Shannon's Blog post # 1: Introduction!

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I've never really been one to like talking about myself, however I do absolutely adore talking about my horses, all day, everyday, and at the risk of my boyfriend finally giving up all hope of a regular conversation about the weather... I'll give this blogging thing a try :) I currently run Infinity Sport Horse LLC, a small eventing sales and training barn based out the Chicago area. I split my time between two barns, Mowhawk Farms in Woodstock, IL where my competition horses are at, and Kendall Ridge in Yorkville, IL where my sales horses are located, and my home home in downtown Chicago. 

To many it may seem a bit crazy to spend nearly 3 hours in the car round trip, andto live in Chicago when my horses are based in the suburbs, but after a wonderful winter in Ocala, Florida working for 4* rider Katie Ruppel and grooming at some of the most elite events in the country (including Rolex!!! How crazy!) I came home and decided I truly wanted my cake and to eat it too... I did not want to get to the top of my sport, miss the Olympics by a poorly timed sprung shoe, and look back at my life and wonder, now what? Or what if? There was a great article not too long ago reflecting on much of this same thought process, and it really hit home to me. There are nights that I want to *gasp* put on makeup, a dress, and only mention horses through 3/4ths of my conversations! I want to know that if my horse needs three months off to recover from whatever injury, that I can take that time and travel the world, or lay on a beach, and not feel the need to rush him back just so I can chase more points and scores.

That being said, I also have ambitious goals. I want to be a 4* rider, I want to be the best that I possibly can be, and I dream of one day earning my pinque coat for representing the US. But I've set my goals as things that I can accomplish. It is too hard to set your goals for the Olympics, when your fate ultimately is not yours to decide, it is in the hands of the "committee" whomever they may be at the time. You can win, be a top placing rider (IE Alison and Shinead) and still not be selected. My goal is to simply be the best that I can be, and produce horses and riders to that same level. As I set out to accomplish this goal as an independently poor rider, I started a few years ago helping a few people sell horses. This is NOT a career choice for the faint of heart, I can say that, but I so love what I do and am currently blessed with an incredible string of 9 sales horses right now. I mainly deal in OTTBs, but at this point I also have 3 very incredible warmbloods and WB crosses as well. The hardest thing for me with sales horses is not wanting to keep each and every one of them.... Oops. I truly just love horses, and it is an incredible opportunity to be able to ride such a variety each and every day! I have a hard time riding all of them sometimes, as I treat each like my own, cuddling, petting, grazing, fussing..... What can I say? I always love the candid shots I get of them, and spend an inordinate amount of time laughing at some of their quirks. It does make selling them a bit easier in some respects, as I truly adore each one and wouldn't sell any of them if I could just find a money tree...

So I suppose the point of this blog will be to chronicle the highs and lows of bringing along my own sales program, competing, the training and the coaching I get, advice I see along the way, all while trying to reach the top of my sport and have a "real life" simultaneously....

My main goals right now are bringing along a quirky OTTB with mounting issues off a 4 month break back to training and ideally prelim this fall, a very lovely older OTTB (retired sound at 8 this spring) along to his first event ever, an through the levels for his wonderful owner, switching another OTTB from hunters to eventing (where she's much happier) and developing her strength and condition, another younger OTTB we found in a field to fatness and a new career, lovely young WB mare to a career in hunters or dressage, working with a clients QH to make him more brave and rideable, another WB cross to become very "childproof" and a last warmblood mare to being her stunning and wonderful self, no matter where we are! Phew! Each is very unique and wonderful, but each has their own hurdles to cross and I would love to chronicle their progress for you!!

Blog by Shannon Riley  @ www.InfinitySportHorse.com

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