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A Life Long Love Affair with Horses: Spending Time with Shannon Warden

photo provided Whether in the deserts of Arizona or the green mountains of Vermont, teacher, trainer and equestrian Shannon Warden and her horse are never far apart.

Tuesday October 6, 2009

By Cookie Steponaitis

   “I can remember sitting on a horse as young as the age of four.  I had my first riding lessons around the age of five.  One of the best lesson horses I rode was a huge chestnut who carried on in his stall to the point my father had to inquire if this was really the best horse for me to ride on.  He turned out to be a gentleman and began to build my confidence.” Equestrian and trainer Shannon Warden brings to life the love affair that bonds many youth to horses at a young age as exemplified by her words. For some it is a passing fancy and for others it begins a life long love affair that continues to grow, change and evolve with the passing of seasons.

    Shannon, who is a middle school teacher, is quick to identify lessons learned in the presence of horses that become the backbone of people’s experiences with the equines. “Horses have an innate ability to pick up on the rider’s moods, fears and confidence level,” she remarked. “As a rider, horses become your best instructors. They show you what you are doing wrong and it becomes the trainer’s job to read the signs and to provide the best instruction to make the horse and rider a team.”  Growing up around a family of horse enthusiasts, trainers and riders, Shannon learned at a young age that each horse brings to the relationship their own quirks. It isn’t always about size, color and breed but about the bond that forms between the human and rider.

    While her passion for horses was always present, Shannon’s involvement with them as a business developed over time. Riding and showing as a child and teenager many people commented on her uncanny way with difficult horses, but it wasn’t until she was in college and lived out west that accumulated experiences guided her to follow a new career path. “I worked with a trainer in Arizona.  It began as just lessons because I wanted to become a better rider. It wasn't long before I was schooling the lesson horses and bought my first project horse, an eight year old black Morgan mare that had terrible frame and was incredibly barn sour.  Under the close supervision of my mentor I made amazing progress with the mare and I sold her to a young girl who was looking for a petite black horse. She began trail riding, showing and bringing the mare in parades.  The projects continued from there to include starting horses under saddle.  In addition to working horses on the ranch I led trail rides, was an outrider for teams in parades and different events and rode with 'greenhorns' in parades.  Not only had I grown as a rider, but I also was learning invaluable horsemanship skills as a trainer and became knowledgeable on general horse care and basic vetting and diagnosis of various health issues.  When I moved back to Vermont I had no intentions of being a trainer.  I just wanted to train the wild mare we had inherited through a will and start a nice horse for my Dad.  Word got out that ‘I had a way with horses’ and before I knew it I had a business giving riding lessons and training horses.  I continue to go to clinics, seminars and lessons as often as possible as well as doing a great deal of reading and watching videos on the various training philosophies and disciplines as well as calling on my mentors and experts in the field for guidance and advice.”

    In a world where there are self-help manuals and people promoting one way to do things Shannon cautions all entering the horse world that one size does not fit all. While she proudly belongs to and is an American Quarter Horse Professional Horseman, she uses a variety of training techniques and specializes in groundwork, starting a horse under saddle, working with problem horses, getting horses used to trail riding and giving lessons in both Western and English. There are several misconceptions about the differences between the two schools of riding that influence people one way or the other at the beginning. Shannon explains these misconceptions in the following way, “Many people view English riding as expensive and more difficult.  This is a major misconception.  Different types of Western riding require just as much training and are equally as costly.  I have found that as a trend Western riding is more appealing to men and boys because it is seen as more masculine, and I have had many older people get back into riding or begin riding and feel more comfortable riding Western because there is more saddle between you and the horse.  At any rate I encourage people to try both seats and know the basics of both.  What is most important to me is that I was to train riders, not passengers regardless of your choice of discipline.  Western riding is very versatile from speed events, working cattle, reining, trail riding and western pleasure, it isn’t about ‘cowboying around’ although that is appealing to many, jumping on a horse grabbing the horn kicking with all your might and yelling ‘yee-haw’ and basically holding on for dear life, but that is only in the movies and is a recipe for injury and disaster and is terrible horsemanship.”

    Addison County has a growing population of horses and enthusiasts and is quickly becoming a place where horses are the norm.  Shannon talked at length about the realization that there is always something more to learn and to remember that there are many different ways of doing things. She suggests that everyone new to horses start with some help from an expert, whether it is a trainer, farrier, or veterinary. Horses are powerful animals and given proper care and training can be a part of one of the most meaningful relationships in a person’s life. She also cautioned that they are expensive and through the rewards outweigh the costs, people should be aware of what they are getting into. “Talk to people.  Read.  Visit farms, take some lessons, sit in different saddles, try different horses, but do it all under the advisement of someone who really knows that they are doing,” she reflected. “I have seen too many people get taken over the coals financially or end up buying a lame or dangerous horse.  If you are truly interested, pay the extra money to do it right. If you know nothing about accounting you probably don’t do your own taxes.”

    Anyone interested in talking with or reaching Shannon can do so at Shannon Warden Training Stables: 802.377.9202 or [email protected]. One thing is for sure, for every five that on a whim venture into the world of horses and take that first ride, at least three continue to develop a relationship that spans in many cases generations. Horses and humans have a bond that has covered centuries and been documented as a team that has settled countries, won ribbons, healed hearts, stretched physical boundaries, and take both horse and rider to a place where memories are forged and partnerships last a lifetime.

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