I would like to share few of our reviews from
some of the wonderful people I had the privilege to meet on my journeys.
I can not make everyone happy, but I always try and most of the time we succeed. I would like to Thank everyone for your kind words and wish
you all many happy miles and years with your animal friends. You are all
my heroes!(I am sorry I can not fit all our photos and clients here. We focus more on our Instagram as it is just so much easier)
Most of our REVIEWS are on our Instagram page under the highlights REVIEWS
Rex
Nova
Jessie and Rex
Huntz
Rex
Hope
Nova
Brita
Aischa
GrandGrandma (our foundation)
Taiga Puppy
Bonnie
Thor Puppy
Happy Client / Reference
I received a very special “review” the other day ☺️Thank You Darlene!
It is always a bit of a struggle for me to trully explain to some clients how hard it is and how emotional it is to train with me and do it properly. It is not possible via messages IMO because everyones emotions and nerves always play a huge role and I spend half of my energy and focus just on that with each client. Besides the mechanics of the movements and the timing of rewards and markers them selves of course. Anyways here it is, makes me feel kinda shy but whatever. Im sharing it with you all 😜
“In my experience as a dog owner, it is impossible to replace hands- on, direct instruction sessions with a high quality trainer. Reading a book, searching the internet, or messaging will not be effective and lead to great frustration and lack of desired results. In the past week John has guided me through substantial difficulties in training my dog. This would have been impossible without his physical presence and ability to observe and correct my mistakes on the spot. His unique, intense, and unfiltered approach challenged me to my core to manage my emotions. I found these methods superior to the average methods I have tried in the past. In addition, it took more than just showing up to a lesson to be successful. I had to be open, teachable, dedicated and committed to the process.
Knowing John’s lifelong experience with professional animal training reaching to the highest levels, made me confident in his abilities. Even though I didn’t always understand the procedures and methods, I was sure of his insight to know exactly what needed to be done. For me this went as far as to included a change in my attire to cargo pants and heavier footwear, facing my fears, and managing my attached emotions. The end result was well worth the effort!
At first glance training your dog may seem an easy process, however successful training takes commitment and hard work, and a brilliant trainer. It means breaking through emotions and self-limitations. Committing to working with a superior trainer is a game changer in your ability to have fun with your animal while at the same time achieving the precise, high quality performance from your dog.”
Darlene, Ponoka AB
Happy Client / Reference
I would like to say the biggest thank you to John and his young feller Morgan for a great experience. When looking for a Gsp I found johns page, czechmate kennels. After looking at his website and Instagram page I knew he would be a great breeder, John spends a tremendous amount of time with his dogs marking sure they are happy and get the care they need. He always kept us up to date with pictures and videos and answered any questions or concerns we had in a timely matter! Czechmate kennels was great to deal with and I highly recommend anyone looking for a Gsp to reach out to John, thanks again! Cheers!
-Tyrone and Jenna from Newfoundland Canada
Happy Client / Reference
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"We would like to thank John and Morgan for the opportunity to take home one of their puppies. Arrow is a super smart puppy which I totally expected coming from one of John's litters. I have been following John's dogs for several years, and am very excited for the journey with Arrow, and the challenges and growth she will bring me. John is extremely helpful, organized, and full of experience and knowledge, and always willing to offer advice. Jessie and Huntz are superb GSP's, and I love that I have a puppy from their first litter.
Thank you from Sean and Shauna"
Thank you very very much guys! 🌻
Happy Client / Reference
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Happy Client / Reference
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"We would like to say Thank you to John @czechmatetraining for our sweet pup Nixie. John has been such a pleasure to deal with. Professional, helpful & great with the pups.
Nixie is such a wonderful dog. She has been exceptional with potty training, crate training and is smart as a whip. She is doing excellent with several basic commands already and is awesome with our kids and the new dog & cats in her life. She is settling in wonderfully!
We have been following John's litters for some time now and seeing how well each litter has done, made us certain, John was the right fit. We enjoyed meeting Nixie's parents as well & seeing first hand what beautiful dogs they are.
Thank you John for your continued support, guidance and wisdom in answering our questions & for making this process smooth and stress free! We would recommend you and your puppies to everyone!
