Testimonials

Below you will find comments and suggestions from both industry icons as well as past and present clients.
                                

"We were having trouble with a young off the track thoroughbred
we had bought. Farley was extremely athletic and had a bold, confident attitude. He was doing well with his flat work and was showing exceptional talent through the gymnastic exercises. However, cantering over fences, his bucking and playing antics were regularly unseating his riders. While
pondering what to do we came across an article called 'The Go To Guy For Problem Horses'. We called Doug and were very impressed with his background and approach to training. We decided to send Farley to Doug with the goal of settling his bucking issue and start his eventing career.

After only five months of training Farley has successfully completed 2 beginner Novice events and 5 Novice events and is ready to go Training. Doug and Farley won Pine Top over Thanksgiving weekend on his dressage score of 28.

We are absolutely thrilled with the progress Doug has made with Farley. You will likely see Doug competing Farley in 2008 as we continue Farley's education. We would highly recommend Doug to anyone considering additional training for their horse."

Shanon Baker-Day
Stephen Day
President, Dover Saddlery

                                

"Doug is so good on a bad horse, one wonders what he can do on a good horse. He's gotten a reputation so people are bringing him horses that other trainers aren't successful with. I don't want to see him getting stuck there. He has the potential to go as far as a good horse can take him."

Jim Wofford - 3 time Olympian, internationally recognized coach, NBC Sports commentator and author.

                                

"Doug never rushes a horse to do too much too soon, a training approach that isn't seen often enough. He is kind, straightforward and methodical. Doug thinks long-term and waits for results."

Heather Mason - 'S' Dressage Judge and Grand Prix Dressage Rider and Trainer.

                                
"I attribute Doug's success to his combination of classical riding background, athletic ability and soft kind way with horses. At 6-foot-3, Doug is a big, strong guy with the necessary physical strength to use when he needs it. Yet Doug's temperament is calm and quiet, not aggressive. The total effect is like an iron fist in a velvet glove."

Denny Emerson - World Championship team gold medalist who was recently inducted into the USEA Eventing hall of Fame.

                                

Our daughter, Leah, worked very hard over the last few years to save toward her own horse. We want to thank you for selling us Vinny. He is an absolute sweet heart! We knew when Leah saw him it was love at first sight! It was like Vinny chose Leah. We are sure Vinny's disposition is a combination of his being an orphan and your TLC for the last year. He has fabulous manners, tremendous potential, and now a girl that loves him like crazy! The best part will be watching them grow together. Thank you for helping to make the sale both pleasurable and easy. We appreciate your straightforward honesty and patience. Please feel free to use us as a reference anytime and if you are ever in Mendham, please feel free to come by and see us. Much continued success to you and your horses.

Sincerely,
Barbara Borkan

                                

I just wanted to say a BIG THANKS!!! You did great with Plenty, but everyone told me you would. Have a great weekend and I'll see you next week.

Geneva

                                

I can’t tell you how happy I am with Sunny. He is such a pleasure to ride and tries so hard at everything he does; he is one of the most athletic horses I’ve ever ridden and I’m confident he’ll be able to take me to the next level (and then some!) in my riding career. He loves to jump and we’re having a blast getting to know each other. I’m looking forward to our first show together, hopefully in the spring after a winter of finishing touches.

As important with how happy I am with Sunny, is how impressed I was with how you handled the transaction. You were extremely honest, professional and ethical, something many other “professionals” in this industry should take a lesson from.

Best,

Tracey & Sunny

                                

I just wanted to express how happy I was to find your site. I've had back problems that have kept me out of the saddle for some time; I miss all of it, but I really miss cross country. The helmet-cam of the cross country ride...how wonderful, how delightful it was to watch. How kind of you to make that available for people to view.

Thank you,

Galadriel Billington

                                
Thanks for the wonderful job you did with Cosmo. I had a great ride yesterday, he was exactly the horse I wanted. I'm so glad he went to you last month, you took good care of him and showed me the potential he has.

