The Engel Equine Foundation

The Engel Equine Foundation Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from The Engel Equine Foundation, Sport & recreation, 236 Goff Road, Norlina, NC.

The Engel Equine Foundation is a Nonprofit 501(c)(3) Charitable Organization providing access to horses and nature for children, teens, and adults seeking confidence, emotional healing, and personal growth.

Don’t forget why you started. Remember what made you fall in love with horses in the first place.Sometimes we take on mo...
09/13/2026

Don’t forget why you started.

Remember what made you fall in love with horses in the first place.

Sometimes we take on more than we can handle, and honestly, I don’t know why we do it. We add more, give more, say yes more, and somehow along the way, something that once brought us so much peace can start to feel like another responsibility on an already overflowing plate.

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in simply surviving that we forget to stop and remember the love and passion that started it all.

I know life gets busy.
I know things get hard.
I know we struggle.
I know sometimes we feel stretched beyond what we thought we could handle.

But don’t forget why you started.

Go back to the beginning.
Remember the feeling of being on their back.
Remember the freedom.
The connection.
The peace.
The way horses made you feel when life felt heavy.

And if you need to slow down, simplify, or take a step back, that’s okay, too.

You don’t have to keep adding more to prove how much you love horses.

Sometimes protecting the love you have for them means doing less.

Just don’t forget why you started.

One thing about me is that I never wanted horses to become something I eventually got burnt out from.I never wanted them...
09/11/2026

One thing about me is that I never wanted horses to become something I eventually got burnt out from.

I never wanted them to become something that made me more unhappy than happy. Horses have always brought me so much peace, and I never wanted that peace to turn into a burden.

I never wanted to lose that feeling of freedom when I’m on their backs. That feeling of strength. Resilience. Happiness. The feeling that, for a little while, nothing else matters.

Horses have always been my safe place, my escape, and one of the things that brings me back to myself.

So I’ve always been intentional about keeping them that way.

I don’t want more horses just for the sake of having more. I don’t want a huge operation. I don’t want horses to become something I have to do instead of something I get to do.

I want to wake up excited to see them. I want to enjoy riding them. I want to sit in the pasture and just breathe. I want my girls to experience that same feeling.

Because at the end of the day, I never want to lose the very thing that made me fall in love with horses in the first place.

09/09/2026

I have found my favorite people to ride with and they just so happen to be my kids 😂

I always said I would NEVER force my kids to ride. I wanted horses to be something they loved and chose for themselves. ...
09/08/2026

I always said I would NEVER force my kids to ride. I wanted horses to be something they loved and chose for themselves. So today, when ALL three of them wanted to go on a trail ride with me, my heart was SO full. And the fact that we all got to ride our very own horses made it even more special.

Oh And HOW IN THE WORLD did I go from saying I would NEVER have a mare… to having FOUR of them? I guess we are officially a mare family! I sure do love these girls and I’m even more grateful for the way these four-legged girls took such good care of my kiddos today.

Some days you realize you’re living a dream you once prayed for. Today was one of those days.

I remember the first time I was ever kicked by a horse and of course, that horse was Tec. Tec would plant his feet right...
09/06/2026

I remember the first time I was ever kicked by a horse and of course, that horse was Tec.

Tec would plant his feet right in front of the arena and REFUSE to move forward. Me being young and inexperienced, “pain” never even crossed my mind. Everyone told me he was just being stubborn, and of course, I listened to everyone because I was only a kid.

Well, one day Tec planted those feet again. I took my crop, gave him a good smack right on the butt and he kicked me so hard I went flying backward and was left with a perfect hoof print on my thigh.

I was TERRIFIED to tell my mom because I was convinced she was going to sell him.

So I hid it.

And gosh, did it hurt!

I came home from school a couple of days later and my mom looked at me and said, “Is there something you would like to tell me?”

I immediately froze, started crying and said, “PLEASE DON’T SELL HIM!” A friend of mine had already told my mom what happened.

