Vanessa Conner has enjoyed the friendship of horses for 34+ years as a rider, competitor, stable owner, barn manager, and instructor. She has been a professional riding instructor and trainer in the Austin area for more than 17 years, teaching hundreds of riding students of all ages and levels of experience. Her teaching philosophy is one of safety and fun in a relaxed, supportive, positive atmosphere where both riders and horses enjoy working together toward any goal, whether it is learning to groom or going to national level shows. Over the years Vanessa has produced many local and regional champions, but her lesson program is really about having fun while spending time outdoors with horses, her favorite animals. She teaches riders from age 7 to adult and specializes in English riding in the disciplines of dressage and jumping. Vanessa is available for lessons at the farm, off-site cross-country clinics, horse show coaching, and horse training. As a certified educator, Vanessa offers middle and high school physical education credit for school-aged riders in the Austin, Leander and Round Rock school districts. She is also a full-time high school English teacher in Round Rock I.S.D and the proud mother of Kaitlyn Conner, an up-and-coming young equestrian herself! You can contact Vanessa at .
We are excited to welcome Shari Wilcox as Spicewood Farm's chief riding instructor!
Shari Wilcox has overtwenty years of experience training horses and competing in a variety of disciplines, including Eventing, Dressage, and "A" Rated Hunter/Jumpers at a number of the nation’s most prestigious events and shows. Shari is a graduate C-3 of the United States Pony Clubs, and also competed in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association as a captain of the Varsity Equestrian Team at Mary Washington College. Shari brings her competitive experience to Spicewood Farms, coaching the Spicewood Farms Show Team to great success in their first year!Before coming to Spicewood Farms, Shari taught riding lessons for four years at the historic Potomac Horse Center in Maryland. Shari’s teaching philosophy emphasizes safety, responsible horsemanship, and developing a cooperative relationship between horse and rider. Shari teaches lessons to students ages 7 to adult at all skill levels. Shari is available for lessons in Eventing, Dressage, and Hunt Seat Equitation. Shari has the knowledge and experience to assist Pony Clubbers and Intercollegiate Horse Show riders in attaining their individual goals and preparing for these unique competitions. Most recently, she has been involved with the Austin-based Lone Star Pony Club. She is available to teach clinics to interested groups, as well as for coaching at horse shows and events.
Shari is certified for middle and high school physical education credit for school-aged riders in Austin-area school districts. Whether you are looking to ride competitively or for fun, she can tailor lesson plans and select mounts to meet your personal goals. Shari is also a full-time doctoral student and teaching assistant at the University of Texas, and her passion for teaching is marked by her enthusiasm and fresh perspective, whether in the classroom or on a horse!
You can contact Shari at 512-342-9393 or at if you are interested in signing up for lessons.