You can find Jim Greendyk at Cristyhill Farms in Chilliwack, BC where he runs his West Coast Training and Horsemanship. Specializing in reiners and horsemanship, Jim has earned a well-deserved name in the equestrian world. His barn is full of horses at varying levels, from colt starting all the way to finished, competitive reiners. With as many as 24 horses in training at any one time, he’s a pretty busy cowboy! However, Jim is also a big-hearted family man who loves to bring his three young kids to work when he can.
Jim started riding at the age of 17 at a barn in southern Alberta. His first job was cleaning stalls from 7 am to10 am, after which he’d sit in the arena to watch and learn. By asking lots of questions and taking in all the information he could, he soon found himself starting colts.
Jim Greendyk and Guns and Chickadee schooling at home in Chilliwack. Photo Credits to Haute Equine
As his skills developed over time, Jim makes it clear that he strives to always remain focused and being in the present moment with his horses while in training. Jim is known to say in the barn, “Learn to relish the Process over the Product and you’ll conquer the anxiety of the reality that you’ll never arrive.”
It is easy to get caught up in the pressure of the competitve and difficult horse world, that is why it is important to Jim to be grateful for every single day. Jim didn’t always want to be a horse trainer, he worked toward becoming a Veterinarian, but the riding world called him back in.
”Horse training for me boils down to two main points. The horse needs to know where to go from the pressure I put on it. Then it needs to know that I will always give it enough time to go there.”
Jim Greendyk
Like many of us, Jim suffered from a burnout in the horse world. When the enjoyment left, Jim knew it was time to take a step back. He took six months off with no horses but was brought back by one lady who kept asking for help with her horse. He agreed to help her in August 2010, and within three months of riding the horse, he found himself enjoying the process. By November 2010, he came across a half Arab reiner. Jim knew there was something special about this horse and by February of 2011 they where heading down to Scottsdale for the Snaffle Bit Reining Futurity.
Jim Greendyk’s current mount is an incredibly flashy stud, that you just know is going to be something special. Cant Mizz These Guns and Jim’s past wrap together in almost a Disney fairy tale fashion. His dam, Cant Hear Guns, was in training with Jim back in 2014. Even though she was a highly talented mare she had a surgery as a foal that didn’t heal entirely correctly, thus ending up having a mechanical hitch that robbed her of an exciting career in the show ring. When her second colt was born, Jim saw photos at twelve hours old and knew that he wanted him. Three months later the deal was done.
Cant Mizz These Guns or Rifle as he is known in the barn, has grown into a one of a kind horse. With so much raw talent Jim says “Real talent can’t be created. I feel, sometimes, it can only barely be managed.” Rifle is all business when it comes to riding and is incredibly focused when it comes to his job. But he also has a heart of gold as Jim’s 8-year-old daughter also rides him. Jim takes immense pride in his horses and Cant Mizz These Guns is no exception. There is that extra spark in a partnership when you can take a horse from starting all the way up the ranks.
Watch for Jim Greendyk and Cant Mizz These Guns as they enter their first show season as a team. If the stars align you can find them in Las Vegas this September. You can follow Jim and Rifle on their journery on Facebook at West Coast Training and Horsemanship and Instagram @JimGreendyk.
