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Photo of Heather McNeil, Parelli instructor, holding golden lab puppy
Heather and horse jumping competition
Heather in the pasture with two horses
Heather riding a horse bareback

Meet the Team

Heather McNeil , PhD
Program Development
Program Facilitator
Parelli Natural Horsemanship Instructor
Energy Work Practioner

Heather is a self-described introvert who is authentic, highly intuitive, warm and fun. Born loving all creatures great and small, Heather has always had a special connection to horses that has only deepened over time. With over four decades of equine experience, she is living her dream bringing horses and people together to support their minds, bodies and spirits.

Heather holds multiple degrees; Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Education, Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Veterinary Infectious Diseases. During her years as a research scientist, honing her skills to be a good observer, Heather changed her professional trajectory after observing that something was missing from the life path she had chosen --a freedom she had known working with horses and the meaningful connection felt in the bonded partnerships that allowed her to teach and show successfully.  

 

In 2003, in what Heather calls a "divine intervention", she met her mentor, Larry Stewart, who introduced her to Parelli Natural Horsemanship. Later, in 2008, while advancing on her Parelli training, she would next meet Loesje Jacob, an extraordinary mentor, teacher, and medicine woman. Meeting Loesje opened another door that would pair Heather's scientific background with an alternative form of medicine that facilitates communication with the body's own innate healing wisdom.  

Today Heather is an exceptional fully licensed three star Parelli Natural Horsemanship Instructor,
Equine Facilitator and intuitive Energy Work Practitioner.

Nicole sitting on the floor
Nicole walking on the beach at sunset with a white horse
Nicole sitting in meditation surrounded by horses
Nicole riding bareback on the beach

Nicole daSilva
Meditation Facilitator 

Yoga Instructor
Student of Equine Gestalt Coaching
Student of Natural Horsemanship

A former visual artist and dance teacher, Nicole is happiest when creating, in the company of animals, surrounded by nature and the sound of water. 

Nicole's early connection to horses is one that centres around a life long journey towards healing. Her relationship with horses began during her teenage years at a small ranch in Brampton where she took riding lessons and volunteered as a handler on the weekends. Too young at the time to give it a name, she recalls now that it was the only place she felt at "peace". Shortly after achieving rider level 3, Nicole moved to downtown Toronto and horses would not reenter her life again until many years later.

A natural curiosity for the metaphysical, Nicole has explored various tools to improved wellbeing including yoga, meditation, sound healing, QiGong, Tai Chi, shamanic journeying, HeartMath, sacred geometry, Reiki, crystals and more.  

In April 2022, during a two month hiatus to Costa Rica, Nicole found an unexpected friendship in an old mare by the name of Chispa, meaning "spark". The time spent on the ground with Chispa would have a profound impact on Nicole, reconnecting her with horses in ways she could never have anticipated while igniting a curiosity for natural horsemanship and equine facilitated healing.

 

Nicole returned to Costa Rica within the year and spent the bulk of the next two years on the ground with horses learning about how and why they help humans heal. The very "healing" she had been looking for had found her instead and, the impact horses have had on her and others, has been awe-inspiring.

Nicole is currently enrolled in EGCM's equine gestalt coaching program,
volunteering to assist riders with disabilities, a certified yoga instructor and student of natural horsemanship.

Nicole greeting a couple of horses in the paddock

Meet the Horses

three horses quietly enjoying each other's company

“Where in this world can man find nobility without pride, friendship without envy, beauty without vanity?

Here, where grace is laced with muscle, and strength by gentleness confined.

He serves without servility; he has fought without enmity.

There is nothing so powerful, nothing less violent;

there is nothing so quick, nothing more patient…”  – Robert Duncan

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Trixie

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Zen

Cassidy

a white horse looking towards the camera

Darling

a brown horse focused on something going on outside of the scene
a young brown horse

Liberation

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