Mark & Kristi"
Thank You very very much @kristimichelle11
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Happy Client / Reference
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| CzechMate Trigger with Owen and his son taking their new puppy home to beautiful Vancouver Island, BC. @gardiner_pam34 |
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This weekend we welcomed our newest addition Mike! Mike is an absolute joy and is fitting into our family perfectly. After a few years of research finding the perfect breed for our family and hobbies, it was time to find the perfect breeder. We are so pleased and impressed with Johns knowledge and support. He is always available and willing to answer any and all our questions and we know the support will continue as Mike grows. We look forward to training Mike to be an all around hunting dog, with Johns help it’s sure to be a fun and exciting experience." Thank You so much, Beaumont AB
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Happy Client / Reference
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| "My little Salem, I am already so pleased with this boy. He has taken to everything instantly without faltering and it’s amazing to see such a confident young dog. We are already concurring leash walking, crate training and going potty outside. He’s such a brilliant little guy and already learning his sit right away. Thanks to @czechmatetraining for breeding such fine outstanding dogs." Thank you very much @sabrina.and.salem 🇨🇦 |
Happy Client / Reference
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Last spring, after a whole lot of research about whether or not a German Shorthaired Pointer would suit our lifestyle (which I ultimately decided, yes!), I started the search for a local breeder. That's when I found John at Czechmate Training through a Kijiji Ad, he had his website posted on the Ad, so I went and checked it out, soon I found myself reading every blog he has ever posted, which if you've noticed, is a lot!! What I appreciated the most was his no nonsense approach and not long after I contacted him about the purchase of a puppy. I asked him a million and one questions, which he answered honestly and in a timely manner. At that time I got on a list for his upcoming litter, which happened to be Bonnie/Rex puppies, born in March of 2018. Long story short, we love Heidi so much, we decided to get another. I've been fortunate enough to spend a lot of time learning from John over the past year, I never in a million years thought I could or would ever accomplish training a dog at the level I have. That being said, I still have so much to learn and plan to do just that with his continued support. He has taught me to not underestimate a dogs ability, along with earning a healthy respect from my her. This time around, we decided to go with a larger pointer, John suggested an Aischa/Rex puppy, so that's what we did. Memphis is home and settling in wonderfully, even though she has a completely different personality than Heidi, I know she will be an amazing dog and I'm looking forward to the experience". Thank you so much Becky, AB @my.mutts.advenrure
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Happy Client / Reference
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Our beautiful new girl Finnley. About our journey...We have owned German shorthairs for the last 15 years. 2 years ago we lost our first GSP and knew we wanted another once we were ready.
We began following John's instagram page after seeing an ad on the local Kijiji website and loved seeing all his posts. A few months ago my husband contacted John to see about any upcoming litters he might have. He was quick to reply and was very helpful with all of our questions. We made the decision that we were ready for a new pup and that we had found the right breeder.
We've spent the last couple months watching for every post about the pups from Aischa's growing belly to the day we got our sweet miss Finnley home.
We are so impressed with John's professionalism, dedication to his animals, his continual support and his quick responses to all our questions. We would highly recommend CzechMate Kennels to anyone looking for a GSP.
We are so in love with our new pup and look forward to having her in our family for years to come. Danielle, Kamloops BC @daniandee
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Happy Client / Reference
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Such a nice well mannered puppy, super calm and easy to train. Can't say enough about how sweet and relaxed she is, also very healthy too. I wish i had bought another! I would highly reccomend you as a breeder and what a fine example of a German Shorthaired Pointer. Really looking forward to watching her grow up and i named her Aisha after her mom, very simliar patterns. Thank you so much for everything.
John, Burnaby BC
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Happy Client / Reference
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We are so incredibly happy with our puppy, Sako. He is such a smart dog and so eager to please. John was extremely helpful when it came to all of our questions and very quick to respond to us when we needed. It's clear he loves his dogs and is very proud of his work. We are so thankful to get Sako from someone who takes such pride in his animals, like John, and we can't wait to get another. We would absolutely recommend John and Czechmate Training.
Thanks for everything, Ali and Colton, AB @ali.simonee
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Hey John!! We are SO incredibly happy with our new puppy Gunnar, thank you so much!! He has been a great addition to our family. We have never experienced such a well mannered, smart and loving dog before. We are very grateful for the level of care and time you put into your animals which truly shows through in the end results..The best dogs ever! I now could not imagine getting another dog from anyone else! You were so helpful and informative throughout the whole process which really helped us. Feel comfortable and confident in our decisions. Thank you again, we would hands down recommend you and your pups to anyone looking for a great dog. Thanks again!
