G & K Training Centre & Tack

06/08/2026

🏆 The Power of Staying the Course 🏆

Watching the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes this year got us thinking about life.

In the Kentucky Derby, few people were talking about the winner early in the race. The attention was on the favorites. The expected winners. The horses everyone thought would be at the front.

Meanwhile, he was sitting near the back of the pack.

Patient.

Relaxed.

Waiting.

Many people called the Derby win a fluke. Surely lightning couldn't strike twice.

Then came the Belmont Stakes.

Again, the focus was on the favorites. Again, he wasn't the center of attention. Again, he was content to let others battle for position while he quietly stayed the course.

And once again, when the time was right, he made his move.

He didn't just win races.

He helped make history for his trainer.

There is a lesson in that for all of us.

In life, there will always be favorites.

There will always be people who seem to have every advantage. Better connections. More opportunities. More resources. More recognition.

Sometimes it can feel like everyone else is sprinting ahead while you're stuck at the back of the pack.

But being behind today doesn't mean you're losing.

Success isn't always about being first out of the gate.

Sometimes it's about showing up every day.
Doing the work.
Learning your craft.
Improving a little at a time.
Staying patient when others are chasing attention.

The people who achieve great things are often the ones who simply refused to quit.

The ones who stayed consistent when nobody was watching.

The ones who kept moving forward when others doubted them.

Whether you're building a career, growing a business, repairing a relationship, training a horse, or simply trying to become a better version of yourself, remember this:

You don't have to be the favorite.

You don't have to come from the perfect background.

You don't have to win every battle along the way.

You just have to keep showing up.

Stay the course.

Trust the process.

And when your moment comes, be ready to make your move. ❤️

Below is the link to the Belmont race this past Saturday. I hope you get goose bumps ❤
Be patient. Be consistent. Be Gary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGo6oX6pGIo

The Kentucky Derby winner is the Belmont Stakes winner too! What a ...

06/07/2026

🐴 We Ride What We Sell 🐴

We often talk about Gary and his saddle preferences, but today let's talk about what Kerri rides in! 😄

Kerri isn't a trainer, but she loves a good trail ride and spent several years showing in reining. While she's been on a bit of a hiatus lately, there are definitely plans in the works to steal KB from Gary and get back into the show pen. 😉

And then there's Ranch Riding...

Soda may also be under consideration for that adventure. Sorry Gary, it sounds like you may be losing another horse! 😂

For showing, Kerri's favorite saddle for years has been the Continental C18 Robin Schoeller Show Saddle. 🤎✨

Named after reining trainer Robin Schoeller, this model was designed to be both comfortable and absolutely stunning. The silver plates on the back skirt corners are breathtaking, while the Antique leather colour, darker accents, and unique hand-tooled pattern make it a real eye-catcher in the show pen. It's elegant without being over the top.

But here's the thing...

That saddle doesn't go down the trail and it won't be used for Ranch Riding. When it's not at a show, it's cleaned, protected in its Continental bag, and stored safely in the house. ❤️

For everyday riding, and potentially Ranch Riding, Kerri reaches for her Continental C94 Rookie Reiner with a square skirt.

Finished in the popular Chestique colour with a brown nubuck seat, it's practical, comfortable, and built for miles. The tooling is clean and attractive without being overly detailed, making it much easier to keep looking great after regular use.

That's one of the things we love about Continental Saddles.

There isn't a "one saddle fits all" approach.

Whether you're showing, trail riding, ranch riding, training, or doing a little bit of everything, there's a model designed to fit both you and your horse.

After all, we don't just sell them...

We ride in them every day. ❤️🐴

📍 G & K Training Centre & Tack is your authorized Canadian dealer for Continental Saddlery, located in Chatsworth, ON.

📞 Call or text 519-374-4677

Now tell us...

Which would you choose?

✨ The flashy C18 Robin Schoeller Show Saddle
or
🤎 The practical C94 Rookie Reiner?

06/06/2026

✨🔥 Built for Gary. Designed to Turn Heads. 🔥✨

Just look at this stunning Continental C43 Custom Starburst Reiner! 😍

Hand tooled and finished in a gorgeous Dark Vintage colour, this saddle is the perfect combination of craftsmanship and style. The Black Buffalo leather seat is not only incredibly durable, but it complements the darker leather beautifully. 🤎🖤

And those silver accents? ✨ They catch your eye the moment you see them and add just the right amount of flash without being over the top.

The best part?

This saddle was built specifically for Gary.

Sized for him.
Designed for him.
Created for his needs.

Would something like this look amazing on your horse? 🐴❤️

We can help you design your very own custom Continental saddle—and here's the best part...

✅ Creating your own doesn't cost more!

So why settle for someone else's dream saddle when you can build your own?

📍 G & K Training Centre & Tack is your authorized Canadian dealer for Continental Saddlery, located in Chatsworth, ON.

