…the horse will always tell you the truth

Tom Durocher, the Canadian Horse Whisperer

 By way of background, Tom can't remember not being around horses. His late father was a good hand, rode Community pasture, and broke and trained horses for others in the community. Tom's older brothers worked horses as well. 3 brothers rode Community Pasture too. When Tom was 16, he set out in the working world. He worked as a farm hand stacking hay, fencing, calving cows, then started working for the Fishing Lake Community Pasture where he rode for 20 years. Managing the pasture for 4 of those years. Tom started his journey of learning that there was a better way of working with horses after he was given a book "The Man Who Listen to Horses" by Monty Roberts as a christmas present. After reading this book (Twice,) he jokingly said "It would be great if this man had a school I could go to to learn this stuff."  His sister Marie, started researching this on the internet and found Monty Robert's International Learning Centre located at the Flag Is Up Farm in Solvang California.  Tom then applied to take his Introductory course. This was a big step for him as he would have to travel to California for 4 weeks and leave his family behind. This was also the first time he had been out of the country! Upon successfully completing the 10 month field study and the final exam, Tom was asked by Crawford Hall and Anna Twinney (Former General Manager, and Head Instructor) to take the Advanced Course. Initially, Tom had no interest in pursuing this. He just wanted to fine-tune the horsemanship skills he had developed through the years.  After agreeing to take the Advanced course, again having to leave home, he successfully completed it. After Monty Roberts watched Tom work with a raw, unstarted colt, Monty told Sally King - Head Instructor, "We need to talk to him to try and convince him to become an instructor." Again, Tom had no interest in this. But after serveral heart to heart talks Tom had with Monty and discussing it with his late wife, Lorna and their family, he decided to head back to California to become an Intern Instructor. On June 5, 2005, Tom received his Instructor certification and was endorsed by Monty Roberts as being Canada's ONLY Certified Monty Roberts Instructor. Tom jokes and says: "Not bad for a little bush boy from Alberta" Today, Tom lives (Where he was born and raised) on the Fishing Lake Metis Settlement in Northeastern Alberta Canada. He lives on his ranch with his wife Kelly. He has 3 grown children and 5 grandchildren. Tom is Metis. He takes pride in his upbringing, his father's Metis culture and that of his mother's First Nation culture. Tom is often asked to sing and drum at traditional ceremonies and community functions.  When he isn't on the road holding clinics, Tom starts horses and works with remedial horses others bring to him to "Fix."  When time allows, he also pleasure rides with his wife and friends.