Megan, Ardrossan AB
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Happy Client / Reference
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We are in love with our new puppy "Birdie". She is so smart! She hasn't had one accident in the house and knew how to play fetch instantly! John has been very helpful with all of our questions and you can tell he really cares about his puppies health and breeding. We also loved being able to view our girl on the puppy cam. I would definitely recommend John and Czechmate to anyone looking for a smart, healthy and beautiful GSP
Kiley, Vancouver BC @kileyjjanes
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Happy Client / Reference
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Something Special!!!! Is all that needs to be said about John and Czechmate Kennels. The care and thought that went in to developing these puppies is second to none. John was a huge help throughout this process, right down to making sure are puppy was safe and sound as he made his trip from one side of the country to the other. Can not wait to see how are new boy " Jack " develops into a great hunting companion. Once again from my family to yours Thank you John and Czechmate Kennels!!!!!"
Matt, New Brunswick @travelingseed
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Happy Client / Reference
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Our dog Beau came from Ashia and Rex’s litter June of 2018. Being our first dog we didn’t really know what to expect but John was wonderful about answering all questions we had! He is such a smart and sweet puppy! We are more than pleased with our pup from Czechmate kennels and will proudly recommend him to others!
Taylor, Yellowhead co. AB @taylor_wannamaker
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Happy Client / Reference
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John , we can not thank you enough ! He is such a smart , calm , gentle pup ! His drive and stamina are unbelievable ! I have no doubt he is going to be a legend in the pheasant fields ! Thank you again and again !!!
Shannon, Spedden, AB
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I purchased a Bonnie/Rex puppy born March 26, 2018...John was extremely helpful with answering all of my questions in a quick and straightforward manner. He put up with up with me well, naturally I had lots of questions, even though this isn’t our first dog, this is our first German Shorthaired Pointer, I wanted to ensure our lifestyle would suit this high energy athlete. John has continued to answer all of my questions since bringing Heidi home. Heidi visited my veterinarian last week and when I asked the Doctor for an honest opinion on the pup, her response was, “She’s awesome, I love her!”.
I have already had people asking me where my puppy came from and I will refer Czechmate Training proudly!!
Becki, Blackfalds AB
Happy Client / Reference
Hey buddy, I just wanted to tell you how happy I am with this little puppy and I can’t wait to train him with you. Everyone in my family loves Rudy. Thank You. Tony, Edmonton AB
We bought a puppy from CzechMate Kennels / John and have nothing but praise for him. Everything was exactly as he said. Lots of texts and phone calls to answer all our questions. He helped in sending him to us. Made us really happy and he is a beautiful dog, thanks John. Phil Mathews, Manitoba
Happy Client / Reference
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While researching dog breeds before purchasing a puppy for our children as a Christmas present, as well as a young pup to bring some much needed anarchy into our two old dogs lives, we happened across Czechmate training and the GSP breed. We could not be happier with our decision to bring a GSP from John into our family! We named her “Remi” short for “Remington” and she has been an amazing addition to our family. She is extremely smart, energetic and gets along great with our kids and older dogs. John was phenomenal to deal with and made the decision to go with the GSP breed a no brainer. We will definitely be purchasing another puppy from Czechmate training in the future once Remi is trained. We will absolutely be recommending John and Czechmate training to anyone who asks us about our GSP!
Thanks again John. Cheers! The Witherden’s, Grande Prairie, AB
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Happy Client / Reference
We are so happy with our GSP puppy Winter, Jon was very helpful & professional. We felt very confident he was taking good care of our puppy in her first 8 weeks & it was wonderful to be able to watch her via webcam. Thanks again for everything! She went to meet her vet yesterday & is in super good health.
The Butlers, Bowen Island BC
I knew I wanted a dog, and I knew that I needed to find the perfect breed. After many hours of research, I came across czechmatedogs.com and I knew that I had found my match. From the efficient and friendly way John answered all of my questions, to seeing in person what an incredible job he was doing with the puppies, I was extremely impressed! John makes you feel like you have know him for years, and goes above and beyond by keeping you informed every week of the growth and change that had taking place with the pups. He also offers life time support and training for all of his pups. I truly do not have enough good to say about my experience with John and the pup I chose. I would gladly refer any family or friends to John. What an amazing experience! Loki has been an amazing addition to my family, and is adjusting incredible! I found the perfect dog and so much more! Thank you John for everything!
David, Calgary
Happy Client / Reference
One of Aisha and Rex's beautiful puppies Emmett at 5 months! He will a big boy and has a wonderful new family in Kamloops BC. Thank you Shantel for the nice picture.
Just wanted to let you know we named him Judge. He went for a check up at our vet and they said he is an excellent representative of the breed. Our bulldog and him are buddies already and play so well. He slept through the night and didn't cry at all. We love him more everyday!
