A couple that has been riding horses across the country recently spent a few days in southeast Saskatchewan from Aug. 23-26.
It was a beautiful sunny morning in St-Veronique, Que., when Patrick Venne and his partner Dominique Lebel saddled their horses on April 29 and began their cross-Canada journey.
A week earlier they had a received a snowstorm. Luckily, the weather cleared up and the trip was back on.
Venne has long had a childhood dream. He wanted to ride on horseback across Canada. Venne and his childhood friend were 13 years old, and they spoke of it often.
As they grew older, life changed. They had to work and had a family, so their dream was put on hold, but Venne never forgot about his dream.
Venne and Lebel live off the grid. Venne built a cabin by the river where he hunts and traps. He is also a farrier by trade.
Now, with Venne’s children grown, it was time to fulfill his dream.
With three horses and their huskie named Buckie joining them, they began to ride.
Their horses are extremely well broke and calm, and Buckie is well mannered. They are all shod, vaccinated and have their negative Coggins tests.
“We are travelling and don’t want our horses sick,” said Lebel,
The weather was great until they reached the Ontario-Quebec border. It was at that time the conditions turned and it was feared they may have a tornado. Their hosts invited them into their home to ride out the storm.
As they continued on their journey, one of the horses became lame, so a friend picked her up and brought her home.
Through northern Ontario they decided to trailer their horses. Venne and Lebel felt it was too dangerous to ride on the two-lane highway, plus the weather could turn and make it more difficult. They began to ride again when they reached Manitoba.
They try to ride three to five hours a day, which is usually about 50 kilometres.
Once they arrived in Winnipeg the search for another horse was on. They came across Octane, a seven-year-old Morgan gelding that fit the dream team.
The couple were hit with another storm which produced hail. A host’s garage became a welcome shelter.
“We had storms that were scary. One caused our tent to nearly blow away and the lightning was intense,” said Lebel.
As they rode through Moose Mountain Park, it was 30 degrees C. They rode into Elaine Connaughty’s farm, hoping they would be able to make camp there.
Connaughty lives just north of Kisbey. She offered them a paddock for the horses, a barbequed supper, a shower, and a dry place to stay.
“They are the nicest people, and their animals are so well trained and behaved,” Connaughty said.
The next morning, they were sent off with April Breault as their next contact. Breault lives east of Stoughton on Highway 13.
Breault was also happy to help. She loaded their horses and took them to the Stoughton Rodeo grounds. This way the horses could have the arena to roam. Breault also provided them with hay and water for the equines.
Dawn Ray, from the Stoughton New Hope Horse Club provided them with club t-shirts and donuts, while FSK Construction Services cooked a homemade meal.
While on the road, Lebel makes bracelets and sells them for a donation. They have a compass and flint made into them.
Now they are off again, looking for their next place to camp out. They hope to make Calgary, no later than mid-October. Venne and Lebel hope to also find ranch work and a place for their horses and Buckie so they can stay the winter.
They plan to continue with their dream in the spring and move on to B.C.
Lebel said, “You need to live your dream, because life is short, and tomorrow is not promised.”
Venne and Lebel are extremely grateful for the warm welcome they received and are very thankful for the new friendships they are making while living their dream.
