Shannon Barnes has been working with horses all of her life and now has a beautiful area for many communities to enjoy. Her time has been dedicated to teaching and riding ever since she was a little girl growing up on a farm in Illinois. Barrel racing was her first challenge, but her relationship with Mister Rockadoc, a world champion barrel racing horse, was a perfect match for excellence.
“I grew up taking care of horses and I started riding when I was 12 at Daghem Acres Stables in Willow Springs, Illinois. By the time I was 14, I knew this is what I was born to do; I wanted to own a horse stable and teach riding lessons,” Barnes said. “A lot of people try to have fun and be successful, but it isn’t that easy. You need to do so much to succeed and the trick is to never stop doing what you love.”
Both she and her husband, Josh, own Stateline Stables in La Porte, but it took a lot of work beforehand to create such a stunning facility. They worked together to help create and maintain their dream horse stable and have been building ever since. Currently, they have three outdoor riding arenas, an indoor riding arena, two rider lounges, fifty indoor stalls, and additional outdoor housing for horses.
“My husband and I are the main workers of our property and this stable has turned into our whole life. We love dedicating our time to the communities we serve. I cannot stress how much of a fixer upper we began with, but how it looks now is amazing. Josh has such a creative touch; there is nothing normal and boring here—there is always pizzazz thanks to my loving husband,” Barnes said.
Sixty horses is the cap for this comfortable facility and consist of Stateline Stables lesson horses and public owned horses that are being boarded. The stable is open seven days a week and is run by appointments throughout the year. Western riding and barrel racing are the two specialized areas Barnes teaches for children and beginners.
4-H is also embraced at Stateline Stables. When Barnes first moved to La Porte, she never heard of 4-H. But as the community grew on her, she started seeing the fun importance of this youth development organization. She instructs clinics for children involved in 4-H during the spring and summer, preparing them for the show exhibits.
“We are really big with the 4-H community and currently 15 horses will be competing for show at the La Porte County Fair from Stateline Stables. Our kids are very successful; in fact, some of them are representing La Porte County for the team tournament in July,” Barnes said.
Barnes shared that camps are offered as well on the 30 acre facility. There are one day, three day, and five day camp options for the summer and an overnight barrel racing camp. There is also one camp held in wintertime for a day.
During camp, everyone learns how to ride horses, take care of them, and use equipment. On the last day they have a horse show where they can win awards and show their skills. The summer camps are very popular—signups open in January and are usually filled by April.
The community in La Porte needed a horse stable full of luxuries for the horse and rider. Most other backyard facilities are geared toward showing and they don’t have the space to allow a horse’s full riding capacity.
Stateline Stables now also offers trail rides for their clients and the public. The trails go out the back of the property, through the woods, and down into a ravine that has four bridge crossings. No other facility in the area offers that option.
“One of the biggest things we bring to the community is that we host a safe environment for families. We have teenage girls who volunteer their time here; we have 15 regulars who come to help us out whenever they have time and we are so thankful. We are here to keep children safe and entertained,” Barnes said.
Many wonderful riders spend their time at Barnes’ stable thanks to their perfect location. They offer a large range of activities for the whole community and continue to draw individuals in from Northern Michigan and Chicago.
“I’ve met so many fascinating people through Stateline Stables and we always end up hosting many types of functions for them. We give out riding lessons and gift certificates for those enrolled in our summer camps in support of Reins of Life and the Michigan City Zoo,” Barnes said.
Barnes lives happily with her husband, son Nicholas, and stepson Jordan. She also takes care of her grandparents who live next door to their lively facility. Last and certainly not least, she rides a barrel horse named Batman and has won many awards with him.
Stateline Stables is located behind the Heston Supper Club in La Porte and the Barnes’ family always welcomes everyone with open arms. They love what they do and they are positive you will love your time with them!