Our Trainers

Madeleine  Debure

Madeleine Debure comes to us from Paris France, where she received an extensive training in classical dressage from her French trainers and mentors: Colonel Carde, the former Head of Cadre Noir and Isa Danne, a student of Manuel Jorge de Oliveira. Madeleine has also trained with French Grand Prix Rider Catherine Henriquet and others, and received training in the three Olympic disciplines at the French National Riding School, under the instruction of the Cadre Noir officers.

Madeleine is also the US correspondent for the French journals L'Eperon and Cheval Magazine, for whom she recently covered the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky.

Our Training Approach

Whimsy Brook Farm has raised and trained horses since 1972. Because horses are expensive to keep, we feel they should do their job well. And we want them to do their job happily. To this end, we specialize in a non-confrontational approach, often called “horse whispering” which promotes the natural alliance of horse and trainer referred to as “joining up.” To do this we make significant use of a covered, high-sided round pen (see our virtual tour) followed by a lot of ground work on the lounge line or with long lines. We then progress to work mounted on the flat and finally mounted over fences if the horse is to be a hunter or a jumper.

We start young horses, as well as work with more finished mounts. WBF is a great place to bring your horse for a one month show season tune-up if you do not have a trainer at your barn. And, for an additional fee, we can also provide off-site trail experience for your equine companion.

We also specialize in helping owners with training problems, rehabilitation after injuries, or simply tuning their horse up after a period of inactivity or illness.

If your horse does not ordinarily reside with us, and it has a training problem, we will provide an assessment of the problem, along with a training recommendation that includes an estimate of the time it may take us to correct the difficulty. Our intention is to send you and your horse back to the barn you came from in a happier frame of mind.

As an owner, you can select single session training, or Training Board which, in addition to your boarding services, includes grooming, face/bridle path trimming, and two hours of professional training a week. Call us for a current price schedule.