Mischief Farm

Our Philosophy:

We believe in the “win – win” philosophy. We want our riders to win, our horses to win, and our staff to win. This attitude is the most effective way to improve your riding skills and train your horse to his ultimate potential.


Here at Mischief Farm we believe that, above all else, this should be fun, for both riders and horses. We want our horses to have a well-rounded education, and to do everything expected of a well-trained horse. Every horse should be capable of going on trail, jumping (soundness permitting), doing flat work, going cross-country, and attending shows. We feel very strongly that all of our horses should have a solid base in dressage, regardless of the career they end up with. This sets them up for success, and makes them far more willing and able to do what is asked of them. The horse's physical comfort is also extremely important, as no horse can perform well if he is uncomfortable in his body or his tack. We inspect all our horses every day for health and soundness issues, and have an excellent veterinarian, farrier, and equine massage therapist available to address any problems. We also check tack fit for every ride, to ensure that the horse’s equipment will not restrict or interfere with his ability to do his job. We consider ourselves to be "conservative minimalists," and use only the basic tack necessary to ride or work our horses. We use this mentality throughout all of our training: “ask little, ask often, reward the try.”

Our riders also benefit from this approach. Whether you want to just improve your knowledge and ride the trails, or have aspirations to go the “A” show circuit route, we can help you become a more effective rider, and increase your horse/human communi­cation skills, both on the ground and in the saddle. We start all riders with the sensible basics of dressage: a proper seat, correct body position, quiet hands, and an under­standing of how to move and interact with your horse. As riding instructors, we see ourselves as your coach and cheerleader, and feel that encouragement and positive reinforcement are far more effective teaching tools than fear and intimidation. Once you are confident at the walk/trot/canter, your future riding career is entirely up to you. Our students ride dressage, trail, cross-country, and jumpers, and many do local and rated shows. Tell us where you want to go with your horse, and we can help you get there.