Testimonials

"Doug is an extremely talented young horseman, with a great future ahead. I've enjoyed working with him for the past year. He is an excellent student, open to learn and very focused. Horses like Doug because he rides with feeling. He can be strong and light, depending on the situation."

Anne Kursinski - 5 time Olympic Show Jumper

Just a note to let you know that Will is doing well and has come back to me a more educated and confident horse. In just the two weeks that you had him has made a noticeable and positive difference in him.

Thanks again,
Mary Clair Peairs

Dear Doug, November 2011

I need to thank you with all my heart for sticking with Charm and me through the bad times. Your willingness to persevere with Charm has made him onto the perfect senior citizen horse.

It is hard to believe we started this journey four years ago. Charm was just four when I brought him to you. He had been well started, but then fell into the hands of someone who professed to know what they were doing. After only three months with this trainer Charm had become unmanageable. I brought him to you with not a clue where we would end up.

What we learned that first day was that he was very athletic. Day two we learned he was a quick study…and so the journey really begins. You quiet way and disciplined approach not only restored him to his obedient self, but also gave him the confidence he had lost along the way. Charm also returned to the sweet loving soul that he was when I first got him.

Fast forward through many ribbons (I am not sure he has ever competed without being in the ribbons, until this summer when I forgot to jump a fence –oops) and we have the Charm of today. I recently participated in a XC clinic with Lucinda Green. Watching the clinic on day one was the woman from whom I had purchased Charm. I had no idea she was there and was so happy to see her. I waved to her and to my delight; Charm saw her too and without any urging from me walked straight to her and fussed her to giggles. It was such a sweet moment for all of us as they had parted ways with some very negative feelings about one another. I later received an email form Patty thanking me for staying the course with Charm and restoring him to the “pet” that she had known. I credited you with the transformation.

Lucinda was equally impressed by Charm, She remembered him from the clinic you had done years before and was thrilled to see the partnership that we had developed in a relatively short period of time. She commented on what good care he takes of me. There was a point during the clinic where we had a bad line to a skinny and Charm checked in with me saying ‘no worries, I got this”. Jump it with perfection and when on to complete the exercise.

When the clinic ended, Lucinda commented on what a perfect horse he was for me. You created that perfection from a very rough stone.

Mike and I have loved Charm from the beginning and we are so happy to have him home and knowing that he will be with us forever.

Thank you Doug, you gift to us is one of a lifetime of joy. Best wishes for your bright future.

Sincerely,
Cindy

I first had the pleasure of seeing Doug Payne ride while judging a schooling show at Sporting Days in Aiken. Though Aiken is full of top event riders in the winter season, he particularly caught my eye. I do not follow eventing that closely, and I don't really recognize many names of the riders I judge, nor do I really pay attention to those names anyway; I just judge whoever comes down centerline. That day, I gave my first "10" for rider position after several years of judging. I could not think of one single thing to say to help him improve that score. I was blown away. By chance, the next fall a mutual friend invited us to dinner and I got to know in person this unassuming, down-to-earth young man with a great sense of humor. I asked him if he would be interested in riding a small horse that had become a bit full of himself and was a little bored with flatwork, and without asking me about size, breed, talent, or bloodlines, he immediately said yes. Like a true horseman, he was willing to work with whatever I had (fortunately, Doug did end up liking him and finding him to be talented and even said he was fun to ride). When I trailered my horse over, Doug mentioned his website to me when I asked about filling out a liability release. When I looked up the site, that was when I realized how accomplished Doug is. My friends who event have teased me about this (not knowing who he was), but I truly selected him as a rider for my horse based on what I had seen of his riding, and nothing else. That is the biggest compliment I can give him, I think. I love that he never bragged about his accomplishments; he let his riding speak for itself. Over the course of the 2010-2011 winter season in Aiken, I enjoyed judging some more of his schooling show rides, and again he earned 10's (and I can't remember ever giving a 10 to another rider, by the way). I feel he has a talent to ask correctly and quietly for whatever that horse needs to be asked for at that moment; he gives his horses confidence because he is always fair, and patient, yet at the same time he is determined and effective. Though he may be great with "problem" horses, I can attest from first-hand experience that he is good and making a "regular" horse better.The difference in my horse after time with Doug was obvious, and the care he received while there was professional and exceeded my expectations. His coat was gleaming, his shoeing was superb, and he was happy and sound in his work. I look forward to Doug's return to Aiken next season, where we can pick up where we left off!

