Strydr was a breeze to train, amazing to ride, had a rocking horse canter and enjoyed a brief but very successful season in Dressage gold level shows. He was bold, straight, athletic and kind. He was loved by all our WWOOF guests, Emma particularly, and always will be the horse I wished I had kept as a herd stallion.
Annabelle is our first Canadian horse arriving in Alberta as a timid yearling October 20, 1992.
She delivered 5 healthy foals, two of whom became Calgary City Police Service Patrol Horses, one guest starred on the TV show, Heartland and continues to develop his equine modeling career, one was Heidi’s main riding horse and the Novice CTR Champion in 2005, and one completed a long ride with Long Riders Guild member and incredible horsewoman, Catherine Thompson.
Annabelle was the herds lead mare her entire life, keeping all equines safe and suitably bossed around. She was a strong, healthy and kind mare; a super Mom who even raised her daughters foal.
Annabelle is the Essence of Windy Coulee – tough, cooperative, striving for perfection and having alot of fun on the journey.
Sara was a lovely, tall, kind mare with incredible movement. She was the old soul on our farm and always willing to give you a back massage.
Sara arrived at Windy Coulee from Ontario, in foal with Zoe, who is now competing Introductory with a youth rider in Working Equitation, and will be heading to her new home in the USA after August 2019.
Cameo is Sara’s first foal with Zefyr our herd stallion, and that combination shows all the right stuff … Straight, cooperative, willing athletic. Cameo is staying at the farm to test her skills at Working Equitation and to raise foals in the future.
Sara’s legacy will live on at Windy Coulee and we miss her dearly. Loosing a horse before their time is always very hard.
Arriving at age 18 to the Windy Coulee herd, Exquise delivered her last foal at age 25. Exquise delivered and raised 13 foals in her lifetime, the last four at Windy Coulee, and her last one in 2020.
She safely delivered Windy Coulee Eye-Catcher Hope on April 7th at the grand age of 25.
Exquise and young Windy Coulee Eye-Catcher Hope
Quizie had movement, longevity, great health, conformation and structure. Her kind and generous demeanour passed onto all of her lovely foals, she is dam to Herd Sire, Zefyr, Aurora, Duet and Hope. Her influence is seen in almost every photo on this website.
Thank you Exquise,your contribution towards the Windy Coulee herd and Canada’s National Horse is greatly appreciated.
Arriving at the farm as a yearling, this stunning 2022, athletic filly grew up with the Windy Coulee Herd.
Jolie is bred by Barb Malcom of Churchill Chimes Equestrian Centre aka Donalf Farms in Ontario. Selected as a breeding match to Zefyr, we have found her an even better match with up and coming stallion, Windy Coulee Sterling Keanu.
Jolie will be started by Bruce Christie Training and put to work along the mountain trails of the Rockies in 2026. She shows excellent potential as a Working Equitation Horse and has the right stuff for Driving.
Check in regularly to watch this amazing mare grow and shine,(even more!).
Windy Coulee Eye Catcher Hope is one of our main working mares at the farm, her dam, Exquise safely delivered Hope on April 7th, 2020 at the grand age of 25.
Hope is flashy and perfect in every way and has an outstanding pedigree. She was started by Bruce Christie in 2024 and ridden regularly. Stay tuned to see what 2026 brings!
Windy Coulee Eye-Catcher Hope as a yearling.Hope has been ridden by Kara in 2025.Hope, first ride for Heidi 2024! Bruce Christie standing by for the safe transition.
This 2004 mare has been Heidi’s main riding horse for years and she continues to take our guests for rides into the backcountry. Piper is a very traditional “type” Canadian mare and is dam to Windy Coulee Phenom Hawk, who is eventing in BC currently.
An all around smaller Canadian, Piper has competed in dressage, eventing, Canadian Cowboy Challenge, Hunter, and Competative Trail. She has also completed the Stampede Parade and performed in several occasions with our Canadian Horse Drill Team at the Mane Event in Red Deer, Alberta.
Piper is athletic, has a kind heart, is generous and has no trouble at all summiting our high Rocky Mountain ridges or carrying Heidi bareback on tours around the farm.
Inspired by PJ Grant who wrote a love letter to her farmand one of my horse mentors, Suzanne Spierenburg.
