The Percheron part of Squirrely Acres began in 2003 when Katie got her first pair of percheron weanlings, Turpie's GTJ Debonair and Turpie's GTJ Pearl's Hope II bought at Carson Farms and Auctions annual PMU foal auction. From there it escalated to learning to show these animals on the line and in cart. 

Since 1998, Katie has been around horses because that's when her parents finally gave in and sent her to horse camp. In 1999, she started weekly riding lessons at Aaross farms, where they focused on dressage basics but also jumping. From there she started in 4-H and Pony Club getting to show and learn from a variety of horse people. Aaross bred Dutch Warmblood horses so Katie also learned about Keurings and Inspections. She was apart of the Canadian Young Breeders where she learned to judge confirmation and movement of Warmblood horses. Katie even went to Olds, Alberta to compete in a National Young Breeders Competition where she was Junior Champion and Overall High Point for the competition on judging, breeding knowledge and showing, beating out all the senior competitors as well. 

In 2000, Katie's dad bought her their first horse, a Quarter Horse gelding named Buddy. Katie wanted to do dressage, Buddy only wanted to trail ride... Katie was also active in Pony Club so a new horse also needed to be able to jump. The same year and same month Katie got Hope and Deb, her mom and dad bought her Cappy, the happy appy. Cappy was already experienced in Pony Club and show jumping so Katie got to learn a lot from her.  In high school, Katie was actively showing Summer on the Southwestern Ontario Trillium circuit competing in the 2'6" and 2'9" divisions. In University, she took jumping lessons at Old Orchard farms and compete in the University of guelph shows. It was a great experience riding other horses since she had been only riding her own horses for the past 4 years. After University, Katie started to just focus on just Dressage, even though she had been competing at London Dressage shows since 2004 while doing the hunters.