Ontario horse trainer swaps pressure for consent in documentary project

Former Olympic reserve rider Paige Lockton, living with stage four breast cancer, has launched Project New Start. Eric Taschner explains.

A northern Ontario horse owner and equestrian is aiming to rebuild relationships between horses and humans through a new year-long healing, horsemanship and filmmaking initiative.

Paige Lockton is kickstarting Project New Start, a documentary called ‘Begin and Begin Again’ that will be filmed as a raw, immersive series on-site at her farm in Callander along Highway 654.

Growing up with horses, Lockton has spent much of her life studying the relationship between humans and these mammals. Her credentials include being on reserve for the 1992 Olympics in Spain at only 22 years old, as well as being on the Canadian equestrian team and riding internationally.

“I’ve learned they will put their hearts out for you and put themselves on the line and carry you and do just about anything you ask them,” Lockton said, speaking at her farm.

Now living with advancing stage four metastatic breast cancer, Lockton wants to inspire changes in the equine industry.

“We don’t need to test them so hard,” she said. “What I’ve learned is that you don’t have to sit on them or take something from them to have an amazing experience.”

Polarizing mission

Lockton explained to CTV News that her approach is polarizing and somewhat controversial within the horse industry – but she wants to shine a light on the issue while emphasizing it is not her intention to shame owners on their methods.

“I’m going to highlight how we can fit positive reinforcement into this world that horses live in under that pressure and release contract,” Lockton said.

Many common training practices rely on dominance, but Lockton argues that kind of interaction is outdated. Instead, she advocates for consent-based horsemanship where no one rides until the horse is comfortable.

“The animals have choice and freedom instead of the world we operate on, which is pressure and release,” Lockton said.

“What we’ve discovered is that what we thought was true and what seemed to work is now debunked.”

She went on to describe her problems with traditional methods.

“If I’m going to apply pressure until you figure out what I want and well, if and when you do, then I’ll release the pressure. That’s a pretty ugly, broken contract, isn’t it?” she said.

A new model

A retired standardbred racehorse named ‘Big Red’ has been gifted to Lockton, entrusted to her to be part of an entirely new model of care and connection.

Lockton said the documentary will reflect on the ways horses are trained while also touching on trauma, healing and what becomes possible when humans rethink their relationships with these animals.

“I guarantee at the end of it, not all of us riding, but these girls will be riding around here bareback with a rope around their neck with the horses, enjoying everything they do and having choices,” she said.

Her filmmaking initiative aims to unite retired racehorses, young women and community partners together, pairing them with a new model of horsemanship rooted in nervous system awareness, compassion, horse welfare and second chances.

Community support, financial needs

Lockton says Project New Start is seeking support in several areas, including horse care, education and programming, youth mentorship and farm infrastructure. Though she told CTV News she already has the support of more than 20 community partners, adding one anonymous supporter has already pledged $3,500 to support a horse for the year-long journey.

Lockton said she expects the project to cost about $3,000 a month – totalling up to about $36,000.

Lockton said it is a relationship with horses based on consent and commitment to connection before performance that motivates her to repay her time and energy to the animals, adding she is using her own camera equipment while also partnering with documentary filmmakers and a producer to bring her idea to life.