Christian and Meagan von Platen, Camrose AB
Happy Client / Reference
We had a great experience getting our puppy from John. He was very professional, knowledgeable and friendly. He always promptly answered any questions we had. We really liked that the puppy room had live camera feed video so we could watch our puppy whenever we wanted, and enjoyed the videos he posted to YouTube. We would highly recommend John for anyone looking for a GSP puppy.
Tyrel and Family, Sylvan Lake AB
Tyrel and Family, Sylvan Lake AB
2016 AMHA Alberta Dressage CHAMPION
Even tho I think of my self as a simple bush rider I also believe that every horse should be able to perform basic dressage maneuvers. I and my Horse (who I am very proud of) won the CMHA Dressage Champion Trophy, Reserve National Champion English G.P., Alberta/NWT English G.P. Champion and Top 5 Alberta Zone English G.P. 2016 awards. I couldn't have done it without the support of my beautiful wife.
Happy Client / Reference
With no doubt, we couldn’t be happier with the puppy we got from CzechMate Training/Kennels. She has surpassed our expectations! Not only is Casey the cutest puppy ever, she is also an incredibly smart, balanced individual. With little effort on our part, we had her house trained by the age of ten weeks. She walks very well on a leash, as my two kids, aged seven and eight, walk her to school every morning. Casey walks even better off leash, recalling on the first whistle almost every time. I swear she’s almost trained herself! Which is pretty amazing considering she is only fifteen weeks old. Around the house, she is very well behaved; sleeping at my feet while I work, or just relaxing beside me. She even tries very hard to be friends with our cat, who can be––a typical cat; moody at best.I would recommend these dogs to anyone who has a fair amount of time to spend with a dog; walks, socialization, and just in general. I’ve attached a picture of Casey. She was 11lbs when we got her and is now around 30lbs. I think she be fairly large when she is finished growing.
Katherine Dell
Happy Client / Reference
Some of our clients and their beautiful horses that I thought would be nice to share with you.
Happy Client / Reference
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| This one made me very happy :) Thank You Melissa! |
Happy Client / Reference
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'I first met John and Barb in November 2015 when they came out to trim
my two horses, one being a nervous Clyde so I wasn't sure how it was
going to go. John and Barb work very well as a team and my mind was soon
put at ease when I saw how no-nonsense but respectful they both were to
my horses. My Clyde's hooves were in a fairly bad way when I bought him
in October but John has done a fantastic job of bringing them back. I
look forward to continuing to work with John and Barb and can't
recommend them highly enough.' Sara, Ponoka
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Happy Client / Reference
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Hello Jan and Barb :) it was such a pleasure to
have you come and check out our new mare Sunshine and Dune our little
gelding. I appreciated so much the tips and knowledge you both shared
and while I was so worried at first for Sunnys feet I have no doubt that
she'll be in tip top shape with your guys help in no time. I'm so thankful to you both, Colleen.
Here is our Sunny girl working up a sweat :)
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4H Clinic
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| We did a clinic for one of the local 4H clubs. Ground work, riding and Farrier demo. It was a very good day. Thank you all for coming! June 2016 |
Horse Of The Year
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| One of Barb's client's and a horse she trained and I shod won 2015 Equine Canada Morgan Horse of the Year. |
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| Here is an old article we found today between many of Barb's ribbons and other horsie things. I wanted to post this picture because I am very proud of her and I love her lots :-) (sometimes) ;) she is my best friend and the toughest girl I ever met and she can even ride a horse pretty good too! |
Morgan World Champion Jumper Horse
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Today I got to work with another very special horse that I think is nice
to share. This is one is one of ours or Barb's and this cute horse is a
"World Champion Morgan Jumper", yes that's right :-)
Owned and trained by the "Lady of the House" lol. So that is pretty
cool and of course I am very proud of him and Barb for doing such a
great job. And even tho I sometimes grunt for having too many horses to
trim and shoe for free I still love it and wouldn't have it any other
way.
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Happy Client / Reference
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| I would like to take a
moment to share about John’s farrier work. I first met John when I
brought my horse to a new barn where he did farrier work. My horse’s
hooves were in pretty rough shape, I had trusted previous people with
her care and was very disappointed. John immediately came out and went
to work right away. He was very kind, easing my shock and reassuring me
that she would be fine. He was very informative, took his time to show
and teach me things as he went along. He continued to work on her feet
regularly and in no time her hooves were in good shape. I am very happy
that both my mare and I met John. I cannot stress enough how important
it is to know and trust your farrier; I can say with entire confidence
that John is trustworthy and does quality work.
