Most people, even if they don’t have any experience with horses, can name a few different breeds in the equine world. There’s the popular and elegant Arabian – think Barbie doll horse, dished in nose, high flying tail. The Thoroughbred – think racetrack Go! Go! Go! And the quarter horse, the most often seen breed at the Calgary Stampede, cutting cattle and turning barrels at top speed. But very few have heard about the Canadian horse.
Yes, you read it right. Canada has a horse to call its own.
The Canadian horse was brought over to Canada from Europe as a war horse, and like anything Canadian, this breed has a reputation for being sturdy, hardy, and reliable. Also known as the “Little Iron Horse”, this horse adapted to our harsher Canadian climate and proved itself in all equestrian disciplines such as jumping, dressage – think fancy top hat and horse doing poetry in motion – as well as English and western pleasure. The breed is known for its willingness to please and its incredible strength and endurance, having the ability to plow fields, log pull, and take people on sleigh and wagon rides.
With so many great qualities, you’d think there would be at least two in every stable. But no. Even though this is our national breed, the Canadian horse is endangered.
Dayna Innanen and Emily Simone from the Gerald Roy Jolly Ranch, just outside of Kakabeka Falls, want to change this.
“We want to help with the preservation of this incredible breed,” Dayna says. “And what better way is there than to showcase and bring awareness of the breed and their strengths and versatility.”
Gerald Roy Jolly Ranch has three beautiful Canadian mares in their herd that they hope to breed in the future to add to the population. They also have three geldings – for a total of six Canadians.
“These horses have an incredible intuitive nature,” Emily adds. “They’re keen to pick up on the emotions of those around them and are able to remain calm and level-headed when faced with uncertain situations. They’re an extremely attractive breed for our northern needs.”
Dayna and Emily put a lot into their horses. “It’s incredible to see each horses’ personality. What their individual interests are and their zest for performing in different areas,” Dayna says. Their mother and daughter duo, Carina and Hailee, from Iron Rose Canadian Horses in Alberta, do just that. Carina loves helping with the Equine Assisted Learning program that the ranch offers, where participants learn about themselves and their strengths such as leadership, courage and empathy, while Hailee has shown a great interest in driving and pulling the sleigh and wagon. “When we spend a lot of time with our horses and read their cues, we’re able to see what activities they enjoy most and let them excel in what they love,” Emily confirms.
“Our equine staff does so much with our horses,” Emily adds. Marlene Cronk and Kaija Kolehmainen work with the horses the most consistently – desensitizing, training, ground driving, riding etc., along with the help of Kaija’s daughter, Svea LeCocq, to get their younger horses started under saddle as they become ready. Logan Monahan works with their driving team of geldings, Thunder and Yanka. “We couldn’t reach our goals without them!” Emily adds with more than a grin of satisfaction.
The horses’ well-being and happiness is the most important thing to the ranch. “With horses,” Dayna explains, “there’s a lot of quick thinking on your feet – the ability to problem solve and be adaptable is a great quality we share. Horses aren’t one size fits all, it’s a balance of discovering their needs and working with them to thrive together in our partnership, building that trusting relationship.”
The ranch has taken advantage of the gentle nature of their Canadian breed horse and created an Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) program that helps build communication and collaboration skills for the participants who visit this 140-acre property. Enriched with opportunities to connect with the land through various wellness activities, the ranch’s commitment is to ensure that individuals leave with a sense of worthiness, connection, belonging and confidence. It’s not only the horses who help with this, but the ranch also has sled dogs and other playful barnyard friends to bring out the best in every visitor.
“We have so many things to offer than just our animals,” Dayna adds. “There are apple orchards, berry bushes, as well as a flourishing garden we plant with our PA Day campers in June. We teach about canning, preserving, and eating a balanced diet for optimal health.” And there’s more: a lake on the property is stocked with lake trout, offering the chance to teach about fishing and the natural ecosystems that occur within the land.
“We’re so excited to continue our expansion and development of our property and welcome the community to experience it for themselves,” Emily adds with a grin.
Beautiful horses, barnyard creatures, a way to get back to nature? What more could you want to restore your soul?
For more information, you can find Gerald Roy Jolly Ranch on Facebook or on Instagram at @geraldroyjollyranch.