📞 Call or text 519-374-4677 for pricing and design options.

Your dream saddle starts with a conversation. ✨🐴

06/05/2026

🐴 Training Follow-Up: The Most Important Part of the Journey? 🐴

You've done your homework.

You researched trainers.
You chose a program.
You sent your horse for training.
You followed their progress and watched them grow.

Now comes the exciting part...

It's time to bring them home! ❤️

But what happens next?

Believe it or not, this can be one of the most important stages of your horse's training journey.

Your horse has been away at school. They've learned new lessons, new cues, new expectations, and new routines. In many ways, they're not the same horse that left your driveway a few months ago.

Which means you can't simply ride them the same way you did before.

The horse has changed.

Now it's your turn to learn.

That's why Gary always includes a lesson at the end of a training program.

The lesson isn't about teaching you how to ride.

It's about teaching you what your horse has learned.

It's about showing you the cues they understand, the equipment they're using, the routine they've been following, and how to continue building on the foundation that has been established.

This lesson is incredibly important.

And here's another piece of advice we can't stress enough:

Ride your horse when you bring them home.

Not the moment they step off the trailer. 😄

But within a day or two.

Many owners think their horse needs weeks to settle in before they start riding. In reality, continuing with the routine they've been on helps make the transition smoother.

The horse is usually ready.

The rider is often the one who needs to get re-acquainted.

The longer you wait, the harder that first ride can feel—especially if you're a nervous rider.

Need more help?

We're here.

Want another lesson?

We're here.

Would you like to leave your horse a little longer and come ride with Gary a few times before taking them home?

No problem.

Our goal isn't just to train your horse.

Our goal is to help you and your horse succeed together long after the training program ends.

Because the journey doesn't end when your horse goes home...

That's where the next chapter begins. ❤️🐴

Be patient. Be consistent. Be Gary.

06/03/2026

🌹🐴 The Art of Patience 🐴🌹

For some horses, standing still can be one of the hardest lessons to learn.

When we ask them to stop, they want to fidget. They want to look around. They want to keep moving.

But we believe it's an important lesson.

Throughout every training session, we interrupt the work to simply stop and stand. No pressure. No agenda. Just relax.

It's a chance for the horse to take a breath, look around, enjoy the view, and learn that not every moment needs to be spent doing something.

Levi has worked very hard at mastering what we call the "exhale moment" — that point where you feel them finally relax, let go of the tension, and just be in the moment. ❤️

Of course, it probably helps that Levi is a big fan of attention, pats, and scratches too 😉🥰

Sometimes the most important lesson isn't learning to go...

It's learning to be still. 🐴❤️

Be patient. Be consistent. Be Gary.

06/01/2026

🐴 Old Trainer vs Young Trainer 🐴

If we could only take the young trainer’s body and combine it with the old trainer’s toolbox… now THAT would be something special 😄

One thing that often gets overlooked when choosing a horse trainer is the size of their “tool box.”

Gary talks about this all the time.

He laughs now about being in his 20’s and thinking he knew everything there was to know because he started “training” horses at 12 years old and was already a paid professional by 16.

And honestly, that mindset makes sense in most careers.

If you’ve worked at a job for 10 years, you probably know it very well. Add formal education on top of that and you become highly skilled in your profession.

But horses?

Horses are different.

You can work with horses for 5 or 10 years and still barely scratch the surface.

Why?

Because there are as many lessons to learn as there are horses.

How they think.
How they move.
How they react.
What bothers them.
Why they panic.
Why they resist.
Why they shut down.
Why they challenge you.

Every horse teaches you something new.

That’s why Gary always says he is still learning. After decades of training horses, he’s still adding tools to the toolbox.

But with experience comes something important:

You also learn what DOESN’T work.

You learn when frustration is starting to take over.
You learn when to walk away and count to 10.
You learn when to switch gears and try a different approach.

A trainer with a large toolbox still gets frustrated sometimes. The difference is, they have tools called patience and boundaries to help guide them through it.

And those two tools alone can fill an entire toolbox.

Patience isn’t just waiting quietly. It’s understanding when a horse needs time to process. It’s recognizing when fear is causing the problem instead of defiance.

Boundaries aren’t about intimidation. They’re about clarity and consistency. They help a horse feel secure and understand where the lines are.

The important part?

Not every horse learns the same way.

Right now, we have two mares here.

Both are 6 years old.
Both are Quarter Horses.
Both are nicely bred.

But mentally? They couldn’t be more different.

One mare had very little handling before arriving here. For 6 years, her life was spent mostly in a field with her friends. Everything about training is new to her. She needs patience, understanding, and time to build confidence.

The other mare has been handled extensively. But if boundaries are not clear and consistent every single day, she will happily take over and run the show 😅

The approach that helps one mare succeed would mentally ruin the other.