Chantal M. Edmonton, August 2015
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Happy Client / Reference
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I have had the privilege of
working with John in various capacities and there is no doubt that he is
a wonderful horseman. He has done an excellent job as my farrier and
has been a big part of another very rewarding show season for our whole
team. I'm extremely happy to work with him and feel like I can always
learn something.
With john’s talent, abilities,
patience and eagerness to do a job well, he is sure to continue to be
very successful for many years to come!
Bar B Ranch August 2015
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Cutting/Reining Horses
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| I mostly post about race or show horses, but I will also have clients with their cow horses at the Canadian Supreme this year as well as Oklahoma and Billings Montana ranch horse sale. These guys work like a Swiss watch and I respect them a lot... |
Show Farrier
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| Today I was the official show Farrier at the Summer Classics. Thank you for the wonderful opportunity and trust in me and my abilities, I appreciate it very much. So many beautiful horses and fun people. |
Organizing Endurance Race
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| Last weekend I was privileged to be the Ride Manager at our endurance race and I would like to publicly Thank all our volunteers, vets, chefs, land owners and sponsors for the amazing help and support! It was a great weekend and lot of work, but it was WELL worth it. We have a great bunch of people in the club! We couldn’t have done without your help. Thank you to all our riders for coming and we will see you again next year! July 2015 |
Happy Client / Reference
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| I have the privilege to work
with many wonderful horses and I feel very blessed and happy about it.
One of them is very very special as he is the fastest stud Quarter Horse
in North America! He is also a wonderful stallion and a wonderful boy.
Never have to pick his hoof up twice, even in the middle of a breeding
season. Here is a little "Thank You" I got today from his owners:
Thanks so much for a wonderful job on the horses today.
It has been very difficult to find a good farrier in the area or even out of the area for that matter. I have found that many farriers will just take off the tips because it is fast money and never really consider how the horse moves and balances. We really appreciate the time that you take in considering every horse whether an old saddle horse, brood mare or race horse and just doing a great job. Thanks Sheila C. |
Great Endurance Weekend
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| We had a weekend of fun and once again brought a new horse and a rider to the sport. Everyone finished very well and we all enjoyed the beautiful trails and hospitality of the organizers. |
Harrowing Clinic
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| Today we had a Harrowing Clinic and a Farrier demonstration with our local horse club. It was a very nice Saturday. May 2015 |
Donating Work for Horse Rescue
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| I try to donate time/work to our good friend's rescue place from time to time. I wish I had more available free time and could do more for the SPCA horses and for their wonderful new caring owners. |
Happy Client / Reference
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| This is a nice picture for
me. Aura, the little Islandic I started last winter with her very nice
and very happy owner at their final vet check and successful finish of
their first ever 25 miler endurance race in pouring rain, wind, crazy
cold and they did it! And of course Titan who was my last years project
did a fine job looking after his rider and his new horse friend all the
way. It was a tough ride and they did very well. Me and my horse didn’t do too bad either, we won 1.st place and also a Best Condition title. Very proud of my horse. May 2015 |
Happy Client / Reference
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| Letter of Reference/recommendation for John
From Susan Hagan
My Dad gave us two horses last
autumn. They came all the way from Manitoba. Like with any inheritance
from family, there was a catch. One was Soldier, a 22-year-old gelding
who has seen it all. The other was a five-year-old mare, Pie, who wasn't
saddle broke.
We entered into horses blindly, with
our hearts rather than our heads. Though my husband and I both grew up
on farms, we've spent our adult years living where people don’t often
think about horses. As time passed, I grew more worried that I would
fail them. I was afraid because I had to admit how little I knew about
horses. It’s been a long time since riding and handling horses was
second nature to me.
We got Pie and Soldier settled in,
and they stood in the pasture eating grass behind the fence we had
proudly built. Now what? I rode Soldier once. Their hooves grew. We fed
hay and figured out a trough system that wouldn't freeze up in winter. I
met John when he came to trim the horses’ hooves. I liked him
immediately and I liked the way he handled our horses and the way he
spoke to me. He told me he could train Pie. “It’ll be fun,” he said and
grinned.