Dear Herd: Exquise, Fleury AKA Beaver, Juniper, Luna, Lucy, Piper AKA Grinner, Patricia, Aurora AKA Brooks, Cameo, Duet, Hope, Jessie Mae, and Missy. Dear Guest Horses: Pat AKA Valentine (Cheryl), the “not my ponies” Stormy and Fancy Pants, Maddy (Susan), Rosy (now back with her owner Karen), and Wave (Kristen and Garry). Dear Extended Herd who have gone or will go to Incredible Homes: Pippin, Tamoshanter, Aurora AKA Brooks, Ferrero, Zoe, Casey, Comet, Alator, Hawk, Inspirer, Ismay, and Jedi-Master.
Dear Horses who have passed tragically way too soon: Strydr (patrol service horse died on the job), Sara, and Eye Catcher, I know you have souls and that your spirits soar. Dear Horses who have passed at the end of their amazing life: Annabelle, The first Windy Coulee Canadian (age 29), my first pony’s foal, Mystica (age 35), Co Co (who insisted on being at the farm for the birth of her first grand foal), and Ebony (30+) who started it all when I was 10. We will all meet again.
I love you all.
I know that to preserve this Le Cheval Canadien breed and the herd’s “pedigree”, I must plan breedings and select the best sire and dam as well as educate the youngsters, pick the right human partners, and make time to enjoy riding myself. I do so as sustainably as I can, but it has been a slow process because I also worked 9 – 5 with another job for 30 years in addition to managing the farm and herd. I am grateful to only have one key focus now. I know you all want to live at Windy Coulee forever, but it is healthy for the youngsters to find new adventures and human partners who have the time to focus on your life, and to go out into the world. Even a “wild” horse herd sends their youngsters away and well, wild herds are significantly meaner to the young stallions. Windy Coulee only has so much room in its grasslands, creek valley, and horse sheds. I know it is best for the breed and this line, for other humans to start a sustainable breeding program.
Bruce Christie Training
I keep in touch with all of you.
When I look for a human partner for you I look at how they will ride or drive with you, who they and you will train with, how their equine accommodation and pasture looks, their equipment, and their references. If they call you “it”, or support horse slaughter, I end negotiations. I advocate for you and all horses at all opportunity.
Windy Coulee Zefyr Fererro with Rhonda Berglund
I mourn when I lose you unexpectedly. I work on having resources on standby in case you need major surgery, but have learned the surgery is the easy part, keeping you alive and out of pain afterwards is almost out of range financially, and works less than it fails. I know prevention is key, but even that does not work sometimes. I learned about Grief and Grieving from you.
Du Coteau Lalou Annabelle and Windy Coulee Kamouraska Strydr
I celebrate every day and every moment I am with you. When I wake up in the morning and you are grazing in the big pasture; when you gallop up the hill in a group; when you come galloping (or trudging, Juniper) in for mineral; when you hang out in the corrals; when you behave for hoof care; when you chase the bear; when you just do not leave me alone because I am your human (Hope); when I remember your dam or sire, and they are no longer here (Cameo and Hope); when you carry and safely deliver a foal at the age of 19 or 25 (Piper, Patricia, Pat/Valentine, and Exquise);
Calo Heros Exqise and Windy Coulee Eye Catcher Hope
. . . when you take care of people who are new at riding (Luna); when you win your first CTR in your prime, and then come out of retirement to take a wwoof guest for a quiet walking ride at age 25 (Fleury AKA Beaver); when you are my herd stallion and become my main riding horse and finally settle to do your dressage in Working Equitation, love moving cows in your first cow clinic, and win your first Ease of Handling round (Zefyr); when you challenge me to find amazing professionals to work with you and me (Bruce Christie, Anna Petrova, Selena Dickmann, Brent Trout and Bob Laye);
Anna Petrova and Windy Coulee Zefyr Cameo
. . . when you cuddle with wwoof guests (Inspirer); when you jump into the trailer, sneak into the shop, scratch your back on the hitching rail as a colt and run through the creek for the first time for fun (Hawk); when you wear your halter, lead and tie quietly for some bot egg removal time and you are such a beautiful young filly (Ismay);
Windy Coulee Zefyr Jedi-Master
. . . when you decide humans are the best and put your halter on for the first time (Jedi-Master); when you safely and sneakily deliver your foals (Piper, Patricia); when you show all the signs and deliver on time (Rosy); when you ask for someone to be there when you deliver (Exquise and Wave); when you are the kindest gentlest boss mare (Maddy/Holly); when you are the best emotional support hinny for the uncertain and lonely (Missy); when you take your time healing and trusting (“Not my Pony” AKA Stormy) and when you are the most loving, cooperative, and sweetest big filly (Jessie Mae); when you swish your tails gently as a group in the evening on the hill top and the sun glistens off your shiny coats and that soft golden haze settles in around you before night time. I learned about Hope, Healing, and Gratitude from you.