That’s where experience matters.

The toolbox isn’t about gadgets or equipment.

It’s about knowing WHICH method to use, WHEN to use it, and WHICH horse it will work for.

Because no single method works for every horse.

And the longer you work with horses, the more you realize the greatest horsemen are not the ones with the biggest ego…

They’re the ones with the biggest toolbox ❤️🐴
Be patient. Be consistent. Be Gary.

05/31/2026

🐴 Saddle Fit Isn’t Just About the Horse… It’s About the Rider Too 🐴

We spend a lot of time talking about saddle fit for the horse — and rightly so. But once you know what works for your horse, the next step is fitting the rider. And honestly? That step gets missed far too often.

A lot of riders don’t actually know how a saddle should fit THEM.

Some people assume a bigger seat just means a bigger butt 😅 But that’s not necessarily true at all.

Right now, Gary is in the process of ordering himself a new everyday working saddle. Not a show saddle. A saddle that will see long hours, many horses, and many miles.

The challenge? It has to fit horses we haven’t even met yet… but it also has to fit Gary properly.

After more than 55 years of training horses, his body has definitely paid the price. Lower back issues, arthritis, knee replacement, hip replacement, shoulder issues… the list is long. An improperly fitted saddle can make an already difficult day downright painful.

One thing his Sports Medicine Doctor specifically recommended was a narrow twist.

Why?

Because a narrow twist is much easier on your hips and lower back. Years ago, narrow twists were marketed mostly toward women riders, but Continental Saddlery recognized the benefits for everyone and now builds all of their saddles this way.

Then comes seat size.

Continental saddles are designed with a “pocket” in the seat. If you constantly feel pushed up against the rise of the seat, chances are the saddle is actually too small for you. The correct seat size puts you IN the pocket, not on top of it.

Gary rides comfortably in a 16” seat because it allows him to sit properly while still giving his legs the freedom to move naturally.

Next on his list is the butterfly cut skirt. This is the cutout under the fender that allows even closer contact with the horse. Gary likes feeling connected to the horse underneath him without having to grip or squeeze with his legs. A good rider should be able to ride with relaxed legs, especially when working with young horses.

Then there’s fender length — another commonly misunderstood feature.

Many riders think if there are enough adjustment holes, the fender fits. But when you shorten a fender too much, you lose usable leg movement and end up with excess leather hanging below, interfering with your foot and stirrup position.

Every detail matters.

Gary is replacing an old breaking saddle that’s nearly as old as he is 😄 One that has served him well for decades. His new saddle will be based off a C17 Plain Reiner but customized specifically for his daily needs — roughout finish, extra rings on the pommel and skirt, proper fit, proper feel, and built for long days in the saddle.

That’s the beauty of building a saddle for YOU.

Not just buying something “close enough” off the rack.

Because when a saddle fits both horse AND rider properly, everything works better. Comfort. Communication. Balance. Performance ❤

Be patient. Be consistent. Be Gary

05/29/2026

☀️🐴 Finally… SUNSHINE! 🐴☀️

I don't know about you, but we have been absolutely thrilled to see some warmer weather and sunshine around here 🌿😎

We are very fortunate to have an indoor arena, which allows us to continue riding through the snow, rain, and all the unpredictable weather in between. It’s also a huge help when working with young horses because there are far fewer distractions, making it easier to focus on building confidence, steering, and brakes.

But after a long winter indoors and a very wet and muddy spring, getting outside again just feels good. Feeling the sun on your face while riding is hard to beat ❤️

And honestly… we think the horses love it just as much as we do!

That said… apparently there is an extra gear outside 😂🚀

Thank goodness we’ve spent plenty of time indoors working on steering and brakes because the gas pedal was definitely down today! 🏇💨

Young horses + sunshine + open space = a whole lot of enthusiasm 😆

Be patient. Be consistent. Be Gary.

☀️🐴💨

05/26/2026

🤠 Why Do We Sell Continental Saddles? 🤠

It's a question we get asked from time to time.

Why Continental?

Why not carry several brands?

Why not have a showroom full of saddles for customers to choose from?

The answer is actually pretty simple.

Because we believe in them.

But to understand why, you have to go back about 20 years.

Many years ago, we started helping out Roy Ionson. Roy owned a tack shop, bought and sold horses, and knew quality when he saw it. Gary would take horses for Roy, put rides on them, work through issues, and help prepare them for sale.

Over time, Roy started asking Gary to try saddles that came through the shop. One day, a saddle arrived from a company neither Roy nor Gary had heard much about before.

That saddle was a Continental.

Roy liked what he saw immediately. And that's saying something because Roy sold everything from entry-level products to high-end equipment. He knew quality.

After making a few calls to the manufacturer and learning there were no Canadian dealers, he brought a few saddles into the country and asked Gary to put one through its paces.