Thanks again,

Betty Sellers

 

  
When I brought my horse Andy to Doug's barn back in March of 2007 my plan was to sell Andy. At the time, I was experiencing a loss of confidence after an accident and thought that perhaps the best thing for me to do with Andy, was to sell him on to a good new owner who would enjoy showing Andy to his potential. Needless to say, it was really the last thing I wanted to do since, I
was so emotionally attached to Andy and deep down inside I wanted to keep Andy but, didn't have the confidence to work through my issues on my own. Andy is a lovely dressage horse and needed to be in a full training program that would get him back into shape again physically and emotionally. Andy's confidence had eroded over time due to me and my confidence issues. Andy is a very sensitive horse that needs a good confident rider and leader which Doug was for Andy. Doug has been wonderful working with Andy these past 6 months and has done a great job in bringing Andy back to good form. Doug has been very successful showing Andy this summer and they have always been in first place with really nice scores It has been a pleasure knowing and working with Doug. The best thing I could have done for me and my horse, was to bring him to Doug's barn for training.

Best Regards,

Joyce

· 1st Horse Park of NJ -2-1, Andamento 70.000%

· 1st Horse Park of NJ -2nd Level Champion, Andamento

· 5th Horse Park of NJ -1-4, Andamento 68.000%

· 1st Bucks County Horse Park III - 1-4, Andamento 75.789%

· 1st Bucks County Horse Park III - 2-1, Andamento 72.368%

                                

"Doug has far exceeded our expectations by developing and competing Rocket, and continues to do so. We purchased Rocket and formed a partnership with Doug to see how far he can take this wonderful Danish Warmblood. Rocket was previously difficult to ride even for the most seasoned professional. Rocket
was classified as a 'problem' show jumper because he was not careful enough over 5' jumps and was at times called "crazy" because of his strong attitude and personality. Within a few months Doug kindly developed and trained this horse and qualified him for the National Championships within 2 preliminary eventing competitions. In addition, he recently won a gamblers choice show jumping event with over 50 competitors at the Virginia Horse Trials. Because of Doug's training, Rocket is now also showing great dressage promise. He has conditioned, and developed a relationship with Rocket that is truly exceptional. Rocket respects and likes Doug and is now so happy with his new job as an eventing horse. We have great hopes for the two of them to continue to progress to the highest levels of eventing and dressage."

Cindy + Randy Clover

                                

Hi Doug,

Just wanted to let you know what a wonderful job I think you are doing with my mare, Lily. As you know, she had several issues, including sucking back and throwing in a buck or two when asked to go forward. I had 2 other trainers come to look at her, and neither one of then wanted to get on her.

Since you starting schooling her in May, she is making so much progress. She is so much more willing to go forward and also has become a wonderful trail

companion. Riding her has become a pleasure. You even have her jumping and doing flying lead changes! Very impressive!

Susan & Lily

                                

"Thanks for directing me towards The Federalist. I thought I knew what I wanted when I started searching for a horse. You gently steered me in a much better direction and I am glad I finally I took your advice. The Federalist and I are a perfect match. I am thrilled with my new horse. Thanks for your time, energy, commitment and patience."

Tamara + Roo

                                

What can I say? Doug Payne embodies the one quality I have always found to be the most important in a horseperson: he has the ability to get the results he wants without you ever seeing him do it. By this I mean that he is one of those rare people who is wonderfully quiet and soft in his strength with subtlety and great patience. You will never see him flap his arms or kick the horse in his sides or pull on his mouth so that the horse can no longer pay attention to what was originally asked of him. I have always felt that horses respond much better to this way of training. He is completely natural. He never causes them to "worry" which I feel results in the horse remembering his lessons better in the long run.
It has certainly worked well on my little horse "Mr. Bliss". He is a welsh cob / percheron cross who I bought last summer simply because I fell in love with him the moment I saw him. (yes, I am a woman) He was young and green and already "worried". (The first time I turned on the hose he was gone so fast I didn't even see his tail leave the barn, but I suppose the two inch layer of mud on him should have clued me in to that one... ) I'm not sure I would have bought him so fast if I didn't already know Doug. I was sure he could get him to be "perfect" no matter what and nine months later he is more than well on his way. His stress level is almost gone.

          

Doug is also just as patient with his clients as he is with the horses. Trust me, I am always bothering him- "what did you do just now?" "which leg did you use?" "how did you do that?" etc.etc.etc....he just smiles and answers all of my questions and keeps coming back every week. What more could anyone ask for?

-Melanie Archer and "Mr. Bliss"