Shannon Vandermolen -- Riding Academy Manager

Shannon was lucky enough to grow up in horse family, and at age 12 she joined 4-H and became interested in riding competitively. Two years later she started exploring the discipline of eventing, and has since ridden with Julie Hook, Kathy Hughes, Lyn Simard, Jen Cox, Cricket Dixon, and Anna Collier. She has also ridden in clinics with great eventing trainers such as Jim Graham, Steven Bradley and Bea DiGrazia. She began running the family farm as a small horse boarding and training facility at 16, and continued until the facility was closed for repairs in 2008. She joined the United States Pony Club at 18, and attained the C3 rating within two years. She was prepared to event at the Preliminary level take her B rating before a series of injuries put her competitive career on hold. She then focused on finishing college with a degree in Human Communication, and returned to horses as the barn manager at Once Upon A Horse in 2010. In the fall of 2010 she also began working as barn manager at Windsong Farm, and gained a new appreciation for the discipline of dressage. She is continuing her dressage education with Windsong trainer Janice Dill, and also hopes to return to eventing in 2012 with her Belgian Warmblood gelding Pete, whom she bred, trained, and has competed successfully at Training Level eventing and Level 3 jumpers.

As a riding instructor, Shannon strives to help her students become effective riders. "Riding is more than sitting in a correct position.  It's a dynamic coordination of muscles. I try to get that idea through at whatever level is appropriate for the student, whether they are brand new riders just learning to keep their balance on a moving animal, or intermediate riders learning to improve their horses responsiveness and way of going."  She looks forward to helping students progress as confident and effective horsemen and women.

We're looking forward to riding with you soon!

If you would like to learn more about the Riding Academy at Lake Oswego Hunt or sign-up for lessons, please contact the Riding Academy directly,  via email: RidingAcademy@lakeoswegohunt.com, or by calling us at 503.636.1319.