Tamarak Equestrian

Tamarak Equestrian An individualized hunter/jumper show and training program. We are located in St. Catharines, ON, approx 1 hour from both the Toronto and Buffalo airports.

We focus on building confident, successful riders and producing top quality hunter ponies that are extremely rideable and competitive at the highest levels. Tamarak Equestrian aims to find talented hunter prospects, polish them, and match them up with the right rider.

Silver 1️⃣ & 2️⃣ ✅Could not be more proud of these 2 young ladies. Certainly a learning curve for both, but both took it...
06/03/2026

Silver 1️⃣ & 2️⃣ ✅

Could not be more proud of these 2 young ladies. Certainly a learning curve for both, but both took it in stride and still managed to bring home some pretty ribbons and put in some lovely trips.

Emily and Mickey D moved up to the 2’3” from the puddle hunters and cross rails last season and consistently received good scores, even WINNING her first derby EVER. Week 2 we decided to get our feet wet in the 2’6” as well and pulled off a score of 80 in the first trip.

Kadyn made her silver debut with Wonderland PR, who also made her silver debut. We had no idea what to expect from this mare, who has only been going English for a year and has no hunter/jumper show experience, but Kadyn stayed cool and collected to give Alice a positive and confident experience in the big rings. The improvement from day to day and week to week was clear, and the effort Kadyn has put into this partnership over the past 6 months is certainly paying off. Alice brought home ribbons in the hunters, jumpers, and equitation, proving she has the versatility to be the 3 ring horse we all hoped she could be.

As always, I’m also proud of how my girls stick together, cheer each other on, congratulate other riders, give out pins to brighten someone’s day, and consistently show up from sun up to sun down to care for their horses and get the most out of their silver experience.

A great first two weeks in the books, now to do our homework for Silver 3️⃣!

As the new season starts and green partnerships face the challenges of showing, I feel like this is the perfect time to ...
05/23/2026

As the new season starts and green partnerships face the challenges of showing, I feel like this is the perfect time to share a story of how progress doesn’t always look or feel like progress.

Occasionally there’s a round I’m incredibly proud of that was never even completed. This is one of the most notable examples.

I had a rider on a very tough green. The kind that exposes every weakness. The kind that gets clever… and sometimes dirty.

In one of her last rounds with this pony, it tried everything. Every trick in its arsenal.

And for she was ready for it.

She didn’t give that pony a single opportunity.
She stayed accurate.
She stayed accountable.

Second last jump… the pony pulled out one final, ridiculously athletic move that got her off. Honestly, I’m not sure anyone could have stuck it.

We walked out of the ring on foot, both of us in tears, me leading the pony behind us.

And I looked at her and said:
“That was the best I’ve ever seen you ride.”
Because it was.

There are very few times as a trainer that you can say: this rider really did EVERYTHING right.

This was one of those times. Her previous trainer even made a point of complimenting her on what a strong rider she’d become.

She may not have completed the round, but it was a winning ride nevertheless.

Because it isn’t just about the pretty rounds. It’s about what you do when it’s hard:
When the horse tests you.
When things don’t go your way.
That’s how mature and versatile riders are made.

And that’s something I strive to guide riders through. I don’t want to be a coach that only produces riders who can win on the easy ones; I want to develop riders who can show up, stay focused, and ride through a challenge without falling apart.

Because those riders are the ones who end up winning anyways. Maybe not that day, but their time to shine becomes inevitable.

If you like a program that values skilled riding and personal development over easy ribbons — you’ll fit in here.

📸 .ca

05/14/2026

Confidence is everything in this sport… but not just in the way most people think.

Real confidence isn’t thinking that you’ll never miss, make mistakes, or have a bad round. It’s trusting yourself enough to make decisions - whether they end up being right or wrong - and to handle the moments that don’t go perfectly.

Horses feel every bit of uncertainty we carry into the ring. If you second guess yourself, they do too. But when a rider learns how to stay calm, trust their training, and keep showing up consistently (even when things feel hard), that’s when everything starts changing.

The riders who improve the most usually aren’t “fearless”. They’re the ones patiently playing the long game, building confidence the boring way:
Through preparation.
Through repetition.
Through self-belief.
Through learning to be decisive.
Through learning how to recover instead of spiral.

Confidence isn’t something you wait for; it’s something you build by doing the work.

📸: .ca

There were barns I stayed at for longer than I should have. Not because they were still right for me, but because I coul...
05/09/2026

There were barns I stayed at for longer than I should have. Not because they were still right for me, but because I couldn’t let go of what they used to be.

