Meet the Team

Rosemarie Huxted

“I was born in Calgary, even though I now reside in eastern Canada on the border of Quebec and Ontario in the little town of Dalkeith we now call home. Having roots in the west is what fed my hunger of living my dream as an equestrian coach. I knew all through growing up and riding backyard fun, and local level barrel racing, that horses was not only where my heart was, but my passion!

After high school, I was off to Olds College, in Olds, Alberta, where I studied the Western Coaching Development program with the extra support courses of the Equine Science program. My first coach Ruth Fowler (Calgary stampede drill team coach, level 2 coach) was probably looking at me cross eyed, as it was my first time ever being coached, after following the application program to make it in the program out of over 300 plus applicants, I was one of the chosen 10 whom she not only supported my dreams but inspired me to achieve them! My backyard fun riding was about to become much more serious!

After graduating from Olds College, in 2002-2003, I was off to Edmonton, not quite ready to step out on my own, I took on a job placement at Whitemud Equine Center. Here I met many like minded coaches, both Western and English, and this is where my drive to get my English coaching levels was supported. I trained with Level 3 eventing coach Kathy Playdon. While accomplishing this endeavor I was supported by a great friend Kathy Hunter who saw me with a horse to ride, and a tack set to get it done with! As I completed my levels it was time to come back home to the east and look at starting my own life, and business.

With a promise to myself to finish my level two Western coach before my first indoor arena was built, the pressure was on, as an indoor arena was quickly becoming a necessity to keep up with the demands for lessons and training. I began commuting down to south shore of Quebec to train with Jean Claude Daudelin, level 3 Specialized coach, as well with the help of his daughter Tanya Daudelin, I accomplished my level 2 Western coaching in fall of 2008, just days before the final boards were installed on the first coverall arena.

Business was busy as ever, and the drive to promote and build a safe lesson herd became crucial to the success we enjoy today. With the focus of my levels now achieved I began to take the time to use my skills I had learnt to prepare horses for competitions. Success was achieved here as well with the first belt buckle coming home, in reining, western pleasure, trail class, then on to winning some in barrel racing, and more recently Extreme Cowboy racing. Not to be so specific though to forget about the success on the English side of riding, including year end Open dressage champion 4 years in a row at Upperscotch Farms, and ribbon finishes in jumper down in Ocala, Florida, as well as Aerso champion on client horses in dressage and jumping.

The success also was proven time and again with not only myself and my training horses being successful but my clients, and students, with many of them achieving top place finishes at Sorel, Quebec provincial championships, wining buckles in reining, and coming home with red ribbons in dressage! The success of the team has also been noted as far south as Texas, with top 20 placings achieved by my students and I at the Worlds in Extreme Cowboy Racing.

I can accredit many folks to the career and success I continue to enjoy and will build on! I have been blessed to shake hands and ride along side many great trainers, and horseman/woman of the world, to name a few clinicians, and influential horse people would be, Josh Lyons, Jim Anderson, Craig Cameron, Joshua Rushing, Johnie Chlem, Robert Gharibzadeh, Beth Underhill, Jaye Hayes are some of the influences that have helped shape my horsemanship and knowledge to date. Not to forget about the experience of driving hitch classes from a single cart, team, three abreast, unicorn, fou , six horse hitches to name some of my favorite ones! Each of these experiences have helped shape my passion of training into am educational program for my customers.

My main focus as a competitor is dedicated mostly to Extreme Cowboy Racing and Jumper these days, however it is very likely you will catch me in a dressage saddle, or barrel saddle from time to time, as one never loses the passion for the delicate horsemanship in dressage, or the speed and adrenaline in a barrel race!”

— Rose Huxted, Owner of RLH Equestrian

“The main focus at RLH Equestrian is the training of riders and their equine partners.”

Robert Leblanc

Robert arrived on the scene at RLH Equestrian in 2018 with the rebuild of the new riding arena. Growing up around horses and a farm has made Robert the ideal partner with a good strong set of arms to do the heavy lifting, and the passion to enjoy a trail ride or fun day event.

You won’t see Robert in the show ring, but you can bet on it like a horse at a racetrack that he is in the background, driving one of the trailers, hauling show horses and in-training horses, as well as ensuring the barns are clean and the heavy lifting is done. Robert’s farming background and experience have proven to be an important asset to the care and management of the horses at RLH Equestrian, always ensuring the quality of the hay is up to standard, the rings are groomed, and the bedding in the stalls is fluffy.

Kyle

Kyle is Rose’s son and can often be found helping out and contributing to the success of the farm. He loves to help exercise the horses, play with the foals, and drive the equipment. Kyle has goals to compete and seems to be eyeing up one of his mother’s favourite horses to compete on!

The Farm

The current location of RLH Equestrian began in 2018 giving the family farm a new life. Up until 1999, the property was a dairy farm with a herd of Ayrshires and cash crop, run by Rose’s parents, Wayne and Linda Lothian.

2018 brought along new developments and a second career for the farm, turning it into the equestrian facility it is today. The year was a busy one, with the raising of the 80×150 insulated indoor arena while at the same time, Rose and some of her students headed down to Texas for Worlds in Extreme Cowboy Racing. What a successful and adventurous year that was!

2019 was shaping up to follow in the successes of the previous year, but a devastating barn fire set things back. While hearts mended, the rule of, “If you get bucked off, you get back on!” became a mantra as RLH Equestrian pushed forward. Weeks later, the plan was set in motion. Drawings of several barn options came to life from the ashes, and the final product was a design with the future of RLH Equestrian in mind. In August of 2019, the concrete was poured. Rebuilding went into the Fall and the official barn reopening was held in February of 2020. By the Fall of 2020, the barn was full with 20 stalls, three grooming stalls, wash stall and tack room.

“If you get bucked off, you get back on!”