She wasn’t going to sell him. She just wanted to make sure I was okay and, more importantly, make sure I had learned my lesson.

And I absolutely did.

Looking back now, I realize Tec wasn’t being “stubborn.” He was trying to tell me something, and I was too young and inexperienced to understand what he was saying.

That day taught me one of the most important lessons I’ve ever learned with horses: when a horse is telling you something, listen to the best of your ability.

Tec and I have spent the last 24 years learning each other. And somehow, that stubborn horse who once left a hoof print on my thigh became one of the greatest teachers I’ve ever had.

You know what I love?The people who don’t support you.The ones who don’t congratulate you.The ones who don’t clap for yo...
09/05/2026

You know what I love?

The people who don’t support you.
The ones who don’t congratulate you.
The ones who don’t clap for you.
The ones who never ask questions about what you’re building, what you’re doing, or why it matters so much to you.

And you know what’s funny?

They’re usually family.

But here’s what I’ve learned

Their silence doesn’t mean you’re not doing something incredible.
Their lack of support doesn’t make your dreams any less worthy.
And their inability to celebrate you doesn’t mean you need to stop celebrating yourself.

Sometimes the people you thought would be standing in the front row are the very ones who never show up.

Build anyway.
Dream anyway.
Keep going anyway.

Because eventually, you realize you don’t need everyone to clap for you.

You just need to know why you started.

Our First Horse Show Together I will never forget the time we had a horse show coming up and my trainer told my mom I wa...
09/05/2026

Our First Horse Show Together

I will never forget the time we had a horse show coming up and my trainer told my mom I wasn’t ready to show Tec.

I’ll never forget her response

“I bought her that damn horse, and she is showing him.”

And that was that.

We had a short amount of time to prepare for our very first horse show together. Honestly, I had no idea what to expect. I just knew I was SO excited that I finally got to show my very own horse.

I remember being incredibly nervous the day before and even more nervous the morning of. I spent forever bathing my 16.2 hh, very thin Thoroughbred (at the time). I braided his mane into the funniest-looking button braids, but at the time I thought they were absolutely perfect. I cleaned all my tack, packed the trailer, and had everything ready to go.

I couldn’t sleep that night. I was too anxious and excited about what the next day would bring.

We woke up early, loaded the horses, and hit the road.

I had NO idea what to expect. I just remember my heart racing.

When we arrived, my mom registered us and I got Tec tacked up and ready. We spent some time in the warm-up ring surrounded by so many horses and riders. Then came the part that felt like it took forever…

Waiting for our division.

Finally, it was time.

There were 30 of us in the arena, so they split the division into two groups. I was in Group A.

They told us to walk on the rail.

And there I was sitting as tall as I could, wearing a velvet helmet that was so big it covered half my forehead, sweat dripping down my face and making my glasses slide down my nose.

and I had the biggest smile on my face.

Because I was showing my horse.

My horse.

I remember watching Group B from the center of the arena while we waited. At the time, Tec had a habit of grinding his teeth and making the most horrific sound. I remember being so embarrassed, wondering what everyone thought of us.

Then both groups lined up in the center.

The judge started calling the placings.

“Michelle Garrelts and One Sock Short, FIRST PLACE.”

Then the next class…

“Michelle Garrelts and One Sock Short, SECOND PLACE.”

And then the last class…

“Michelle Garrelts and One Sock Short, FIRST PLACE.”

I honestly didn’t think what I was hearing was real.

Then came the moment I’ll never forget

Champion.

“CHAMPION - MICHELLE GARRELTS AND ONE SOCK SHORT!”

WE WON.

We actually did it.

My very first horse show with my very own horse.

Before I walked out of the arena, the judge came over to me. He looked me directly in the eyes and said:

“You were not the best rider out here today, but you have so much determination, love, and try that I don’t ever want you to give this up.”

Those words have stayed with me ever since.

