Our story started with one horse and grew from there.
Hi, and welcome to DD Mini Farm!
DD Mini Farm is our home in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, where we share our lives with a treasured herd of miniature horses. Today, our focus is breeding, raising, training, and showing registered miniature horses, sharing what we’ve learned with others, and enjoying all the adventures these little horses bring into our lives.
But DD Mini Farm didn’t start with miniature horses.
It started with a horse named Cupid.
Where It All Began
In December 2003, I moved onto this property with my beloved Quarter Horse, Cupid.
Cupid was a spirited three-year-old, and I was in the middle of training him under saddle. He was my first horse here and, in many ways, the beginning of everything that DD Mini Farm would eventually become.
In those early years, I began boarding a small number of horses to help with farm expenses. What started as a practical decision brought some wonderful people into my life and created friendships that have lasted for years.
Cupid remained at the heart of it all. He lived a full and cherished life here until he passed away at age 22.
He will always be part of DD Mini Farm’s story. The horse who started it all and left his hoofprints on our hearts.
A Farm That Kept Growing
In 2007, I was dating my now-husband, John, who wholeheartedly supported my decision to leave my traditional job and focus on the farm.
A couple of years later, when a close friend closed her riding lesson program, several more horses came to DD Mini Farm. That opened the door for me to expand into full-time summer horse camps and riding lessons for children.
For several years, DD Mini Farm was home to boarded horses, riding lessons, summer camps, and plenty of activity.
Then, in 2009, a very small horse arrived and started taking us in a completely different direction.
Falling in Love With Miniature Horses
My first miniature horse came to DD Mini Farm in 2009.
One miniature horse eventually became another…and then another.
As our miniature horse herd grew, we gradually transitioned away from boarding to make room for them. I continued offering riding lessons and summer camps for several years, but more and more of my time became focused on miniature horses.
I became involved in breeding and showing, traveled to competitions, met other miniature horse enthusiasts, and made many wonderful friends along the way.
Somewhere in the middle of all of that, miniature horses stopped being just another part of DD Mini Farm.
They became the heart of it.
Breeding With a Purpose
As our herd grew, so did our philosophy about breeding.
At DD Mini Farm, we don’t breed simply to produce more horses. We selectively breed registered miniature horses with an emphasis on quality, conformation, temperament, and suitability for showing or other appropriate homes and activities.
Some years we breed only a small number of carefully selected mares. Some years we may choose not to breed at all.
We’ve also opened our farm and our hearts to horses that needed another chance.
People sometimes ask how we can believe in rescue while also choosing to breed horses.
For us, the two aren’t contradictory.
A veterinarian once wisely told me:
“If breeders don’t breed for quality, we’ll lose quality horses.”
That thought has stayed with me.
We believe there is room for both responsible breeding and helping horses in need, and we take both responsibilities seriously.
When Life Changed the Plan
In 2020, my life changed significantly when health challenges began limiting how much I could participate in horse shows and some of the more physically demanding parts of farm life.
Eventually, it was time for me to return to work. I was fortunate to find a remote position that allowed me to stay involved with the farm during the day while working evenings.
Life at DD Mini Farm changed, but the horses remained an important part of it.
And, as has happened many times throughout the history of this farm, an unexpected change eventually opened the door to something new.
Along Came Bonnie
In 2023, friends and I became involved in nonprofit outreach that included visits to nursing homes with one of our miniature horses, Bonnie.
Those visits showed us something special.
A little horse could walk into a room and bring smiles, conversation, memories, and moments of simple joy.
Bonnie eventually became a mascot for Tennessee Equine Hospital and has attended events on the hospital’s behalf.
And from those experiences grew another chapter of DD Mini Farm:
Bonnie & Friends
Today, Bonnie & Friends make select appearances at birthday parties, community events, fundraisers, and other special occasions throughout Middle Tennessee.
DD Mini Farm Today
Today, DD Mini Farm looks quite different from the farm that began with Cupid more than two decades ago.
We no longer offer horse boarding or riding lessons.
Instead, our focus is on the miniature horses we love.
We breed selectively, raise and train our horses, participate in showing when we’re able, share educational information about miniature horses, occasionally place horses in carefully selected homes, and take Bonnie & Friends into the community.
Most importantly, this is still our home.
The horses here aren’t inventory. They’re individuals we’ve come to know and love, each with their own personality and story.
Some were born here.
Some were carefully selected to join our herd.
Some came to us because they needed another opportunity.
Some eventually leave for wonderful new homes.
And some stay with us for the rest of their lives.
Through all the changes over the years, one thing has remained constant:
The horses come first.
Come Explore DD Mini Farm
Whether you came here because you’re looking for a miniature horse, researching miniature-horse ownership, following one of our foals, interested in Bonnie & Friends, or simply because you love horses, we hope you’ll stay awhile and explore.
Visiting DD Mini Farm
DD Mini Farm is a private farm and our home. All visits are by confirmed appointment only.
Please contact us in advance and receive confirmation before visiting.
WARNING
Under Tennessee Law, an equine professional is not liable for an injury to or the death of a participant in equine activities resulting from the inherent risks of equine activities, pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 44, Chapter 20.
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