Career women back in saddle

LONGMONT — “There’s just something about girls and horses,” said Jen Shannon, owner of Cornerstone Farm, a competitive riding and horsemanship program.

But Shannon isn’t talking about little girls and My Little Ponies. The “girls” she refers to are adult women at the top of their career fields who also are committed to a shared passion: horseback riding.

Although riding can be an expensive and time-consuming hobby, the professional women who do it insist that what they get in return is more than worth the money and effort.

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Stef Luciano, director of marketing for Bonnier Mountain Group — which houses Ski and Skiing magazines as well as Warren Miller Entertainment — grew up riding horses. But once she graduated from college, she realized that riding was a luxury she could no longer afford.

“It just wasn’t something I could do while living in New York City,” she said.

Luciano carried her love of riding with her until seven years ago when, for her 40th birthday, she decided it was time to literally “get back on the horse.”

Like Luciano, both Cynthia Coulbourne, global retail portfolio leader for IBM, and Johanna Rochester, a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Colorado-Boulder, started riding as children and then tapered off after college when other demands — higher education, career, family – began to take precedence.

“But eventually I knew that I needed to come back,” Rochester said.

“I had been dreaming about riding again,” Coulbourne said. “So when I got some money for my 44th birthday, I started looking.”

Research led each woman to Shannon. Like her students, Shannon knew from a young age that she wanted to work with horses. She earned a degree in equine sciences from Colorado State University in 1998, as well as teaching certifications for both Western and English riding. Three years later, she acquired Cornerstone Farm, a lesson and training business that operates out of Triple Creek Ranch in Longmont, a 64-acre equine facility with trails, arenas and boarding space.

Through Cornerstone, Shannon offers riding lessons and horsemanship training camps on a variety of styles including dressage, hunt seat, equitation and jumpers. Lessons cost $50, and Shannon provides lesson horses and horses for lease for students who don’t own their own. Week-long summer clinics cost around $400 and are available for all ages and skill levels. Shannon also offers show coaching for $45 a day for students who want to compete. For students who want their own horse, Shannon can help with the buying process (for 10 percent of the purchase price) to ensure a good deal and a good match.

What really stood out to the women about Cornerstone was Shannon’s willingness to work with them where they were: as adults who were eager but anxious about picking up the reins again.

“She specifically stated on her website that it wasn’t just for kids and first-timers — that it was also about reintroducing adults to horsemanship,” Luciano said. “That made me feel safe.”

“Riding is really a three-way relationship between you, your horse and your trainer,” Coulbourne said, “so it’s important that you all trust each other, which is what I’ve got with Jen.”

Once they found Cornerstone, the real fun — and work — began.

“Learning a new sport or picking up an old one is tough,” Shannon said. “It can be a struggle, and it takes time.”

“I hadn’t been riding for a good 12 to 13 years, so there was quite a bit of soreness while I retrained those muscles,” Coulbourne said. “Plus, as you get older it takes a little longer to recover from a fall.”

A weekly lesson is the bare minimum required to progress as a rider, Shannon said, and students with a goal of competing need to practice more than that. For a busy professional, finding the time to ride can be a challenge in itself.

“It can add a bit of scheduling stress,” Coulbourne admitted. “I live by my calendar, so I have to arrange everything to have time to ride.”

“It takes commitment,” agreed Luciano. “You have to be willing to go out in the rain or the freezing cold. It’s a lot of work.”

Despite the difficulties involved, the women say riding is something that enhances both their personal and professional lives.

One benefit riding offers is stress relief, especially important for women with demanding jobs.

“This is a separate place where people can come and let go of work and other stuff,” Shannon said. “That makes it a pretty significant stress reliever.”

“Riding definitely complements my career,” Rochester said. “As soon as you go out to the barn you become completely focused on the horse and the sense of community you have with the other riders, and you forget any problems you brought with you. It’s a huge mental release.”

Luciano says one of the main things riding has given her is a renewed sense of confidence, which she carries over into her work life. For example, she says that the day after she purchased her horse, Sassy, the horse threw her during a training session.

“I was on the floor of the arena crying,” she said, “but Jen didn’t let me give up.”

Later, Luciano and Sassy went on to win their first horse show competition in Estes Park, coming in first out of more than 40 riders in the jumpers division.

“Riding gives me so much pride and confidence,” Luciano said. “It feels good to come home at the end of the day all sweaty and muddy and know that I accomplished something for myself.”

Coulbourne agreed, and said she hopes other women will embrace their passion — whether it’s horses or something else.

“No matter what your age,” she said, “just go for it.”