Pie went to John for training for
two months. So did I. I've learned a lot about horses—and as much about
myself—because John and his partner Barb took the time to educate me,
while training Pie to become a fine saddle horse. I now appreciate how
many horses stand in pastures because their owners don’t know how to
train them. That would still be me if I hadn't turned to John for help. I
still worry that I will fail my horses, but I have grown more confident
that my common sense, love for horses, and desire to ride will conquer
this. John helped me to wrestle my fear, so that I can enjoy Pie and
Soldier and do my best for them. As he told me recently, “This is just
the beginning.” What a ride! I've had so much fun. This has been a
meaningful and memorable experience.
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Happy Client / Reference
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| I've pleasantly discovered
that it's FUN to ride my horse at a pace faster than a walk! Thanks John
for the confidence I've gained in riding under your guidance and for
the good care you took of my horses while in training.
Darlene, Rimbey AB March 2015
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Happy Client / Reference
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| Thank you for all you did out here last week--their hooves look great and we will try that supplement for his hoof.
I was impressed by how you worked with
them, and I know I need help to make sure we have the experience we
want, for ourselves and our son, with these horses.
Thank you again!
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Equine First Aid Course
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| Our Equine First Aid Course was a success and everyone enjoyed Amanda's information and them selves. Our "model" horse Buddy performed exceptionally well for us too smile emoticon and we even managed to stay in a heated arena! Everyone except one person showed up, even tho we have severe snowfall/weather warning and some drove from far far away. Always nice to see so many people interested in learning more and more about horses and their safety from all different angles. November 2014 |
Happy Client / Reference
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| Thanks for John for a
fantastic day!! It was a great ride (even with the wind, lol) and the
bit tutorial was amazing. We'll be back soon :)
Brooklyn (Red Deer)
Thank you so much for everything yesterday! !! What an amazing day :)
Jenn (Red Deer)
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Trail Riding with Clients
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| We went riding with some of my friends and clients today, it was beautiful fall afternoon. We had quite the mixed crew or Standardbreds, Tennessee Walkers and Icelandic horses :) Darlene’s cute mare has only one eye, but they would both give run for your money and no one would ever know about her “disability”. It was a nice time spent with wonderful people and I think Darlene's face speaks for it self lol ;-) October 2014 |
Cattle Drive
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| Today we spent a day moving cattle with the neighbors and people from our community. Wonderful day and always nice to prove that Arabian horses can do a good job with cows :) It’s great to have such awesome neighbors! Our crew included an Arabian horse, Standardbred Race horse and an Icelandic horse. November 2015 |
Wonderful Endurance Weekend
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| It was a beautiful ride, lots of hills, lots of forest, rivers and very soft ground. Easy ride to pull shoes off at. Things went well, all 4 shoes held up good and Bob is a strong horse, he is my mountain horse so he loved it. Organizers did a super job with everything and land owners were as good as can be as well. I even put couple shoes back on a horse for one rider so over all it was a beautiful weekend. And of course big big Thank You to my horse who a year ago was just a fat ex stallion with lots of issues that no one wanted. ;-) August 2014 |
Happy Client / Reference
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Just wanted to write our
thanks to you for all the work you've put in with our horses. Deebur is
more sound than he's been in years...both Priss and Banjo came with to
us with horrible feet and each their own vices. Through both your
farrier services and training advice, the improvement in all of them is
noticed and greatly appreciated! With 20 years under saddle myself, to
learn a new way to communicate with my horse has improved my
relationships with them in ways I never thought of before now. Your hard
work shows and I'm glad we found you of all the people we could have!
Jess and Danny |
Happy Client / Reference
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I just
wanted to say Thanks to John for all his hard work as a FULL TIME
trainer. It takes great dedication and a great heart to pull it off. I
have worked with a lot of “Big Name” trainers and by far the easiest one
to work with is John. He makes the time to explain what’s to be done
clearly and is patient with both the rider and the horse. As well as
knowledgeable trainer he is very well skilled farrier. He does excellent
work and I refer him out to people as there isn’t lot of good farriers
in this neck of the woods.
Thanks John for all your hard work with me and my horses and keep it up!
Kim, Heisler AB
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Happy Client / Reference
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John is a
very knowledgeable trainer with a good work ethic. I was very happy with
his coaching helping me to restart my horse after an injury.
He is patient and kind to both his clients and horses. I would highly recommend him as a trainer or riding instructor.
Karen Landy, Blackfalds, AB
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Happy Client / Reference
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| Just wanted to thank you for
your time and patience with me. You always made yourself available to
answer my questions. More importantly you've rekindled my love for
riding! And I'm VERY grateful for that.
I'd recommend you to anyone.
Thank you very much.
