Local Farm Brings Professional Equestrianism to Moultrie County
Photo by Keith Stewart
M&M owner Marsha Harshman stands with 17-year old Danish warmblood Latino.
November 5, 2014
One of just a few in central Illinois
by Derek Pope
Reporting Near Dunn
Tucked away between Bethany and Sullivan in a pristine slice of rural Illinois, one can find a farm not quite like the many others that surround it.
That farm, M&M Farm, is home to more than just agriculture. It houses one of the few dressage training establishments in all of central Illinois, aptly named Freedom of Movement.
Dressage, which is one of only three equestrian sports that horseback riders may compete in at the international Olympics, is more precisely a choreographed routine of movements meant to demonstrate the athleticism and discipline of both horse and rider in an artistic and visually pleasing way. It takes a lifetime of dedication for dressage trainers to compete at the highest levels and to prepare horses capable of such feats, but look no further than M&M farm to find a group of individuals who have done just that.