Office Closed Friday, April 7 - Good Friday

No Lessons April 7

No Lessons April 10 - 13

Office Closed Monday, May 22 - Victoria Day

No Lessons May 22

AGM Monday, May 29

We are pleased to be a proud partner group for the 2023 Cash and Camping Lottery; helping to raise funds for PARDS and other Peace area charities. To check out the fabulous prizes for this years lottery please go to www.cashandcamping.com.

Website and ticket sales open March 31st.

Good Luck!

Servus Credit Union recently renewed their In-Part Sponsorship of the Youth Leadership Program which they have been supporting since 2020. Servus is well recognized for their support of many youth focused projects and initiatives within Grande Prairie and the surrounding area and we thank them for including PARDS Youth Leadership Program as a funding priority. Their generous and ongoing support ensures the youth in our community have access to vital supports to help them build and maintain good mental health and life skills.                                        

To learn more about the impact Servus helps achieve with their support of this program, be sure to check out the Youth Leadership Spotlight article below.

Aaron is a 12 year old boy struggling to find his place within his social circle as well as his family circle. Aaron has been raised by his mom with very little interaction with his dad throughout his life. His mom has multiple medical issues including blindness and, as a result, Aaron has developed the belief that he needs to be the caregiver and he is behaving selfishly when he doesn’t “feel like it” or is feeling overwhelmed by the role.

Aaron’s grandma and grandpa are very involved in his and his mom’s lives and are a major support to the family. Grandma recognized that he was withdrawing and seemed to be experiencing behavioral changes outside of what she considered normal for the transition into adolescence. After numerous conversations and observations, grandma realized that he has been struggling for the last several months with bullying and teasing. After attempting to access supports for Aaron through school and the medical system without satisfaction, she brought Aaron to PARDS to look around and meet some horses along with some of the people that work here. 

Aaron decided he was comfortable and willing to sign up for the Youth Leadership program. His goal in the program was to learn to deal with his feelings when he was being picked on and maybe to even learn how to get out of the situation when it occurred. Aaron was extremely engaged in the lessons that included “Basement & Balcony Friends” where participants learn, with the help of their horse partners, to recognize traits that can help them see if an individual will pull them down into negative thinking/talk, defiant behavior, risky behavior, etc. or if they are someone that can be relied on, respectful of others, engaged in the world around them, and be a good friend overall. Before learning these concepts and skills, Aaron thought his only option was to latch on to anyone that paid him any attention.

Although Aaron shared that he enjoyed the horses and activities overall, becoming aware that he had even some control over choosing who he wanted to associate with and some strategies to both pursue a friendship as well as avoid or end one had the most immediate positive impact on him.

Aaron’s grandma sent the following note to us after Aaron moved from the area and was no longer able to attend the program.

"Hi, I just wanted to say thanks from my grandson for the opportunity to participate in your Leadership program, he thoroughly enjoyed it.

He missed a few days due to illness and then they moved to St Albert so he was unable to say goodbye or express his gratitude.

It is an excellent program, one which I was hesitant to put him in because he had expressed a fear of horses in the past, but from his first day he loved it and said he wanted to move to a farm.

Please pass on our gratitude to the people involved for making the experience such a memorable one!

Thanks again,

Aaron’s grandma"

Thank you!

Penelope began riding rides in the  Petit Trot program .at the age of 6, with a horse leader and rode our welsh pony Northstar. Northstar is the perfect size for riders like Penelope because she’s small and they can get the halter on, brush all the hard to reach areas and put their own saddle on; which are all requirements of earning certificates and passing the levels of the P'Trot program. Penelope passed her Bronze level with flying colours last year and is now at the Silver level riding Risley independently and trotting!! Can’t wait to see how far she gets in her riding skills this year! 

After being in lessons for a while, Penelope wanted to volunteer. Penelope and her mom came to the volunteer orientation and the two have since been volunteering in the barn. They clean stalls and sweep up the alleyways the day of Penelope's lesson and her mom has filled in leading when another volunteer can't be there. We can't thank them enough for their help. 

P’tit Trot is an exciting program for children ages 5 years old and up, who love horses and want to learn more about the equestrian world. The P’tit Trot program is devoted solely to the initiation of equitation and general horsemanship, allowing children to discover the pleasures of English & Western disciplines as well as an introduction to trail riding and developing proper knowledge on how to care for the horse.

The P’tit Trot book is lavishly illustrated throughout and introduces familiar characters for the children to follow and relate to. Each book is divided into 4 chapters – Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum with each chapter building on the previous skill set. In addition to the illustrated manual that supports practical teaching, a game book allows the child to reinforce the knowledge gained while having fun. At each level attained (bronze, silver, gold, platinum) the young rider receives a certificate of achievement.

This program offers a fun way to discover the wonderful world of horses. It contributes to acquiring various motor and technical skills and encourages children to be physically active, and gaining confidence & self-esteem as they progress through the program.



Donna has been volunteering at PARDS for almost 3 years now. She leads in lessons weekly, giving us a morning of her time, knowing we can rely on her being there for her riders. Donna arrives early to help the instructors tack up horses, which is much appreciated, especially in group lessons where up to 4 horses need to be groomed and tacked and then after lessons Donna helps untack and take horses out. One of Donna’s riders is visually impaired and the 2 can be seen chatting while waiting to mount. Donna is always making her aware of the surroundings, often with humour, instilling a trusting bond between the 2, on and off the horse. Donna’s connection with this rider is often met with “big hugs for the week”. When a new volunteer joined the group this year, they quickly discovered a friend and family connection and the 2 have become close friends. At PARDS you never know who you will meet, Thank you Donna!’

For more information on all our volunteer opportunities, please visit our website at

Volunteer Opportunities

PARDS would like to thank Valard Construction LP. for renewing their Kickboard Sponsorship for the next 3 years. PARDS offers a number of kickboard sponsorship packages. If you would like more information please contact PARDS Community Liaison, Shirley McDonald at 780-830-6143 or the PARDS office at 780-538-3211.

These generous companies provide services or gift in kind donations to help keep our programs and facility running, our herd healthy and our equipment maintained.

Thank you!