Christina, AB, August 2014
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Happy Client / Reference
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| John is great with animals
and people! I spent a weekend with him when I first brought my Kate out
to be trained an he did absolute wonders with her!
Without him I would not be riding her today!
Jordyn, AB, August 2014
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Happy Client / Reference
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| j'ai chercher
pendant plusieurs mois le cheval parfait pour moi....j'ai eu l occasion
dans voir plusieur...mais malgre leur grande beaute,aucune ne
satisfesais mes exigences...j'avais besoin de cheval doux,amical,calme
,relax et parfaitement entrainer qui es capable de repondre a mes besoin
et m aider a reprendre confiance en moi....j ai finalement trouver le
cheval parfais !!! entrainer a la perfection!!! sa belle couleur noir et
tellement bien soigner !!! je vais passer plusieurs annee avec mon
cheval parfait !!! que du bonheur !!! Merci John pour ce merveilleux
cheval !!! jamais je n'aurais cru pouvoir avoir mon reve ce realiser
tellement mes attentes etais grande...grace a toi je peux enfin vivre
mon reve !!
I looked for several
months for the perfect horse for me .... I had the opportunity to see
Many horses ... but despite their great beauty, no one satisfied my
requirements ... I needed sweet, friendly, quiet, relax and perfectly
trained horse able to respond to my needs and help me to regain
confidence in me .... I have finally found the perfect horse !!! Trained
to the perfection !!! With beautiful black color and so good looking
and healthy !!! I'll spend so many many years with my perfect horse !!!
Pure happiness !!!
John, thank you for this
wonderful horse !!! I never thought to have my dream realized ...my
expectations were so hight... thanks to you ....I can finally live my
dream!!
Wanni - Cold Lake Military Base, AB
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Happy Client / Reference
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| Thanks John for trimming up
my boys. Their feet look great and even my young nervous guy was at ease
with you working around him.
Also really appreciate you giving
me a hand with some calming techniques with my off the track Arab. He is
a lot of horse but even he can relax :)
Jen Mooney, August 2014
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Happy Client / Reference
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John has helped me with my
horses and my riding and I can say we had lots of fun and I have been
happy with him. John also does trimming and shoeing on our horses and
has done a great job!
If anyone looking for a good shoer I would recommend him!
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Happy Client / Reference
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| Here is a wonderful gift from Willy’s new owners. (Willy is a horse I trained)
It is a cup with the batch of Cold Lake Air Force Base with their motto “Virgil Borealis” which in loose translation means “Sleepless watchers of the northern sky”.
I love my coffee and I’m sure I will use it lots!
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Happy Client / Reference
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| From Tarp to Saddle : a six foot journey from the ground up, but a constellation away in my mind.
As I walked over the tarp
with my perfect "little" mare traipsing behind me without a hint of
worry, I though it would be easy to get into the saddle. I can tell you
that without someone like John beside you giving you the vote of
confidence and a play by play that your horse is in fact relaxed, but
you sure could use a shot of whiskey, I would not have gotten a good
start in the saddle.
It is essential to have a good coach like him so that a solid foundation may be built for a future partnership with your horse.
I was still very nervous in
that picture, but when we went for a ride the next day, we were well on
our way to figure it out between the 5 ft 7 rider and the 16.3 hands
(and still growing) 4 year old thoroughbred/percheron cross.
Micheline August 2014 |
Happy Client / Reference
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| "John you are the best horse teacher ever"
Laura, Edmonton, AB
I love working with nice children like this, they know how to have fun and that’s what’s important! J. :)
August 2014 |
Happy Client / Reference
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"Thank you so much! I am so happy with the way you handled my horses and trimmed their feet! "
Richelle, August 2014
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Happy Client / Reference
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| I know everyone learned something today, you are an amazing trainer and teacher.
You give 110%, and give your undivided attention to people and have a ton if patience.
All great qualities in a good teacher!
Maureen, Edmonton, AB August 2014
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Happy Client / Reference
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I wanted to take a few minutes this morning to thank you
for the great training you have put on my beautiful boy Titan. I rode
him Sunday on trail that he had never seen before and he was brave and
confident. You came highly recommended by friends of mine who have been
in the horse industry for 40 years! Being an Endurance rider I am
also particular particular about hooves and feet. Your trim was one of
the best I have seen. You took exceptional care of my safety when I
rode Titan my green horse along side of you. I am so excited to work in
your clinic this weekend. As a registered psychologist I have worked
with many people who have issues , and my experience that many of our
issues are actually transferred to our horses. Thank you for your
continued patience with us!!! Please offer my name and number as a
reference anytime.