I kept holding onto the good years; the version of those places that once inspired me, challenged me, and felt like home.

I convinced myself if I just waited a little longer, gave a little more, or stayed loyal enough… maybe it would feel like that again.

But it didn’t. And deep down, I knew it wasn’t going to.

What made it hard wasn’t just leaving - it was admitting that something I once loved was no longer serving me.

That’s a hard truth to face. Especially when you’ve built history somewhere and poured so much of yourself into it.

But staying in the wrong environment can weigh you down more than walking away ever will.

Sometimes growth looks like recognizing that just because something was good for you once, doesn’t mean it still is.

And one of the hardest but most important lessons I’ve learned is this:

You cannot grow into your next level by clinging to a version of the past you’ve already outgrown.

📸 .ca

I will never forget being at the Royal, and seeing a trainer punch the sliding door to the ring and storm off because th...
04/29/2026

I will never forget being at the Royal, and seeing a trainer punch the sliding door to the ring and storm off because their SMALL PONY RIDER made a mistake. A literal child was left to come out of the ring alone, instantly knowing she was in trouble.

And I will never forget the hurt I felt when I walked out of the ring after a disappointing trip to find my own trainer already gone.

Coaching isn’t just about the round. It’s about what happens after. Because that’s the moment you need coaching the most;
Not just when things go well.
Not just when it’s convenient.
When it’s HARD.

That’s where you actually learn.
That’s where the next round is built.

In my program, you will never come out alone, worrying about how badly you messed up.
We will break it down.
We will make a plan.
You will know exactly what to take into the next ride.

✨Because showing up for your riders doesn’t stop when the round ends.✨

📸 .ca

This program isn’t the right fit for everyone.
The riders who do best here tend to approach things a little differently:...
04/25/2026

This program isn’t the right fit for everyone.

The riders who do best here tend to approach things a little differently:
➡️They care about doing things properly.
Even when it takes longer.
➡️They want honest feedback.
Even when it’s not what they want to hear.
➡️They’re not interested in quick wins
at the expense of their horse.
➡️They want to feel confident in their riding,
not just capable when everything goes right.

There is no shortcut to genuine results. Real progress comes from consistency, accountability, and doing the right things over time.

That’s what this program is built on.

If this feels like what you’ve been missing, you already know where to find me.

Consistency in the show ring isn’t luck. It’s training.Not long ago, I had a rider who struggled with something many rid...
04/17/2026

Consistency in the show ring isn’t luck. It’s training.

Not long ago, I had a rider who struggled with something many riders know well: they could have a beautiful round, and then the very next trip in the ring would fall apart.

A missed distance.
A loss of rhythm.
A horse that suddenly felt different.

One good round followed by one frustrating one.

And at shows, that pattern repeated.
A good day followed by a tough day.

It’s easy in those moments to think the problem is nerves, confidence, or even the horse.

But most of the time, inconsistency isn’t a talent problem.
It’s a training problem.

So we went back to the fundamentals.
More focus on details.
More work on adjustability and rhythm.
More exercises designed to create predictable outcomes.

Instead of chasing results in the show ring, we built consistency at home first.

Now?

Instead of one good round and one frustrating one, we’re seeing something much better:
Consistent rounds.
Consistent trips.
Consistent days at the show.

That’s what real progress looks like.
Not a lucky round, but the ability to walk into the ring and reproduce the same ride again and again.

Because that’s what good training does.
It makes success repeatable.

Your goals deserve a program that builds that kind of consistency.

📸 .ca

Choosing a training program is one of the most important decisions you make as a rider or owner. And it’s also one of th...
04/13/2026

Choosing a training program is one of the most important decisions you make as a rider or owner. And it’s also one of the easiest places to get it wrong.

Because on the surface, a lot of programs look the same; nice horses, good show results, busy schedules.

But what actually matters is what’s happening underneath that.

Are riders learning how to think and ride independently?

Are horses becoming more consistent and rideable over time?

Is there a system behind the training—or are things being handled ride by ride?

If you choose a program based on understanding, consistency, and long-term development rather than surface qualities, you’ll end up in the right place.

📸 .ca

Happy Easter from Mickey the bunny! 🐰🐰
04/05/2026

Happy Easter from Mickey the bunny! 🐰🐰

Address

2835 Oille Street
Saint Catharines, ON
L2R6P7

Opening Hours

Tuesday 8am - 9pm
Wednesday 8am - 9pm
Thursday 8am - 9pm
Friday 8am - 9pm
Saturday 8am - 9pm
Sunday 8am - 9pm

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