Saving Grace Equine Rescue

Ever since I can remember I have loved horses and wanted to be around them. I started taking lessons at the age of about 5 and continued on through camps, once-a-week places and went from there.

I bought my first horse at the age of 14 after saving up 3 years through various odd jobs and paper routes. "Flame" was an Arab/QH cross pony, about 13.3-14hh and I bought him unbroke out of a field because he was the cheapest in the dispersal sale! Never a good way to go as we all know at 14 we think we know EVERYTHING! Well, that pony must have had the soul of an angel because he never killed me (and had AMPLE opportunity to try!) and we had mounds of fun hacking about, goofing off and me generally learning the majority of the "what not to do's" about horses! :)

I began to ride more regularly and started showing more and more and (generally!) more successfully in the hunters and dressage. My horses got a little better and a little more talented and I had a blast learning from the different coaches and clinics I attended. Over the years I have ridden in clinics with Hugh Graham, Ian Millar, Tom Dvorak, Walter Zettl, Jon Costin,  as well as other coaches on a more regular basis.

I also spent a few winters down in Florida in Wellington and Palm Beach as well as Ocala. Managed barns, coached students and showed horses myself down there. I must admit, living in more Northern Ontario now I really miss those winters!!!  

In 2001 I began riding with the Canadian Universities Equestrian Team.... that began a few years of competing internationally and I was the Chef D'Equipe for the World Championships in Mechelen Belgium.  Lots of fun, many new friends and great horses and riders!

In 2009 I started a small Connemara breeding program that has been a lifelong ambition. It consists of 2 broodmares, one weanling that is a future broodie and my stallion, Tintagels Tibyl. Tibyl is under the professional and capable hands of Andrea Volasko of Janako Farms where she has started him under saddle and shown him successfully! Tibyl was at the Royal Winter Fair in 2011 in the Sport Pony Classes! He placed 6th in excellent company! He will continue his schooling and showing over the winter before going back into training in the spring.

 It was in 2000 that I started rescuing horses and it started as a bit of a situational process... I was at the stockyards in Kitchener and saw one of the most emaciated horses I have ever seen. She was a chestnut mare about 12 years old. Drooling, depressed and just the saddest creature you have ever laid eyes on. Brought her home and she taught me that even with the best of intentions, sometimes they just won't pull through. I named the rescue after her (I named her Grace) and it is in her honour that I try to do the best I can for these animals that give us so much.

Thanks for checking out the site and reading this far... just thought you might like a bit of background on my "horsiness" and why I got into this in the first place.

A couple of my personal horses...  Yeats was imported in July of 2010. I also imported two Connemara mares, TBF Eavan Tressa, a perlino filly by Skyviews Triton and MF Wake Up Little Susie, a grey mare by Mountain Field's Owen O'Neill. In 2011 I also imported a weanling filly by the Premium Stallion Moxley Duncan to be a future show pony and broodmare.

TBF Eavan Tressa BELOW

 MF Wake Up Little Susie, BELOW in foal to RID stallion "Its the Luck of the Irish" for a May 2011 foal.

Willow's W.B.Yeats BELOW is a coming 2 y/o Connemara colt who will hopefully mature into a lovely show pony! Should mature a large.

 BRAMBLERIDGE MARCH MAYHEM 2011 filly

Thanks to Leslie Town (www.myhorse.ca) for her great shots! This is my jumper pony Mojo who was rehabbed from founder, hoof abcesses and a strained back to become my Wonder Pony!

My lovely lad, Tintagels Tibyl, 2006 Connemara stallion.