Junior Iris Perlioni lived in LF before moving to Maryland in 4th grade. She moved back here in 7th grade. Now, she is a devoted equestrian.
What got you interested in riding?
“My best friend at the time was a rider. She had a lesson and asked me to come along. When the lesson started, I immediately fell in love with the sport.”
Where do you ride and who are your trainers?
“I ride at Buena Vista farm in Wadsworth, IL. My trainers are Megan Murray-Tenuta and Mikael Brassard.”
What is your favorite quote you’ve heard while riding?
“Every time you step into the ring, you either win or you learn.”
What was the hardest thing you had to learn as an equestrian?
“For me, it was learning how to make sure the heels of my feet were down, which is meant to help you keep your balance. This is very important in riding because you need to build your leg strength so you don’t fall off your horse. Bigger-jumping horses are harder to keep balance on so you need to be stronger.”
How many horses have you had and for how long?
“I’ve had a few: Cupcake for a year, Matty for a year, Sunny for a year, Matilda for six months, Pebbles for six months, Westin for a year, Nacho for two and a half years and now I have Chandler.”
How did COVID-19 affect your riding?
“When Covid first hit, we were still able to ride our horses outside for about a month. Then, everything stopped. For about two months I couldn’t ride or do anything with my horse. When we finally came back, I was set back because I lost my leg strength. Riding is truly the only thing you can do to get to that level of strength so, coming back, it took about a month to get back in the flow. Luckily, I had no shows to perform at for a while so I had time to build back up my leg strength.”
What are some other hobbies besides being an equestrian?
“I love hanging out with my friends, going on drives with endless country music playing and baking or cooking.”
Is it hard to balance riding and family time?
“I have an older brother, two younger brothers and a younger sister, so it can be difficult. Days when my parents are available to watch them, I get more time to get ready for the barn while also having some more freedom. When I have to watch them, I have to rush while picking them up from school, coming home to change and bringing them to the barn until my lesson is over; then, bringing them back home. It can definitely be difficult, but not impossible.”
What are some words of advice for new riders?
“Hard work pays off. You don’t want to slack— it’s one thing to have a nice looking horse, but another to trust your horse and have a relationship with it. Horses won’t want to work with you if you aren’t doing anything for them outside of making them work.”