I didn’t just leave that show with ribbons.

I left with a beautiful trophy

and a memory that I would carry with me for the rest of my life.

Looking back now, I realize that little girl had no idea just how much that horse would mean to her.

She only knew she loved him.

And all these years later, I still do.

- The Horse Who Knew Me

Sometimes I sit and think about all the different versions of myself Tec has known.The little 10 year old girl who wante...
09/04/2026

Sometimes I sit and think about all the different versions of myself Tec has known.

The little 10 year old girl who wanted nothing more in this world than a horse of her own. A dream that felt so impossible, so far out of reach, that I never could have imagined what was waiting for me.

And then came that Christmas.

Tec stood in his stall with a big red bow, surrounded by family and friends shouting, “Merry Christmas!” as I walked toward him.

I remember just standing there.

My mouth was open. My heart was racing. I couldn’t comprehend what I was looking at.

And when I finally found my voice, through tears, I said..

“Is he mine?”

He was.

And I don’t think that little girl could have ever understood just how much that moment would change her life.

Tec wasn’t just the horse I wanted.

He became the horse who grew up with me.

He was there during the years when I was completely, unapologetically HORSE CRAZY. When horses were my whole world. When I’d rather be at the barn than anywhere else. When I lived and breathed everything horses.

He taught me how to ride, but somehow he taught me so much more than that.

He taught me patience.
He taught me trust.
He taught me courage.
He taught me how to fall and get back up.
He taught me to listen not just with my hands, but with my heart.

He gave me my wings when I was still learning how to fly.

I remember the feeling of being on his back and believing I could conquer the world.

But the older I get, the more I realize that Tec wasn’t simply carrying me through childhood

He was carrying me through life.

He has seen me laugh until my stomach hurt. He’s seen me cry. He’s watched me grow, change, struggle, succeed, become a wife, become a mother, and become the woman I am today.

He’s known the little girl I was before I even knew who I would become.

And somehow, he has loved every version of me.

There is something incredibly humbling about looking into the eyes of an animal who has known you for most of your life.

He remembers a girl the world has long forgotten.

The girl with big dreams, dirty boots, wild hair, and a heart completely consumed by horses.

And when I look at him, I still see her too.

- I started writing a book a while ago about my journey with Tec. I will be posting bits and pieces of it here 🩵

You know what I’m ready for?HORSE FLIES TO DIE. Like… respectfully, your time here has come to an end. I’m tired of the ...
09/01/2026

You know what I’m ready for?

HORSE FLIES TO DIE.

Like… respectfully, your time here has come to an end.

I’m tired of the horses running around liked they’re being chased by demons, tails swishing 900 mph, stomping, kicking, and looking at me like “MOM, HANDLE THIS.”

So yes, I am officially counting down the days until these tiny flying terrorists disappear for the season.

Fall, I’m ready for you.
And the horse flies? You can leave. Permanently.

Unfortunately, this week is going to be a HOT one! With temperatures expected to climb into the 100s along with high hum...
08/31/2026

Unfortunately, this week is going to be a HOT one!

With temperatures expected to climb into the 100s along with high humidity, we’re going to play it safe and skip riding this week. The horses’ comfort and safety always come first!

BUT… that doesn’t mean we can’t still have some fun!

If you’d like to come out, the horses would absolutely LOVE some visitors to give them a nice, cool bath, lots of scratches, and of course… TREATS!

Sometimes the best horse days aren’t spent in the saddle. Sometimes it’s just standing beside them, cooling them off, loving on them, and enjoying some quiet time together.

So if you’re looking for a way to beat the heat and spend some time with some very appreciative horses, come on out and spoil them a little!

We’ll get back to riding once the weather gives us a safer window. Until then, it’s cool baths, treats, shade, and lots of horse kisses!

Address

236 Goff Road
Norlina, NC
27563

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 6pm
Sunday 9am - 6pm

Telephone

2522048951

Website

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