Merry Christmas

I cannot believe how fast this year has flown by....it has been another busy year here at our farm. We were very excited to have Nella's first foal arrive! Dolly arrived while Jenna was on foal watch! She was thrilled to be the first to see Dolly. It was all over facebook for several days! We also are very excited to have Genuine Oso's first foal ready to start training. "Pippa" (Genuine Oso Triple) is a pretty palomino who is paid up into the OBBO Reining Futurity and if she's anything like her Dad, she will be very pretty to watch! We welcomed "Peanut" (Topdun Starlight) to our barn late last fall and his training has been coming along real well. Peanut has just an amazing temperment and he's such a natural at the reining manoeuvres. We can't forget everyone's favorite, Earl (One Slick Pepto). Earl has been with us since his 2 year old year. Earl was ready to show this year and made his debut at the OBBO. Earl is a very happy horse who loves his job and has mastered the turn around. Gary is known for his patience and, unlike other trainers, he doesn't believe in pounding on a horse and having him spin out of fear. He wants them to turn around with confidence and enjoy the turn around. Gary is always educating himself and learning new techniques to help improve his horses. This year he was very happy to work with Loris Epis and together, they helped Earl and his spin. It was great to hear Loris say that Earl was definitely an Open horse and a smart horse. We would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. We hope everyone takes the time to enjoy the holiday season and spend it with their family and friends. From our home to yours.....Merry Christmas!

Re-training the Race horse

The current horse market is being flooded with race horses that are going real cheap or free to good homes. Those are the fortunate ones. The unfortunate ones are being put down. Gary would like to make everyone aware that these horses can, in fact, be re-trained. With the right trainer and program you can give these beautiful animals a new lease on life. If you have the opportunity to re home one of these race horses and not sure what to do, please feel free to contact Gary. He can answer questions and help you determine if this is the right decision for you. Gary has spent over 30 years working with race horses and has, on many occasions, re-trained them for various disciplines. Give him a call or email with any questions. (519) 794-4715 or email gktrainingcentre@hotmail.com

Ontario Quarter Horse Breeders Futurity Celebrates 50 years

I can remember when I was a young girl seeing boxes of letters sitting on our dining room table. Sundays were always days for my mom to make long distance calls and weekends were the times when my parents would drive around Ontario seeking out Quarter Horse owners to talk about the Ontario Quarter Horse Breeders Futurity. This was they way it was done back then...there was no internet, emails etc. You did it the hard way. This year marks the 50th Anniversary for the OQHBF and it brought out a lot of fond memories and discussion between my parents, George and Barb Coverdale, Gary and myself. My dad, Doug Morden, was Chairman from 1966 - 1971. It was these early years when the Quarter Horse was new to Ontario. The weanling class was part of the futurity because there really weren't many horses older than that....what a long way the Quarter horse has come in Ontario. While talking about these early years and the long hours they put in they also shared the determination they all had to make this show a success and to create a market for the Ontario Quarter Horse. We have gone from there being only a few Quarter Horses in Ontario to this breed being very popular in Ontario. Almost everywhere you go you will find a Quarter Horse. Congratulations to the OQHBF and a very Happy 50th Anniversary!

Fun Night Wednesday August 1, 2012

We would like to thank everyone that has come out to our fun nights so far. They have been a lot of fun with a lot of very nice people. Our next fun night will follow the same format starting at 7 pm. Please have in mind something you would like to work on with your horse.

Next Fun Night - Tuesday, July 17, 2012

We have scheduled our next fun night for Tuesday, July 17, 2012 at 7pm. Each horse and rider will have the opportunity to work with Gary on any area that they would like to either improve on or learn. It's a great evening of riding and afterwards a relaxing time enjoying some refreshments and snacks. Please call 519-794-4715 or email gktrainingcentre@hotmail.com to reserve your spot. Space is limited.

Fun Night

Despite the heat and humidity we went ahead with our fun night last night! We met some really nice people and some very nice horses! This is something new that we have started so we expect each night to get better and better! Last night we worked on some basics as well as lead changes and some reining! Each fun night will be slightly different as it will depend on each individual and what they would like to work on.

Fun Night on June 27, 2012

Come and ride with Gary on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 from 7:00 - 9:00 pm. Bring your horse and join us in a relaxed atmosphere for a night of learning and meeting new people. Price $25.00 per horse/rider Please call or email us to reserve your spot. Space is limited.

Training Programs

It is very important when your horse has finished it's training period with your trainer that you understand your horse's program that you are to follow at home. Too many times owners take their horses home and follow the program for a week or so...then a "friend" gives their input. Next thing you know, tack has been changed and so has the program. Sometimes it's very difficult to tell your friend thanks but I'm going to stick with my trainer's program but you are far better off to hurt their feelings than possibly get hurt yourself. You have to remember you have paid for your trainer's knowledge and experience, which is why they are the "trainer". Most trainers have years of experience combined with knowledge. They spend time with your horse and they know what will work and what won't. Experience isn't something you can learn from a book. When horses leave our facility we have now implemented a written program for the owner to follow. Once they can follow this program on their own with confidence then you can start to make changes. This can happen because you are now working as a team and you are comfortable with your horse. If you get into trouble with your horse and nothing seems to be working then go back to the beginning. Go back to the program your trainer sent you home with including using the same equipment. Work with those basics until you start to have good consistent sessions with your horse. If all else fails, call your trainer and see if you can take your horse back for a lesson. This will allow your trainer to look at what you are doing or not doing and get you back on track. Gary always tells his clients to call if they run into any problems. No matter how silly you think it may sound, he would rather help you work through it before it becomes a big problem. Before any horse leaves our facility we insist the rider come out and ride the horse before they go home. This way they are being taken through the whole program step by step.

Buying a horse

Gary has been helping people purchase a horse for many many years and with great success. There have been too many times to count when owners come to our facility to get training on a horse they have purchased but just can't handle. A good rule of thumb to follow is a green horse and a green rider do not mix. Having said that, a young horse with a nice temperment combined with professional training can work out well. If you are a new horse owner with little experience, it would really benefit you to take lessons from a professional. These lessons help you to build a better relationship with your horse and with a better relationship comes more enjoyment. We used to send every horse home with written instructions for the owner on the program they should follow. We did get away from doing that...why? Not sure, probably just lack of time on my part. However, we are putting that back into practice as it gives the owner something to always fall back on. You can always refer to it when things start going backwards. This allows you to always get back to square one when you get into trouble. Gary keeps these programs pretty simple and he also includes a list of the suggested tack. For example, what type of bit works best for both the horse and rider. When the owner is comfortable with that program, they can then move forward and work on something new.

We're back!

Hello Everyone! It's been awhile since our last post but we are back. It's been a busy winter with all the horses and owners that have been through our facility. Gary has been busy getting our horses ready to show in both Quebec and Ontario. One Slick Pepto will make his debut in Quebec and King's Triple Storm and I will be showing in Quebec as well. Listo Bandito and Shoulda Been a Dude have gone home to their new owners. We miss both horses and will certainly miss Dude in the show ring this year. She was a great horse to have and travel with as nothing ever bothered her. We have two really nicely bred 4 year old fillies for sale. One pretty palomino filly with extensive trail miles and 30 days reining training and one pretty sorrel mare with extensive reining training and show pen ready. Gary is working with a nice 3 year old gelding that is very well bred is should be ready by the fall of this year. As always, we love to hear from our customers! Gary is now booking lessons both here at home and at your facilty. Call for more information.