you're Parelli items are shipped from. The manufacturing stations where they make the items you buy. And a big welcome room with couch and T.V. (a nice place to eat my lunch and watch Parelli DVD's, hehe) Up stairs we have Mark Weler's office who is the President of Parelli if you didn't know. The Accountant office where they take care of the finances, they have the best view of outside, ( jealous!) Tech room where they create the websites and keep things running... actually it's kind of a mystery what else they do in there, I might have to do some investigating! The Media department which is big. They do the filming, editing, recording etc. lots of cool stuff in there. Also a great place to assemble office chairs, which Brett and Kerrin will attest too. Then there is the Social Media offices and that's where I work!

We have one of the most important exciting jobs. The interns Kerrin, Sharon, and I are constantly reading and commenting on blogs that we find on the internet. Let me tell you, everyday there are thousands! Talk about a never ending job. We like it though don't get us wrong, we love reading about your journeys with PNH or Natural horsemanship, or eventing, or endurance or western horsemanship or WHATEVER you blog about! We also each have our own little channels we look after. Such as Facebook, which is mine right now. So I check Parelli's Official Facebook page and if people have questions, comments, concerns I try to answer everyone's posts. I also set up the posts that Parelli makes and have someone read over it tweak it and then as Brett says " Fire away! " and those are the posts you see Official Parelli make. Right now if you've sent a YouTube video in for the Call to Action you've come in contact with Kerrin, If you've written a blog or sent pictures into Tumblr for Parelli, then you've been in contact with Sharon! Brett and Elizabeth also do everything I just mentioned. They over see things we do and help us with ideas. Brett does most of the Twitter stuff and research for more social media updates and breakthroughs. They also take care of other requests. Like Elizabeth helps out with graphics and E-news. Mackenzie, is doing the graphics for Parelli and usually Nicole does graphics as well but she just had a beautiful new baby girl! Sabine does all the E-news and is occasionally Mark's assistant.

Whew, I could write more but i might bore you!

I know from working here for a month now, that everyone in this building wants to help every customer they come in contact with. I know if any of you have any questions I'm going to try and find the answer and get back to you as soon as I can. I really enjoy interacting with people and making them feel comfortable with asking me questions or making a statement.

So that is what I do for you at Parelli Central. And with that, If you have any questions... LET ME KNOW! I'll be glad to help all of you :)

~Gina :)

PARELLI CENTRAL!

My Parelli Central experience

by Gina Chianello-Parelli Natural Horsemanship on Thursday, September 23, 2010

       Not too long ago I was a lost college student in Oregon, with a dream of getting a chance to be involved in something I love and wanted to do. Now, I am here back in Oregon. Back to my job as a customer satisfaction employee at an auto parts store. Back to school at Community College. Back to my friends and family who eagerly awaited my arrival. Back to the life I was comfortable in. But looking back at the last 10 weeks of working for Parelli Central, as a social media intern/ working student, I’m thinking that my dream is being fulfilled. As I prepared myself to work at the Performance Summit, I tried not to think about the end of that experience. Everyone at Parelli assures me this will not be goodbye, but hello to the start of a life long relationship with the people who make Parelli what it is.

I know where I want to eventually end up. I want to be a part of Parelli, a part of helping change the world for horses and humans. I will take this experience as a stepping-stone for my life and how I want to live. There is something about being around like-minded people that gives you the courage and the strength to find what you want to do and do it! I have great support. My family for one, who have been very supportive, even though they saw my life going in another direction. I’ve made amazing relationships, whether online, at the campus, in the Parelli Central offices, or my lovely cabin mates, Kerrin and Sharon. I feel like they need a special mention because they lived with me basically 24/7 for the past 10 weeks. Let me tell you, that isn’t always easy! They were there for me when I was up and when I was down. True friends last forever and they are just that. It’s amazing how close you become living in a cabin with no electricity. Haha.

I have learned a lot about social media and how important it is. One thing that I will take away is “consistency” and keeping things going by maintaining something once you start it. This can apply to my personal life and horsemanship as well as building a business. There are so many things that have sparked my interest over the past 10 weeks that when I went to write them down it took up 2 pages! A couple are, I am starting Parelli Play days a Dressage barn, I’m learning how to trim my horses feet, and I’m helping my friend, Charlie Johnson, a 1 star Junior Instructor Trainee, get his social media going! http://goosecreekequine.com/default.aspx

I will still be reading a few blogs and staying in touch with all those relationships I’ve created!

Going back to the life I was comfortable in is nice, no doubt, but now I have so many goals I want to achieve. Time and money being the only object. Everything happens for a reason and if I want it, I can make it happen. I feel I have grown as a person in every way. Thank you Parelli.

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And that is it for now!
Stay Savvy!
 ~Gina Chianello
Parelli: A Natural Approach to Horse Training