Daryle Schmidt Horse Training Centre
Daryle's training centre is located 5 km north of Drayton Valley, Alberta and 5.6 kms east of Highway #22 on the Rocky Rapids road. The facility includes a 65 x 100 ft indoor riding arena, 130 x 160 ft outdoor riding arena, round pen, heated barn and turnout pens.
Daryle has spent the last 30 years sharing his knowledge of horses
with others. Clinics, private and group lessons are held throughout
western Canada. Clinics available include Colt Starting, Advanced
Colt Starting, Horsemanship and Reining. Daryle is more than an
experienced horse trainer, he is a great teacher. You will
experience instruction which is clear and easy to follow.
Horses and participants come away with confidence from
learning the basics in ground work and riding.
Daryle firmly believes that the key to success in training horses is by developing a solid foundation. A majority of his training has been starting colts. Ray Hunt has had the biggest influence on how he starts each horse. From over 30 years of training horses and teaching people Daryle has developed a Progressive 24 Step Colt Starting Program which produces quiet, dependable horses. This program is used on a daily basis at his training centre and is also taught in the Colt Starting Clinics. This Progressive Step by Step Method helps build a strong foundation where each step builds on the next preparing the horse for riding. This preparation includes extensive ground training prior to the riding of any colt. All lessons and exercises are taught on the ground and then are taught to your horse in their 2nd month of training during the Basic Riding Program. Daryle takes what ever time is necessary to prepare your horse mentally and physically so they are ready and willing to learn and able to accept training in a calm frame of mind. Horses are taught how to respond and give to pressure which is the premise of training. Many of the colts started here will go on to be used in roping, ranch , pleasure or show horses.
The other part of Daryle's training is focused on tuning up trained horses and putting a more finished handle on them. Some problematic horses coming in for training need to be retrained. Braces, tension and fear cause resistance which leads to problems if not corrected. Many horses need to be taken back to the basics to get all the body parts moving again. Once the horse is supple he can be taught advanced maneuvers such as rollbacks, stops, spins and lead changes.
"Daryle is one of Western Canada's greatest undiscovered talents in the area of horse training"
(Reg Luster, Meadow Lake, SK)