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After an extensive seven-year quest to find the ideal location for her equestrian venture, 25-year-old horse trainer Dalilah Burke has finally brought her vision to life in Jonesborough, Tennessee. Burke’s lifelong passion for horses began at the tender age of six, and that enduring love has now culminated in her leasing Shepherd Springs Farm, a historic property along Highway 81.
The farm offers an ideal setting where Burke can nurture her dream of providing equestrian training and education while fostering a community spirit. This opportunity came earlier this year when the farm’s owners, an elderly couple, sought someone to revive the cherished land.
“I connected with the Bouchards around late February or early March,” Burke shared. “They were eager to find someone to take the reins of their farm. Being an older couple, they wanted to see life return to the property, especially with children and horses filling the space once more.”
The farm, with roots tracing back to 1871, had been patiently waiting for someone with a vision like Burke’s to rejuvenate it. For her, discovering Shepherd Springs Farm was the culmination of a long-held dream, offering the perfect canvas for her equestrian aspirations.
The farm, which dates back to 1871, had been waiting for someone with a vision to bring it back to life. For Burke, it was exactly what she had been searching for.
“She was pretty open about that it needed work,” Burke said. “That it was going to need an arena, it was going to need a completely clean slate and take it in any direction you wanted. And that’s what I was looking for. That’s what I wanted. I wanted to be able to make it my own.”
Over the past two months, Burke has transformed the property. Working largely on her own, she has renovated the historic barn, constructing horse stalls, a feed room, a tack room and a covered viewing area.
Burke has also developed a fully operational riding arena.
Currently, Burke cares for four horses at Shepherd Springs Farm and plans to add two more this summer as her business continues to grow. While the farm serves as the foundation for her equestrian business, Burke said her mission extends far beyond horse training.
She hopes the facility becomes a place where children and adults can connect with agriculture and pursue lifelong dreams.
“It is about benefiting the community,” Burke said. “It’s about benefiting our children and the children that are growing up. And they’re wanting to get into agriculture. They’re wanting to get into horses and cattle and all these things, and even our adults that are wanting to step into it and say ‘Hey I want to try this. I’ve wanted to try this since I was a kid.’ I get to be a part of that story and I love that.”
Burke’s long-term goal is to purchase Shepherd Springs Farm, ensuring the historic property remains a home for horses, education, and community engagement for years to come.
“I’ve wanted to try this since I was a kid,” Burke said. “Getting to just watch it transform from day to day, its just been a wonderful road that is not stopping anytime soon. I can’t wait for everybody to see what we have and what we’re building and how much we’re going to make sure this stays what it is. I love it here.”