# Trainers in Saskatchewan



## LisaG

Clifford Elliott would be very good, I think. I took a colt-starting clinic with him last spring. He lives near Paynton, which isn't really in your area, but he still might be worth checking out. He starts colts and I think he trains cutting horses, too.

He certainly takes mares (and personally, I wouldn't be too impressed with a trainer that doesn't. I mean, really).

There are probably others on NorthernHorse.com, etc..., but I haven't really seen them work firsthand.


----------



## GallopingGuitarist

Thanks! 
I'm not, and never will be, impressed with trainers who don't like mares. A horse, is a horse, is a horse. End of story. 
I've met two different trainers that didn't like mares (and guess what, they turned out to be friends...). I had a bay filly given to me, because this 'trainer' wouldn't touch her because "she was a mare, and wasn't color'. His friend,(who was the first trainer that I had heard of not liking mares), ripped off two my friends pretty badly. First off telling them that their mares were junk (but he liked their geldings from the same breeding stock), and then letting the one mare go in a sale for way less then the minimum they had set.


----------



## Breezy2011

Shauna Getz, she specilizes in reining and cow stuff, but will also train barrel racing, english stuff, driving, and a lot of other stuff, she is in between Birsay and Lucky Lake. She is a breeder, trainer and showing. Here is her website: Whitby Farms If i was getting my horse trained by someone else, I would go to her.


----------



## GallopingGuitarist

She doesn't take anything over 4 years old. Ruby will be 6 when I get her trained.


----------



## Breezy2011

O sorry, I didn't know how old your mare is. I would train her for you! Lol. My friend (graduated) is started to get into training horses, but I don't know if she is training horses for other people, other then herself. She is helping me ground train my filly, when I need her, but I am breaking and training her myself.


----------



## GallopingGuitarist

Well, like I said, I could do the ground training and initial breaking myself, but I don't know where to go from there. 
What are your opinions about Dale Clearwater, Terry Douglas, Cain Quam,Tyler Quam, Willow Ridge Stables, Tyler Darroch?

I just searched trainers in SK... Have you heard about any of them? Good or bad?


----------



## Breezy2011

Willow Ridge is apparently good, but there have been horse viruses or desieses going through there a lot. And with Shauna Getz, she said colts to be started... I am not sure if that is meaning any horse, or just horses to be started, as you are starting your mare yourself...

I have heard of Cain and Tyler Quam, and I was actually thinking of going to some of there clinics, as I hear they are pretty good, I haven't heard of the others though.


----------



## GallopingGuitarist

I should have mentioned Ruby's age in my first post. Sorry about that. 
If I do send Ruby to a trainer I would want them to break her and then train her, I was always under the impression that trainers prefer to take the colts/green horses unstarted, so there aren't training conflicts.

I've seen Dale Clearwater ride a lot at the Agribition. He tends to have/show/sell the higher selling horses in the Ranch horse show and sale. On his site he said that he likes to start long yearlings and young two year olds... 'so you have more time to get them ready for futurities'.. Kind of put up a red flag for me there. A lot of these names I mentioned are guys who take horses, train, and show them. 
We'll see. If I get lessons, maybe it won't be a problem to start my mare and then train her with supervision and advice.


----------



## LisaG

Yes, I don't really like the trend of starting long yearlings either, but it seems to be very prevalent. Since your horse is older, you won't need to worry about that, though.

I'm pretty sure Clifford takes older horses, too. Last spring there was a woman in my clinic who also had an older (and very saucy) mare he was retraining. I believe you may have to leave the horse with him for three months minimum, but that's probably the case with all the trainers we're talking about here.

I have heard of the trainers you mention, and watched some of their colts/older horses at Agribition, but I don't actually know anyone who has had their horses trained by them (I'm in a totally different part of the province). 

Are there any community pasture guys in your area that start colts? Some of them are good. I'm hoping to send one of my young horses to one of our local community pasture guys next spring (sort of a long story, but my Dad and I ended up with three young ones. I've started two, but now am working too much to really get the third one going and progress with the others).

Are you planning to show or compete, or are you looking more for a ranch horse? The foundation should be the same either way, but it might influence who you choose.

You might be able to start him on your own...I guess if you're thinking about it, I would recommend taking a colt starting clinic with someone. By the end of the clinic, you should know if you're prepared. Plus you will probably be able to take lessons with the clinician.


