Our Story
Karl and Areal Lutsch bought School House Ranch in 2020 with the dream of developing an ethical, sustainable, and regenerative ranch growing diverse forage to support the needs of a variety of livestock. We are passionate about raising and breeding quality Quarter Horses that are versatile and meet a variety of needs. Our horses have good minds, willing dispositions, solid conformation and are beautifully coloured as well.
School House Ranch believes in the ABCs of a quality Quarter Horse: athletic and agile, balanced and beautiful, curious and colourful.
Valaurie Wettstein
Certified Monty Roberts Instructor at Wettstone Guest Ranch
About me: I have been passionate about horses since a very young age and since 2016 I work full time training horses and teaching equine enthusiasts of all ages and leels on our family run ranch in Bridge Lake (BC, Canada).
I am currently one out of only two Certified Monty Roberts Instructors in Canada and am very proud to share his beautiful methods of building a relationship with our horses based on trust, willingness, and kindness.
I enjoy all equine disciplines and styles but mainly ride and teach Western Riding and Horsemanship.
Personally, I enjoy my time with my equine partners out on the trails, showing in Ranch Riding/Pleasure & Trail, the occasional Gymkhana, Ground and Liberty work. I attend lots of clinics yearly as I am a firm believer that there is always more room to grow and shape yourself into your personal best equine partner.
I am honoured to be part of Areal and Karl's equine journey and have had the pleasure to coach then on many of their School House Ranch horses. We focus on building a solid connection between horse and rider based on energy, body language as well as clear and fair signals. And of course, we make it FUN for everyone involved!
Carleigh Jensan
Reined Cow Horse Trainer & shows two SHR Performance Horses
Carleigh has always had a passion for teaching and coaching throughout her life. Combined with her love of horses and desire to help guide people to find their connection with their horses and reach their goals, it has helped her to develop her program. Carleigh has competed successfully in cattle sorting and cattle penning winning several BC Finals, ridden countless miles and trips in the back country nd is continuously working to develop herself in all aspects of competitive cattle sports and furthering her horsemanship. She is thrilled to be working with one of Schoolhouse Ranch's young prospects Lizzie and her development and journey in Reined Cowhorse.
Shay Dykstra
TRU Student
I am thrilled and so very grateful to be hosting at School House Ranch owned by Areal and Karl while studying Regenerative Agriculture at Thompson Rivers University! I was born and raised in the Lower Mainland, but had the joy of visiting my uncle's ranch in Knutsford, where my passion for our equine partners and agriculture was born.
That same passion for agriculture, living in harmony with the land, as well as my desire to live according to more rural traditions inspired me to relocate and live in a way that honours these values.
I am so excited to be working with such amazing horses here, and grateful for the opportunity to learn from such incredible and kind people what starting horses from the ground up looks like, and everything in between. I aspire to learn how to start horses under saddle this Spring! My long term goals include continuously building on my horsemanship with the dream of training full time in addition to starting an apiary enterprise with my partner.