The Meulendijks sisters’ business

It has been 5 years now since Anne & Lotte Meulendijks started their company MDH Sport Horses, specialized in the training, purchasing and selling of dressage horses and ponies. At 26 and 23 years old, the two sisters also compete in dressage at the highest level and have more than 67,000 followers on Instagram. They choose to share their lives around horses on social media, first because this is fun but also “because it is great advertisement for the equestrian world. A lot of people think that Grand Prix horses are not treated well so we think it is also part of the job to show them that horses have a really nice life here and that we are doing our best for them.

Anne & Lotte handle their stables based in Heeze, The Netherlands, by themselves. From management to finances, beside competitions, they deal with a pretty busy schedule, starting the day around 6am and going back home after 9pm. The mornings are more about riding, the afternoons and evenings about teaching. “We also work-out two to three times a week with a personal coach.” As real horse-lovers, the sisters enjoy taking care of their horses by themselves. “For example, we saddle up alone because then you have more connection with your horse. It is really important to have this kind of moments.” Even if they know they can count on their family to support them, MDH Sport Horses is their project and they manage it like professionals. As the number of horses at the stables increase, and with their goals as competitors, they get some help in the morning for the stables cleaning and putting the horses in the fields “but we like to participate to this as much as possible”.

The Meulendijks sisters aim for great goals in 2020. Lotte would like to start riding Grand Prix with her horse Welt Hill, as well as competing in U25. “It would be very nice to achieve that with him because people used to think he was no Grand Prix horse because of his temper. It could be our revenge!” As Anne is now part of the Senior Dutch team, she is focused on the Olympics. “For me it was a unique chance to integrate the Dutch team this year. But I couldn’t have done it by myself, it was a real teamwork with my family.” With determination, had work and the chance to count on each other, everything is possible for the two sisters.