Laurence Wiley

where to start!   I wish I had recorded some of his many incredible stories.  He had some incredible adventures and there would be few to no living witnesses to them as he was in his 70's when he died and that must have been 20 years ago.   Dr Wales may have heard a few.  I remember Dr Wales attending his funeral, but i don't think there were many more than him, the reverend and I.   

    I first met him through a student i had doing a work experience program with me at the original Mandy and Me site.   I had a horse who was originally from a wild herd out of Suffield, Alberta.    I had made little progress with her and my student helper suggested i try  Laurence.    I paid him the $500 he asked for and he made a fair bit of progress but was willing to give me back the $500 as she would jump a fence that was over 3 feet with the saddle on.   Someone was going to get hurt.    He had put a fair bit of work and shared some of his experiences too so i insisted he keep the $500.  He later helped with with other things and we became friends.    There was more than one occasion where i invited him to dinner... i so loved hearing his stories.  I was also sure he didn't mind not cooking!     

I remember a bit of a story where he nearly died while tending cattle.    Some people let him heal up at their homestead, but it took months.   To hear him tell it, was like being there. Another story was of how he was paid to kill wild horses as a young man, possible a teen.    The last time he told me, he was not fond of having done that yet also recognized that it was very hard times.