----------



## GallopingGuitarist

I don't know very many of the 'pasture riders' around here. I haven't gotten very involved with the horse world here yet, (I'm near Carlyle). My horse is north of Preeceville, and I have yet to decide where I am planning on moving when I get back from BC this fall. There aren't places available around here to rent, too many riggers. 
As far as what I want to do with her, probably turn her into a trail/low key competition horse. She's not registered. I am hoping to give english riding a good try and hopefully will progress in it. 

Mainly I was trying to get a feel for trainers around SK, it will be fall of 2014 before I actually start her. She is possibly bred for Oct (kind of a rescue), so I won't be getting anything done with her this summer.


----------



## LisaG

I know what you're saying about renting - the market is tight here, too (I live near Turtleford). Fortunately, we now own a house, so problem solved!

Well, you have lots of time to sort it out. Some of those trainers aren't cheap, but then you often get what you pay for. If they give clinics, you could audit their clinics before you make a decision. And I would definitely try to talk to some of their clients before you place a horse there. I have heard (second hand) of one bigshot in roping scene who treats the horses terribly (but it's not anyone we've been discussing here).


----------



## GallopingGuitarist

I'm afraid buying land is a long ways off for me. I'm 20 and just starting out away from home. 

I will keep my ears and eyes open, and if I find one I like, I'll for sure ask around about them before sending a horse. 

Thank you for all the info, and help! Gotta love being a horse person in one of the most non-horsey provinces in Canada!


----------



## LisaG

No problem! Yes, I remember being 20...God, I'm getting old (early 30s). I still don't own land, but my parents have a ranch, so that works for me. 

And Saskatchewan is horsier than people think...maybe not much of a show circuit, but if you start looking, you might find lots of stuff going on. That's the case in my area, anyway. Cattle sorting, cowboy mounted shooting, penning, roping, etc...


----------



## Breezy2011

Around Birsay area, there is 2 horse trainers that are just local, and nobody that is not around here knows about them, then there is Shauna, and a few people I know that will train or break a horse if you ask them to. There are plenty of unknown trainers in Saskatchewan that would be happy to do it, and are very experienced, you could look on kijiji as I have seen a lot of people taking in any horse and training them. I know, since I am known around Birsay and Lucky Lake, for working with horses, and training my filly, I have had somebody ask me to break his horse for him.


----------



## xxdanioo

GallopingGuitarist said:


> Well, like I said, I could do the ground training and initial breaking myself, but I don't know where to go from there.
> What are your opinions about Dale Clearwater, Terry Douglas, Cain Quam,Tyler Quam, Willow Ridge Stables, Tyler Darroch?
> 
> I just searched trainers in SK... Have you heard about any of them? Good or bad?


Dale Clearwater won the trainer challenge last year at the equine expo i think, and the quams I've heard are good. 

I used Tori Meggison, but I don't know if she is taking outside clients currently.

ETA: Natalie Weichel used to train- Whispering Sands Training Centre, not sure if she is still or not.


----------



## MiniMom24

Do you have facebook? Join this group, it might help you out. 

Horse Trainers *A higher standard* Canada
https://www.facebook.com/groups/584049288274933/


----------



## GallopingGuitarist

Thanks! I'm already part of that group. I'm friends with Bobbie, well sorta friends, we used to own one of her horses, Nina. I also am friends with a couple of the other people on that group. 

I will see what happens, I might break my mare myself, then progress from there. I can break a horse, just not sure on the other stuff. 

On a good note, Ruby is getting delivered this weekend! And, I get to go and see her Easter weekend! I get to spend a couple days up there too! 
I bought her a halter, lead rope, and feed pail, all in a navy blue. I already have a set of polo wraps in that color so I figured I'd stay with it. Now to buy my gelding all hunter green stuff, I have SMX boots in that color.


----------



## LisaG

MiniMom24 said:


> Do you have facebook? Join this group, it might help you out.
> 
> Horse Trainers *A higher standard* Canada
> https://www.facebook.com/groups/584049288274933/


Thanks for that link, I've asked to join the group.

I have a colt I'm hoping to have someone start this spring. I like doing it myself, but I don't have time (and have two other young ones to finish up). I'm a little nervous about actually letting anyone else start him, though. He has a nice mouth and is a little sensitive (but very good-natured).


----------



## Saddlebag

I attended a Cain Quam clinic - excellent. In this case he taught riders and their horses. I've heard nothing but good things.


----------



## GallopingGuitarist

Good to know!


----------

