By Annelise Klepper
Portraits by Drew Conant
Just because Riley Conant’s goals are big doesn’t mean her horses have to be. Thirteen-year-old Riley has found her stride jumping ponies, and wants to do it for as long as she can.
Riley grew up in a vibrant household in Oregon with lots of animals. Her mom’s family rode Western, which is where Riley and her sister were introduced to horses. “It wasn’t Western that we latched on to, though; it was jumping. From there, my sister and I eventually found our way to our current barn, Flipside. We started out sharing a pony,” Riley remembered. “Afterwards, my sister moved up to horses, but I was stuck on the ponies. I just love them. They all have a similar way of thinking: they’re so intelligent, but they’re really good at finding shortcuts.”
Riley is a firm believer that ponies are great teachers for precisely this reason. “I’ve ridden a lot of ponies, so I’ve learned a lot,” Riley laughed. “My first pony’s name was Fresh Pepper, a blue roan small pony. Then I had my medium, fleabitten grey pony named Calypso, aka Ralphie, who was very fancy. Farnley is my current mount; he is definitely special. He was the first pony that brought me to Pony Finals.”
Riley also has Heaven’s Gift, aka Buddy, a 16-year-old large pony, with whom Riley earned sixth place in their division during the 2025 Pony Finals. “I wasn’t expecting to place at my second Pony Finals ever! I was so excited and grateful to have a pony like Buddy,” Riley said. “He has taught me so many things that I’ll keep with me forever. We also just leased a 9-year-old pony. His name is Whiskey. I will be doing the Large Greens on him.”
Through her experiences riding, Riley has learned that the best outcomes take time and patience. “One of the most special ponies I’ve ridden is Orchard Hills Dragoness. We call her Mulan,” Riley said. “She was kind of naughty in the beginning and had some initial trust issues, but she kept me determined. This is my third year with her, and we’re best friends now. She’s the best pony ever. She has taught me nearly everything I know about riding and competing.”
Riley notably received the Champion Virginia Bred Medium Pony award at the 2025 Pony Finals. In 2024, she was the Reserve Champion with Farnley, Buddy and Mulan at the Desert Circuit. Riley was also named the 2024 end-of-year Oregon Hunter Jumper Association Working Hunter Pony Champion and Reserve Champion on Farnley and Buddy, respectively. “One of my favorite competition memories is when I won first place in all classes on both medium-rated and large-rated pony hunter at the 2025 Thunderbird with Farnley and Buddy. My ponies were so responsive. They almost felt like they wanted to win!” Riley said. “The clean sweep was so shocking, and I could not have been prouder! The ponies were so good that weekend.”
In it Together
One of the most rewarding parts of Riley’s equestrian journey is that she gets to experience everything alongside her older sister, Reade. “We’ve never been in the same competitions because of the fact that she rides horses and I ride ponies,” Riley explained. “But I loved watching her at the Junior Hunter Finals. I look up to her because she genuinely loves the horses, and it shows in the way she carries herself in competition. It’s been so much fun to ride together.”
Riley predicted that she and Reade would continue riding together in the future. “Right now Reade is going through the college search process, so she’s inspired me to look at a college equestrian team, too,” Riley said. “I would love to ride on the same team with her at a university if that’s the route she ends up taking.”
The support of Riley’s trainers has been integral to her precocious success. “Kristin Whiteside puts things flat out there. She tells it to me straight. That’s how I learn the best, because mistakes are good teachers.” Riley said. “Philipa Melski has helped me find my ponies. She knows them in and out. She’s amazing. She always figures out ways to make the course handy and makes things different so we can learn from a hard course.”
Riley’s deeply rooted appreciation for the sport is what keeps her coming back to the barn. “I’m in awe of the bond we get the opportunity to form with these animals. It’s something so incredible,” Riley said. “And I love to compete. The shows are just the best. I love dre
ssing up, the way the ponies look gorgeous. There’s an amazing energy there; it’s so much fun.”
In her free time, Riley enjoys hobby horsing and hanging out with her friends from the barn. Most of her schedule, however, is a balancing act between school and riding. “Competitions can be difficult, because I usually have to miss the entire week of school and have to catch up,” Riley admitted. “My school is very helpful and allows me the flexibility I need to be able to be successful in both. A lot of my work can be done online, so I try to find pockets of time throughout my shows and lessons to work. On week nights, I go straight from school to the barn, changing into my riding clothes on the way. When I get home at night, I work on my homework. I’m so used to the busy schedule. It’s all worth it to be able to get to be with my ponies.”
Riley’s dreams might just take her to the opposite coast. One of her goals is to experience the competition season in Wellington, Florida, at the Winter Equestrian Festival. “I would love to show in more East Coast shows, maybe a National Pony Derby,” she said. “After college, I envision myself moving to a barn in Lexington, Kentucky, and being a pony trainer.”
