Janelle Patla
Facility Manager, Trainer and Instructor
Janelle’s love of horses started before she could walk. Her mother would tell the story of her standing in her crib in their small farmhouse, looking out into the horse pasture with dreamy eyes. She got her first horse at age 12, a thoroughbred cross mare that taught her volumes but kept her humble, as mares will do. Growing up in extreme Northern Minnesota offered little in the way of training, but she managed to find an old horseman who had spent his life training and showing Morgan horses that started her on a path that would unknowingly lead her in the direction of partnering with her horse.
Janelle was first introduced to dressage at Clare-B School of Horsemanship and fell in love with the challenge of the discipline. In 2009, she started working at Spirit Horse Center cleaning stalls and doing general horse care. Through the years, she discovered more than ever that horsemanship is a lifelong learning experience and the quest for knowledge is never ending.
Janelle became a manager of the facility in 2013 and has trained with Mestre Dominique and Debra Barbier and continues to train under their protégé Staci Grattan, owner and proprietor of Spirit Horse Center. Janelle has also taken Masterson Equine Massage Basics and has trained under Animal Communicators Anna Twinney and Joyce Leake. In 2021 Janelle completed the intensive ten day course with Dr Regan Golob “Where have all the Horsemen Gone” covering Regan’s unique and comprehensive holistic equine health program that includes his healing Bio Energetic Analysis Technique (B.E.A.T) as well as barefoot trimming introductory info and equine nutrition. B.E.A.T. has become a routine part of Spirit Horse Center training sessions to assist uncomfortable horses. In 2021 Janelle became a BEMER Horse Blanket Dealer (PEMF device) – Bemer therapy has become a key component in the Spirit Horse horse care and training programs. Janelle is highly proficient in horse care, nutrition and alternative healing modalities and takes ongoing continuing education on those topics and more. She is available for riding lessons and trains horses alongside trainer Staci, and the assistant trainers.