- Valerie Swygert, Jasmine Farm, Lexington, South Carolina

I wanted to let you know i rode beckett today for first time since being home, and he was so amazing. our ring is being worked on, so i took him out on trail by himself and he was happy and responsive and a joy to ride. i can't thank you enough for your hard work. i'll keep you updated on his show/event career. thanks again - Julie Stephenson

Just wanted to extend my heartfelt thanks and appreciation for all of your guidance, support and professionlism exhibited with the recent sale of my horse. Deciding to sell a horse is never easy, but your honesty and guidance made my decision a bit easier to make. In an era where very few people "get the job done", I was impressed with how quickly you were able to acheive the goal. I have read numerous reviews by top professionals in this sport on your abilities to work with a variety of horses and bring them to their full potential. I truly believe that you are one of the most talented equestrians of your era and will be recognized for generations to come as one of the GREATS! It's truly been a pleasure and honor to have worked with you.

Best wishes,

Karyn A. Monte

"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.

Dear Doug,

When I originally brought Charm to you the goal was to figure out if he could be anything other than a pasture pal and now we have something really special thanks to your talent and willingness to take a chance on something “unusual” Charm has turned into such a solid citizen with the heart for eventing that we wish all our horses have. You have done an outstanding job to give him the confidence and opportunity to be a very competitive horse. I never thought we would come to the juncture where we have arrived needing to find Charm a new person, but you have helped me make that decision with professionalism and sensitivity that I could not have imagined possible. Through your great skill you were able to demonstrate to me the reasons Charm is a great horse with a bright future, but not with me. Having seen it for myself has made one of the most difficult decisions of my life bearable. I am looking forward to finding the person who will take Charm to his full potential and appreciate him for the Charm that we all know he is. I can’t thank you enough for that.

I also wanted to thank you for the miraculous transformation of Bumbi. It boggles my mind to think that in less than one hour you took a hot, crazed unrideable horse and turned her back into the joy she used to be in my life. I am looking forward to many happy hours ahead of us, once again thanks to your immeasurable talent as a rider and a human being.

Best wishes in your continued success,

Sincerely,

Cindy Strate

"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

Doug,

I just want to thank you for the wonderful job you did with my mare Lexi. It's amazing to me how much progress was made in such a short period of time. She's so much easier for me to ride now! Wendy also commented on how much she improved under your tutelage.

It's really a pleasure to work with people who enjoy their job as much as you do.

I wish you the best of luck and hope to see you soon. Thanks again,

Joanne

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"

Just want to drop you a quick line to let you know that CB is settling into his new home and training program really well. Thank you for doing such a great job with him. You gave him a solid foundation which challenged him without over facing him and prepared him for a successful future. I appreciate how patient you were and how you worked with his learning style. I can't tell you how grateful I am for the start you gave my horse. Since moving about 10 days ago CB has received so many compliments on his education. (I'm telling EVERYONE to send their horse to you!) People are amazed at how far along he is for having just 4 months of training. When he first arrived from Florida, where he was enjoying his retirement from racing, he didn't have any muscle or know left from right. After spending a short time with you, he has definition, a neck that is becoming round, shoulders and a hind end! Charlie can now walk, trot, canter and jump because of you. He is well on his way to entering the hunter/jumper world! I'm so happy I had the opportunity to start CB with you, thanks again for everything!

- Gina + Charlie Blues

Hey Doug, you rode my horse Petey last week and gave me a lesson on him and I just wanted to let you know that today for the first time ever I rode him with the guys cutting the lawn right next to the ring....and survived! Normally I would've been trying to slow him to try and work him with the guys around but inside I just pushed him forward and anytime he tried to do something silly I just dug my inside leg into him. It was amazing, I even jumped him. He's already picking up the left lead without a problem after the fences with the jumping exercise that you gave us to do. I can't believe the change that I've seen in him after only 1 lesson. I def. want to do one again sometime soon so just let me know when would be good for you, Monday or Tuesday afternoons are best for me.
Thanks!
Meredith