Dear Herd, you taught me the meaning of hard work, your beauty and comfort inspires me to keep burdock in check and the grassland healthy. You help me stay in the moment. You keep me physically healthy and mentally sound.
In 2008, I asked what I thought was a simple question. What exactly is the breakdown of nutrients required to build a healthy horse? This was quickly followed by a second question.How do I feed my horses solely on native grassland from August till April every winter, and put them on a more traditional feeding program for May to July, and be confident they are getting the correct nutrients?
Most over the counter mineral mixes for horses have directions stating to feed with good quality hay.Many in Southern Alberta have added selenium.My third question was how much is too much selenium? With so many different supplements and complete feeds out there for horse owners to purchase for their animals, how can we be certain we are not overdoing certain minerals, and under feeding others?Yeah, that is the fourth question.
My vet recommended I contact Amanda Kroeker, nutritionist and co-owner of ARK Nutrition and she had the answers and more.But first, Amanda sent me off on a quest to discover the actual nutritional content of my pastures and hay.
Nutritionist Amanda Kroaker, and Hoof Care Specialist Bob Laye consulting.
That first spring and summer I was sampling grass in all pastures, morning and evening. I included a soil analysis done a few years ago to the mix, and also included the chemical analysis of our well water for a pretty complete picture of my horses input.The pasture grass samples (primarily native grass) and the hay samples were sent for a Dairy One nutritional analysis, and that gave us the baseline of nutrient the herd was getting.
Next in this process was a farm visit.Amanda Kroeker came out on a farm visit and assessed each and every horse in the herd.She photographed their hooves, measured hoof temperature, looked at their coat quality and even took manure samples.After synthesizing all the data, she put them in 6 groups; broodmares, developing youngsters, slightly overweight horses, stallion, other riding horses and retired horses. An individual ration complementing our grassland and locally sourced hay was developed considering the specific workloads and duties of each animal.
From competition horses to developing youngsters, broodmares and stallions, at Windy Coulee we are always striving to build healthy horses so we can offer the very best of the Canadian breed to our clients no matter what job that horse is going to do.
In the early days, there was no nutritional supplement that offered every component needed for an equine diet primarily made up of native pasture, so I was off buying ingredients and mixing them based on a formula developed by Amanda. Nowadays, we purchase ARK Nutrition’s Synergy mineral, and complement it with a few extras to complete the ration.
Our horses deserve nothing less than a foundation of healthy food with the correct amount of nutrition, as well as balanced hoof and dental care, a superb vet on call, freedom and a herd environment, topped off with fair and kind horsemanship.
Put that all together and the best practice of Equine Stewardship is your bottom line.
Amanda explains equine nutrition clearly, logically and inspires you to do your best to help your horses health. We came up with some simple guidelines to guide her work at Windy Coulee Canadians:
Use organic and local ingredients as much as possible (this supports Alberta/Canadian farmers who helped the land and the environment)
No animal by-products or processed feed.
Keep it simple.
Amanda added a fourth guideline: Keep it affordable, and we have found keeping our whole herd on the program is possible.
Windy Coulee Canadian Horses has worked with ARK Nutrition since 2008. Thank you, Amanda, for supporting our ideals and keeping our Canadian horses healthy. www.arknutrition.ca
Unique, beautiful and safe horses for lifelong human partners. Our farm strives to responsibly breed and raise Canadian Horses while also protecting the native grassland that sustains the herd.
Happy 2019!
Tamoshanter 16.2 hand, 11 year old gelding for sale
Windy Coulee Canadian Horses 