Merikle Waters Contact Information
Contact Name - Brandi Or Annette Thiessen
Email - meriklewaters@hotmail.com
Home Phone - 780-941-2131
Fax - 780-941-2205
Cell Phone
Brandi - 780-722-4833
Annette - 780-893-9710
Mailing Address -
Merikle Waters Paints And Quarters
RR1, New Sarepta, AB,
T0B 3M0
About Us:
Here at Merikle Waters, we have been raising, training and selling quality paint/pinto horses since approx 2004. Prior to that, we worked with our own small herd, and showing on a small scale.
Brandi Thiessen
Brandi Thiessen, the founder and primary owner of Merikle Waters (and sole creator of this website), has been riding since she was a young girl. Taking a slight break from horses and riding, her riding "drive" started up again upon the purchase of Merikle and her then 2 month old filly at side. Although the odd spelling of "Miracle" to "Merikle" has some people baffled, it was not lack of spelling and grammar that pushed Brandi to spell her mare's (or business's) name oddly. Merikle came with her name, but Brandi did not feel that an "ordinary" spelling applied, as Merikle is nor never has been an ordinary run of the mill horse.
Brandi's primary background and passions fall into the horse and children categeories. She grew up around underprivaledged and abused children (as her aunt is the owner/direction of a foster care agency), and always had a deep love and appreciation for horses. Brandi began giving lessons to local families at the age of 15. These families were "mixed" persay, with biological children as well as foster children from all walks of life. Many of these children were not only physically and emotionally abused, they often also had mental impairments that limited their abilities (such as Fetal Alcohol, Attachment Disorders, Chemical imbalances ect). Her desire to help these children under government guardianship, and introduce them to her other passion horses, saw her through some tough times.
Having taught lessons for approximately 5 years now. With the majority of students being high need low attention span children, Brandi feels more than capable and prepared to teach any student from any walk of life. To continue helping the foster care/government "parented" children, She began working for Crossroads Family services Group home in 2007. When the "Retreat" as it was refered to closed in spring 2008 when govenment support came to a hault, Brandi opted to be a childcare houseworker for 2 remaining children without foster placement. When the time came the extra help was no longer needed and placements were made, Brandi has now become a respite home for one of those remaining children. She has been coaching this student for almost a year now when she can, and has hauled her to numerous horse shows and always given the option for her to show some of Brandi's finished horses. Currently this now coming 14 yr old girl rides under Brandi Thiessen's guidance, on Brandi's prized mare, Merikle.
Brandi has not only taught lessons for years, she has trained under a number of qualified and respected members of Alberta's equine community. This includes but is not limited to, a little under a year of working under Janice Tyndall, Aaron Bird of Painted Hand (Primarily training horses for movie stunts), Ken Atkinson who is a farrier as well as a bomb proofing specialist, as well as the well known and very successful Cathy Charest who she still currently is shadowing.
The courses Brandi has undertaken in all of her time working with horses and children include - Dream Catcher's Introductory and 2 day advanced animal assisted therapy clinics, The human medication administration and safety seminar, Suicide Intervention, Non abusive restraint seminar, as well as she is certified With St. John Ambulance, in Standard First Aid, Level C CPR. Brandi also graduated in 2007 with honors, just shy of being valedictorian of the class. She has also begun taking courses from The University Of Guelph, and has so far completed Equine Functional Anatomy, and Equine Health And Disease Prevention, with honors.
Brandi has started and finished many horses of varieties of breeds, and plans to continue upon this route. She also does almost all regular trims upon her own horses as all are currently barefoot. She has also had quite the taste of severe problem horses, and the rehabilitation of them. She has shown across Alberta, and into the states. She has handled and shown pretty much everything from the rare and endangered Caspian horses, to saddlebreds, friesians, gyspsy vanners, miniatures, and about everything inbetween. Brandi has shown in warmblood inspections, sport pony inspections (for mares, stallions and foals alike), welsh pony halter classes, western pleasure/equitation, english pleasure/equitation, hunter, low end jumpers, reining, all speed events, trail, stock horse showmanship and halter etc. The main area she desires more experience in is driving.
Annette Thiessen
Leonard Thiessen
Shawn Thiessen and Taryn Stewart
More information and pictures coming soon!