Our Approach
Remuda is an initiative that provides participants a variety of learning opportunities to enhance self confidence and critical thinking skills that supports their capacity to make healthy lifestyle choices.
Remuda focuses on encouragement, direction and empowerment . Encouragement for participants to take risks, with the understanding that each individual’s place in society needs to be honoured.
Remuda believes supporting individual development in learning is imperative for attaining positive outcomes.
Remuda provides a foundation of internal /external assets. The Internal Assets are based on a commitment to learning, positive values, social competences, resilience and positive identity.
External Assets are based in a foundation of building a support network among family relations, neighbourhood, and school connections along with positive communication among family, friends, and the community.
Our Story
The Remuda Horsemanship Program was created by Tony McKee in the summer of 2010 and has been running successfully ever since. What started as one group of five people meeting twice a week to work with the horses has blossomed into a full time business operating six days of the week and providing programming for 25 – 30 participants at any given time. Participants meet through out the year in organized groups to work on horsemanship and life skills. Remuda groups run in ten week intervals. Since the creation of Remuda, hundreds of participants have been through the various programs, a large number continue their involvement in consecutive years and some return as volunteers and mentors. Weekly riding instruction, summer camps, cattle drives and mountain pack-trips have all been offered through the program. Not only does Remuda have the support of it participants but it has made strong connections and partnerships with community groups including the , Parkland School Division, Soroptimist International, Kitaskinaw School, Paul Band first Nations, Stony Plain Rotary Club, Health Canada, Town of Stony Plain, Parkland County, City of Spruce Grove. Local Youth Centres, the RCMP, Family and Children Services, and Alberta Health Services support the program through volunteering time and resources as well as referrals.
Meet the Remuda Team
Tony McKee
Facilitator, Owner
Horses have always encompassed Tony’s life, for both recreational and professional purposes. He has trained horses and been a student of horsemanship since he was very young. Working with horses and teaching horsemanship to both youth and adults for the last 25 years, he strives to increase his knowledge of horses while helping his students do the same. Tony worked as a Behavioural Support Worker worker for Ministry for Children and Families in BC from 1998 to 2003, and completed an extensive Adventure Based Learning Certificate Program through the Justice Institute in BC in 2002. As Program Coordinator and Facilitator with the Remuda Program for the last 9 years he has been integral to its growth, development and stability.
Kelsey Sapieha
Backcountry Nurse and cribbage champ
Growing up Kelsey learned to ride English but once that prim and proper hog wash was properly beat out of her, she began teaching western riding at summer camps. She fell in love with the ability of horses to spark connection, between two and four legged friends, and as a tool for self reflection. Kelsey got involved with Remuda when a stroke of fate roped her in to her first mountain pack trip in 2016. From the first mountain summit, she was hooked. When she’s not dreaming of the next adventure, she works as a Registered Nurse honing her ability to stay cool in wild situations; getting everyone through them with quick thinking and sometimes even a laugh.
On rides you can find Kelsey scaring off the wildlife singing old country tunes, wrangling her often misbehaving dog, and avoiding situations where her skills as a nurse will be required.