Off The Rez Horsemanship

08/23/2026

08/23/2026

Stepping out of my comfort zone.
A while back my good friend started taking lessons.
I loved what i saw and contemplated in starting lessons myself. I felt like a duck out of water.
Its been nearly 30 years since riding with my mentor. And took a 20 year break from horses all together.

Having only 10ish rides since last August and 4 lessons this past month so 14 rides in a year. I participated in a schooling show with Rio.
I am pretty pleased with his willingness;
He is a pretty cool little horse ‼️

My dad often accompanied me to shows as a kid. He passed away 2 months ago so i thought i would take a little of him with me for good luck; hence the bear pin.

08/03/2026

There is always room for growth—not just in riding, training, and working with horses, but in who we become because of them.

I'm incredibly grateful and over the moon to have the opportunity to ride with Ian. Every lesson is a reminder that learning never ends, no matter where we are on our journey.

I spend countless hours with these wild horses, earning their trust. Most are adopted before I ever get the chance to swing a leg over them, and that's okay. My purpose isn't measured by how many I ride, but by helping prepare them for success and giving them the best possible start to the next chapter of their lives.

These horses have taught me far more than I could ever teach them. Their honesty, resilience, and willingness to trust continue to humble me. It is an absolute privilege to play even a small part in their journey, and I carry a piece of each one with me long after they've gone.

This is a fine example of the wild horses living a few minutes west of us . “Rio” , belonging to wild horses of Alberta head trainer Ramona Kirchner, joined us in the arena today . We were all impressed with not only his mind but the athleticism he showed .

07/16/2026

Older wildie stallion, Legolas.
Slow and steady wins the race.
This is his 4th day leading and his first attempt to coming into the barn, something completely foreign for a wild horse.
I ask him to take one step, he takes one step. I allow him to take a step back. We go one step forward and 3 steps back. The next moment we walk into the barn like he has done it his whole life.
We would have had a completely different conversation if I had forced him into coming into the barn.
We walked in and out of the barn. I then asked him to step into one of the tie stalls, he walked right in; same thing i allowed him to back, he loads himself back in and stands completely relaxed enjoying some hay.

05/10/2026

For the past few years, I had been asked more than once to come work for WHOAS, but the timing never seemed right.
It took losing everything — living out of my truck through -20 nights — before I finally made the decision to come north.
For a long time, I kept asking myself, “Why me?”
There are far more qualified trainers out there. Truthfully, I have never really considered myself a trainer.
I simply listen.
And through listening, I build connection. Through connection, trust.
I’ve been working with Legolas, a mature stallion who arrived at our facility less than two months ago. Big transitions take time for horses, so I allowed him the space to decompress and settle into his new environment before asking anything of him.
About a week ago, I began working with him consistently.
Yesterday, I was able to put a halter on him.
Legolas is the first stallion I’ve ever haltered without pushing him through a chute or using a lariat
Moments like this remind me that force may gain compliance, but trust is what truly changes a horse.

04/26/2026

Assistant trainer Doug hard at work.
He absolutely loves connecting with all the horses on site; sill has a bit of work to do winning over some of the stallions.
He absolutely loves the babies!!!