Horse Career: Barn Manager

I started riding when I was 3, and from then on it was game over! I knew that horses would remain in my life regardless of the career path I chose. I didn’t own a horse until I was 16, but I found any and every opportunity to learn and practically lived at the barn. Regardless of the weather, you could find me in the barn—even if it was below zero outside. Little did I know, a career as a barn manager awaited me.

Growing Up Horsey

I wasn’t able to compete at rated shows consistently growing up, but that didn’t stop me from learning. Instead, I focused on my work ethic and strived to learn the most I could about horses because I knew someday my hard work would pay off. I spent my time reading, riding different disciplines, learning proper horsemanship, and learned to ride every kind of horse, whether that be a finished horse or a green horse.

In high school, I had the opportunity to compete on my school’s Varsity Equestrian team as well as an Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) team. During my time on my high school equestrian team, my coach taught me to ride both saddle seat and western. This provided me the opportunity to show in a variety of classes, from western horsemanship and saddle seat to gymkhana games, such as flags and barrels.

Hannah and her Arabian/Welsh pony Cody, whom she brought to Midway with her while attending college. Photo by Chloe Shireman

After high school, I moved from Michigan to the horse capital of the world—Lexington, Ky. There, I studied Equine Management and Rehabilitation at Midway University, but I didn’t have a specific career in mind. I was able to work at many farms, including the Kentucky Horse Park in the Parade of Breeds Barn, where I learned to joust on a Percheron and rode a rare Marwari.

Hannah and Tiny, the Percheron, at the Kentucky Horse Park during a jousting demonstration. We demonstrated how knights practiced jousting by ring tilting. Photo by Shannon Waroway