Head Trainer -
Shannon O’Hatnick
'“There are so many things we can learn from different disciplines, each discipline gave me a new and unique perspective but the principle remains the same.” 
Where it all began…
Shannon began riding at age five and quickly fell in love with horses at Harden Valley Ranch, a local stable.
She then joined 4H and jumped at the first opportunity to begin to compete actively in Hunter Jumpers and Dressage. Jumping became a passion; she loved the challenge and the connection of running through courses, but the technical aspects of Dressage kept her coming back for more.
From earning her Pony Club B Level Knowledge and C2 in Equitation to taking dressage or jumping lessons at every opportunity, Shannon began to find her niche in eventing when she met Deb Wilson.
Unwilling to slow down, Shannon began riding at Maryville College, where she competed through IEA. She credits the program and these horses with helping her develop grit, confidence, and adjustability.
Yearning to increase her knowledge, Shannon became a working student and dove into the ins and outs of the breeding world. Working under the careful guidance of Jennifer Bolen and Lisha Marshall, she began learning the careful practice of rehabilitation and the importance of young horse and stallion management.
Here, her passion for young horses blossomed. She found them extremely rewarding; seeing them develop and figuring out their personalities became something she immensely enjoyed.
“Starting them gives you the gateway to who they are and allows you to develop that horse into who it needs to be.”
From inspections to colt starting, Shannon immersed herself into the world of young horses and found it was a path she had to explore further.
Competitive Career-
Shannon competed with Lisha Marshall, successfully showing the horse RainWater Robin in the 2’6 Hunters.
From there, she began training with Allie Knowles and evented up through Preliminary. She got multiple opportunities to do videos of USEF on clipping and riding. While with Allie, she took lessons from some of the greats- Buck Davidson, Sharon White, and Sinead Halpin.
She then moved to Wellington, where she worked for Lars Peterson, a five-time Danish National Champion who represented Denmark at the Atlanta Olympic Games, and his wife, Melissa Taylor. She was their barn manager and show groom, managing over 60 horses. She helped with rehab, riding young horses, and warm-up rides here. This allowed her to ride some intense and high-caliber horses, experience the GP movements, and up her game. It showed her the edge it took to be competitive.
She remained with Lars for one year and is forever grateful for the knowledge she learned there.
As this came to a close, Bascule Farm approached her, and she could not resist the call to return to her passion for eventing. Jake and Julie Haigen were looking for another trainer, and she leaped at the opportunity.
Shannon developed horses through to Preliminary. She also began to develop a love for teaching and confidence-building in all stages of riders, solidifying the path she wished to take. Shannon purchased her horse, River, and her goals began to take shape. She started training with Tim Bourke, developing River while training and teaching. On the cusp of moving on to Intermediate, she decided to move back home and follow a different path.
Shannon found the Red Hill Oak Farm property, and her program began. From the ground up, she built the facility, and it’s been a labor of love ever since.