Thanks again John.
Holly Tibble the happy Titan owner! July 2014
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Example of my Horse Barefoot Trimming Lesson.
Even though trimming requires
knowledge, lots of skill and practice, this young lady did an amazing
job and now she trims her own horses.
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Happy Client / Reference
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| I found John to be very knowledgeable & good with horses & with teaching at his clinics.
Would definitely recommend him for
people wanting to learn how to connect with their horses & for
horse training/ farrier work.
L.G. Sylvan Lake, AB July 2014
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Horse Clinic
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We had a
wonderful “Horse Clinic” in Edmonton with some amazing and nice horse
people. Everyone did great and I think we all had lots of fun.
I am proud of you all,
John, July 2014
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Peanut got Best Condition Title
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We had a
very nice and successful weekend at the Medicine Lake Endurance ride.
All 3 horses finished well and sound. Peanut got “Best Condition” Title
and made me very happy and proud.
PS:
BC stands for “Best Conditioned” horse in his class. For many endurance
riders it is very priced title because it shows that your horse is in
very good physical and mental shape and well prepared for the race. It
shows he has excellent feeding, diet and proper conditioning/exercising
schedule. This title means a lot to me. May 2014
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Happy Client / Reference
I am a person who
is attached to the ground when horses are involved, I enjoy my
groundwork very much. It was John who unceremoniously tossed me on top
of my two big mares one day and I haven't come down since (unless
necessary lol). My mares and I have come a long ways since we've met
John and I'll admit, he has some of the most unique and simple ways to
deal with common training problems. Common sense seems to play a very
big role in John's training and some of his ideas and methods are so
stupidly simple, it makes you sneak a glance at that mountain of
complicated horse training books on your shelf, wondering why you ever
bought them in the first place.
I don't know what
training contraption you might be holding right now, but you should put
it down and give your horse some credit, simplify the training. I
encourage anyone and everyone to attend his clinics or even just take a
few lessons, he has a whole repertoire of topics he could cover or teach
you, like how to trim your horses, how to mount bareback, or even a
different outlook on how to lunge your horse.
Tiffany, Calgary, AB May 2014
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Happy Client / Reference
Aeden, a 5
year old Pintabian went home last week after 30 days with me and today I
got this wonderful picture that made my day.
The smile says it all! ;-)
“Went for a ride today and Aeden did very good. I’m just taking it slow, but he did very good and was so calm, Thanks so much.”
Ashley A. (Erskine AB) November 2013
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Bob's First Endurance Race.
Bobeek, my 7
year old Arabian gelding finished his first 50km endurance race and we
came in 3rd. It was a great and hard day at the Mount Joy Ski Area.
Many wonderful people and many great horses all came on this chilly fall
weekend. The trail was on and around a ski hill, yes ski hill, and yet
this boy finished with tons of energy left. I am very proud of him, he
truly is a special one.
My
training buddy and a good friend finished 2nd on the 75km loop and my
riding partner came in 4th right after me. Needless to say we did have
few beers after we took care of our horses and tucked them in for the
night ;-) October 2013
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Camping with clients.
We recently
went camping with some clients and their horses that just finished
their training with me. It was a wonderful experience and their horses
and owners all did an amazing job!
Very proud of you guys! August 2013
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My
man Joe, Bad eyes, Bad leg, Uneven shoulders and the Biggest heart! Joe
went everywhere for me, even to places I thought horses would never be
able to go!!! Joey can only ride in a Treeless saddle because of his
shoulders and needs shoes because of his foot injury from his yearling
age, his eyes are starting to have some Moon Blindness , but he can sure
still go like yer ass is on fire ;-) Here is Joe in the hospital, he is also one of few horses that survived the Potomac Horse Fever.... (that wasn’t fun!)
“I guess we can't throw them out just because they are banged up a little huh?”
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Happy Client / Reference
Today we received a Very Nice Thank You letter.
It made me feel so nice and happy that I decided to share it with everyone.
It is the little things in life that truly make us happy! January 2013
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Happy New Year to everyone and remember the most important part of training is to Have Fun with your animals!
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| Tracking with Donna, Aug. 2010 |
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| Dan at the Nationals, August 2010 |
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| Finally started putting together new website. The old one has been down for quite a while and I didn’t have time for the new one, but it gets darker early now so I guess it is the best time to start working on it ;) I used some old blogs from the old site and hopefully we can keep this one updated and have some fun with it..., Nov. 2012 |