Far from being her dream farm, in many ways this has been Danielle’s lifelong dream realized. It has been Danielle’s ambition to have her own competitive training farm. She along with her supportive and handy husband, Bryan, bought Brydelle Farm after their marriage in the fall of 2000. Quickly, they began the necessary renovations and are looking forward to continuing the improvement process. Danielle and Bryan live on the farm and along with the small nature of the operation allows for consistent and personalized care and management of each horse.
Danielle’s knowledge of horses is extensive and far-reaching. She grew up on a very successful breeding farm, being exposed to mare, foal, and stallion management from a very early age. She began formal dressage lessons as an early teen and then moved into hunter lessons with two successful trainers in Virginia. She rode competitively as a catch rider, quickly becoming known for riding unruly and/or green horses and many times showing sales horses as they rolled off the trailers with minimal warm up. While obtaining her bachelors’ degree in biochemistry and chemistry at North Carolina State University, along with riding on the intercollegiate team as a freshman, she began building an impressive and loyal clientele of horses and riders. Her students have won on the local, rated, intercollegiate and national level, most notably, two youth national champions in 1998. Danielle has not only continued to gain knowledge in riding, training and instructional techniques she also graduated in December 2003 with a degree in Veterinary Technology and passed her national examination boards in June 2004 and received her veterinary technician license by the Commonwealth of Virginia. She has an extensive background in veterinary medicine, including working at NCSU College of Veterinary Medicine in Virology and Cardiology, as well as private specialty practice in Internal Medicine and Cardiology. She has also been a guest speaker at the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in 2007, 2008, and 2010.
Danielle and Bryan have spent several years focusing on establishing and renovating the farm, most recently replacing all the fencing and cross fencing on the farm as well as having the ring professionally overhauled. Danielle has also been building new professional and client relationships that will ensure the future of her farm.
Danielle continues her education as a trainer, instructor and rider by attending annual clinics with George Morris, as well as other top professional such as Greg Best, Katie Monahan Prudent and Frank Madden to name a few. Danielle also participated in the USHJA Trainers Symposium at SCAD in Georgia in May 2009, as she is planning to enroll in their certified trainers program.
In 2006, Danielle started judging local hunter/jumper shows in Virginia. Since that time, she has had the opportunity to judge in Maryland, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania. She will be attending the 2010 USEF Judges Clinic at Kentucky Horse Park in May 2010. She hopes to start the long and arduous process of becoming a USEF sanctioned judge in the few years.
