Page 11 - AEF-AlbertaBits_Fall-2025

FOR TRACEY KLETTL, horses have always been more
than animals — they are teachers, healers and living
connections to her Cree ancestry. A descendant of First
Nations families who once guided fur traders and
explorers through the rugged passes of what is now
Jasper National Park, Klettl has followed a path that feels
both inherited and self-made.
“My first memories were horses,” she recalls. “I wasn’t
from a horse family, but I was just crazy about them.”
That love led her to begin working as a backcountry
guide in Jasper at age 12, the only way she could ride at
the time. Later, training in English riding deepened her
skills, making her a stronger, more confident rider in the
mountains. Eventually, she became a certified instructor
and coach, credentials that would serve her well in her
work with Indigenous youth.
At Painted Warriors, the Indigenous tourism company
she owns and operates near her home in Sundre, Klettl
blends cultural knowledge with formal training. Visitors
discover outdoor experiences rooted in Ojibway and Cree
cultures, including archery, wildlife viewing and horseback
riding. She sees horses as a bridge between past and
present. Her ancestors relied on them for survival — packing
furs, transporting game and guiding settlers through
Photo Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada
albertaequestrian.com 11