Kelley began her life with horses while attending summer camp at Camp Olympic in Rockville, Maryland. After attending a few camp shows, Pat decided that mother-daughter riding lessons might be fun. And the rest, so they say, is history.

After graduating from St. Mary’s College with a degree is Mathematics, Kelley began working for Dr. Will Engel of Ridgeview Veterinary Practice (large animal veterinarians). Working for Dr. Engel at the practice has helped fine-tune her horsemanship skills through the years. In addition, Kelley continued with her riding and competing, and soon found a love of retraining young horses off the track. That, coupled with her passion for eventing, led to her current career as trainer for A Bit Better Farm.

Known for her absolute dedication to her horses, her students, and her wonderfully supportive family, Kelley has developed A Bit Better Farm from a small family farm to a leading event facility. Kelley is a naturally gifted trainer and instructor who always seems to know what her pupils need, and possesses an enviable amount of patience. She draws great gratification in her teaching and coaching, and firmly believes that she learns as much from her students as they learn from her.

Kelley credits her success as a rider and a horseman to the years of quality training she has received from some of the best in the sport of eventing, namely Boni Caldeira, Jimmy Wofford, and friend and trainer Sharon White. In addition to the eventers who have helped her along the way, she attributes her success in the dressage arena to FEI dressage rider Todd Bryan, who along with his wife Becky, have been wonderfully supportive and have had a tremendous impact on her riding.

Kelley married high school sweetheart Danny Williams in 2001. They are the proud parents of five-year-old Jona and two-year-old Tate. 
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Pat Mansfield, Owner/Manager

 

A Bit Better Farm is a dream come true for Pat. After being “horse crazy” as a child, but never having the opportunity to pursue riding, Pat got a rather late start with horses at the age of 40. Her developing passion has driven the creation of an enterprise based on the love of the Thoroughbred. Pat feels there is no better reward than taking these beautiful creatures, teaching them what it is to be a “horse” and giving them a new start in life in a job they enjoy. She loves every minute of it and feels blessed to be given the opportunity come to the barn every day.
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Ray Mansfield, Lead Mr. Fix-It

Having been thrown into the horse world by a horse crazy wife and daughter, Ray has done nothing more than embrace the new lifestyle with open arms. A full-time dentist, Ray spends any moment not in the office at A Bit Better Farm. Restoring an old farm has given Ray a never-ending list of “to-dos,” but he tackles each project with enthusiasm. When not working, Ray enjoys hitting the trails with his equine partner, Flirt.

Danny Williams, Mr. Fix-It #2

Unlike Ray, Danny Williams knew fully well what he was getting into when he married Kelley! Not a rider originally, Danny learned to ride and eventually went on to compete at the Waredaca Starter Horse Trials with his partner Frosty. When not chasing after their two small boys, Danny can be found working alongside Ray in the project du jour.

Tiina Gray, Morning Feeder Extraordinaire (photo coming soon)

Since moving to the new farm in 2005, Tiina has been an invaluable addition to A Bit Better Farm. She ensures that each horse starts their day off well, and as you can imagine, they all look forward to seeing her each morning. Nothing gets by Tiina as she notices every lost shoe, scratch and bump. We don’t know what we would do without her!

Tony Mocca, Assistant to Head Mr. Fix-It

Another new addition to A Bit Better Farm, Tony moved into the tenant house at the end of the driveway shortly after our move. When not working at Sandy Springs Friends School, Tony can be found helping Ray in whatever project that needs work. No job is too small, and we’re so grateful to have Tony here with us.

Jona, Tate & Tyler, The Kids

A constant presence around the farm, "The Kids" are sure to bring a smile to your face whenever they are around. Never to miss an opportunity to get dirty, the boys can often be found with their toys in the nearest mud puddle. The newest round of renovations has captivated their attention and they are all quickly becoming construction experts.

Kim, Boni & Tyler, The Caldeira's

The newest house under construction at the farm belongs to the other part of the family that completes the family compound at ABBF: the Caldeira's. Kim, Kelley's sister, met Boni when he was instructing Kelley and Pat. They were married in 1999 and Tyler came along in early 2006. Kim, a published researcher at the University of Maryland, is our resident gardener and cook extraordinaire. Boni retired from the horses, went back to school, got his pilot's license and after a brief stint as an actuary, is now the top salesman for Cirrus Aviation. Boni can still be talked into coaching from time to time, and Kelley swears she WILL get him back in the saddle some day.