Steve is a master trainer and teacher. In 1998, he became only the third person in Canada to become a fully certified John Lyons Trainer. In August 2003, he went on to establish his reputation as a highly skilled horseman, winning a colt-starting competition for master horse trainers — the first competition of this kind in Canada.

Steve is an understanding and caring teacher. He is committed to individualizing each program so that every student can develop his or her skills to their fullest potential. In 1998, Steve completed the John Lyons’ 11-week Trainer Certification program. John Lyons is world-renowned in horse circles as one of the new generation of horse trainers, who trains through trust and communication, rather than mechanics, intimidation, fear or force. Both English and Western riders can benefit from applying Lyons’ conditioned response training methods to develop a more willing attitude and softer responses from the ground and in the saddle.

Steve has since refined his training techniques even further and developed his own unique training methods - called “Foundation to Finesse”. In the summer of 2003, he won the championship of the “Horse Whispering in the Kootenays” Colt Starting Challenge in Wycliffe, BC. In this competition, modeled after the Forth Worth, Texas challenge, three trainers had two and a half hours to start a totally unbroke horse under saddle, and then were judged on how well the horse performed in a riding and obstacle challenge.

Since 1998, he has traveled across Canada giving weekend clinics. Steve is able to do weekend clinics and longer courses in the US as well as Canada (he has dual citizenship). He believes that all riders, owners and handlers are “trainers”, whether they own one horse or a hundred horses. Every person who comes into contact with a horse will be either “training” or “untraining” it. All handlers of the horse must be consistent in their methods, because it is consistent correctness that equals performance.

Steve is willing to travel anywhere to help people learn how to use Lyons’ renowned conditioned response training methods to instill a willing, “want-to” attitude. He will teach you how to communicate through the reins to develop a softer, more willing response in your horses, both on the ground and in the saddle. Here’s what one participant had to say about the weekend clinic she attended:

"Steve was wonderful to work with! If it wasn't for (him), I'm not sure that I would have three horses in my backyard pasture. I think I would have given it all up by now. Thank you so much for teaching me how to like, trust and work positively and progressively with my horses."

Why not call or e-mail today and arrange for Steve to help you improve the connection you have with your horse?