A sports horse training and sales company, MJF Equestrian, has secured £25,000 funding from First Enterprise – Enterprise Loans, from the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme, to purchase a horse to train, as well as to purchase specialised equipment. 

MJF Equestrian, based in Leicestershire, offers a range of horse training services to the public such as the breaking in of young sports horses, preparation of horses for competitions, owner training livery, and coaching services to new riders. The business, founded by accredited German professional rider and trainer, Maren Fischer, also sells, trains and sources horses for potential buyers. 

She has over 10 years of experience working in the industry with dressage horses, show jumpers, event horses and racehorses in Germany, Australia, the US and the UK. From a young age, Maren was captivated by horses but could not afford to own one, which gave her the opportunity to ride a variety of challenging and “less talented” horses.

Her ability to transform these horses into capable partners motivated Maren to establish her own horse training business. The funding from First Enterprise – Enterprise Loans has been allocated for acquiring a horse which Maren will train and resell, with the remainder used to purchase specialised equipment and cover working capital needs. 

First Enterprise – Enterprise Loans provides government-backed business loans ranging from £500 – £250,000 for start-ups and SMEs that are unable to borrow from traditional high-street lenders. The not-for-profit organisation reinvests any surplus into loan funds to further support economic growth and job creation in the local communities. 

Maren Fischer, Founder of MJF Equestrian, comments: “Securing funding to kickstart my business, given the substantial overheads involved in running a yard, was the biggest challenge for me.

“Fortunately, I found First Enterprise – Enterprise Loans through the British Business Bank, and their support was truly exceptional. They not only helped me revise my business plan but also went the extra mile in ironing out specific wording, making this business a reality.” 

Angie Krawczyk, Business Adviser at First Enterprise – Enterprise Loans, said: “Maren was fantastic to work with. Her passion and expertise shone through tremendously each step of the way, which made the application process easier for us both. I’m confident her business will be a success in the equestrian world.” 

Start Up Loans, part of the British Business Bank, has recently announced Enterprise Loans East Midlands (ELEM) as the new regional Business Support Partner (BSPs) for the scheme. Richard Bearman, Managing Director of Small Business Lending, British Business Bank commented: “Supporting people like Maren to grow their lifelong passion into a viable business venture is a perfect example of what the Start Up Loans programme is all about. 

“Securing a loan from the British Business Bank can make a huge difference for smaller businesses looking to establish themselves. I’m confident MJF Equestrian can do just that and I look forward to seeing more about Maren’s success.”