At the time, Gary had horses of every shape, size, breed, and discipline coming through the training program.

The result?

The horses moved freely.

The saddle felt balanced.

The contact was excellent.

The comfort was undeniable.

Gary's response to Roy was simple:

"Roy, these are nice saddles."

And that was the beginning.

Soon Gary was helping Roy at the CanAm shows, and Continental saddles were flying off the racks. Selling 15 saddles at a single show wasn't uncommon.

What surprised many people was who was buying them.

It wasn't just the reiners.

It was the trail riders.

People who spent hours in the saddle noticed their hips and knees didn't ache after long rides. Their horses stayed comfortable. The saddles simply worked.

Fast forward to Roy's retirement.

At that point, we had worked closely with Continental Saddlery and had developed a strong relationship with Heike and Oliver. We respected their approach to business.

You see, Continental isn't a company interested in mass production.

They don't want to become a factory that pushes out thousands of saddles.

They don't want quality sacrificed for quantity.

They don't want to be just another brand hanging on a rack.

Their focus has always been craftsmanship.

When the discussion came up about continuing the dealership after Roy retired, Gary's answer was straightforward:

"Yes. But we're not becoming a tack shop."

Why?

Because Gary has never been interested in selling products he wouldn't put on his own horses.

Thankfully, Heike and Oliver felt exactly the same way.

In fact, they preferred working with trainers rather than large retail stores.

Their belief was simple: trainers understand horses. They understand movement. They understand saddle fit. They see firsthand what works and what doesn't.

That philosophy matched ours perfectly.

Today, we don't carry a massive inventory.

Instead, we help riders build a saddle.

Not because it costs more.

Actually, it doesn't.

But because every rider is different.

Every horse is different.

Seat size matters.

Fender length matters.

Tree fit matters.

Comfort matters.

Performance matters.

When a saddle is built specifically for you and your horse, you're not settling for "close enough."

You're investing in something designed to last a lifetime.

And perhaps one of the things we appreciate most about Continental is the relationship.

When you buy a Continental, you're not just buying a saddle.

You're gaining access to people who genuinely care about the product they're building and the people riding in it.

Questions?

Need advice?

Want to discuss fit?

The answer is always just a phone call away.

So if you've been wondering what makes Continental different, we'd love to show you.

Come sit in one.

Bring your horse.

Let us help fit both of you.

The only thing it costs is a little of your time.

And when it comes to your comfort and your horse's comfort...

Isn't that time well spent? ❤️🐴

G & K Training Centre & Tack is your authorized Canadian dealer for Continental Saddlery located in Chatsworth, ON

05/25/2026

🏗️ Horse Training is a Lot Like Constructing a Building 🏗️🐴

Everything starts with the foundation.

Just like a building, the foundation is the most important part. It's also the part that many people want to rush through because it's not very exciting. But if you cut corners, skip steps, or don't spend enough time there, eventually the cracks will show.

With young horses, every lesson builds on the one before it.

First, we teach a step.
Then we repeat it.
Then we repeat it again.
And again.

Not because the horse can't do it, but because we want them to truly understand it. We want it to become second nature. We want them to gain confidence from it.

Only then do we move to the next step.

One question we get asked all the time is:

"How long will it take?"

The answer is simple: it depends on the horse.

How willing are they?
How confident are they?
How much information can their mind process in one training session?

Because the reality is, we work at the horse's pace. Not yours. Not ours. The horse's.

Patience is a huge part of the process.

We have to give them time to absorb information and understand what we're asking. We have to allow them the opportunity to make a mistake before we correct it. If we jump in too soon, we often rob them of the chance to learn what the mistake actually was. We can also take away confidence in the process.

We regularly have horses come in for assessments.

"What does my horse need?"
"What discipline would they excel in?"
"What's wrong with my horse?"

And honestly?

About 90% of the time, either steps were skipped, or they weren't repeated enough to stick.

That's the part nobody likes to talk about because it's not flashy.

It's repetition.

It's consistency.

It's doing the same thing over and over until it becomes habit.

Think about riding with a coach. They give you an exercise.

You do it.

"Again."

You do it again.

"Again."

By now you're thinking, "I get it already."

But your coach isn't trying to entertain you. They're trying to build muscle memory. They're helping you become more natural, more confident, and more correct each time you repeat the exercise.

The same thing applies to horses.

Repetition.
Consistency.
Patience.

These are the keys to every successful training program.

Whether you're a professional trainer, a weekend rider, or someone who simply enjoys trail riding with their horse, you need a program. A foundation. A plan that builds one block at a time.

Because great horses aren't built in a day.

They're built through thousands of small, consistent moments that stack on top of each other until the foundation is strong enough to support anything you ask of them. ❤️🐴

Be patient. Be consistent. Be Gary.