Twin Passions

A childhood fascination with horses led to an amazing life— and a unique collection

- Hélène Jasmin, Saint-Polycarpe, Que.

My cousin, Yves Patenaude, bought his first horse, Tania, just prior to his 20th birthday in what turned out to be his initial step towards a passionate, life-long career in Canadian horse breeding.

Even as a very young boy in his hometown of Ville Saint-Laurent, Que., Yves was already fascinated by horses. Back then in the 1950s, there were still many working horses in town, hauling milk wagons and bread carts, teamed up with work crews cleaning sidewalks and repairing streets, and involved in many other aspects of daily life. Yves’ mother, Estelle, remembers it was impossible to draw Yves’ attention away from the window or get him off the porch as he busily watched and waited for horses to pass by during the regular course of the day. So, it came as no surprise at all when, still only a teenager, Yves began to work for free at a nearby horse stable and riding centre. That is where he experienced the simple pleasure of riding a horse for the first time and his profound kinship with horses grew from there.