Shane Powell & Matt Martin of Marketmoor, LLC

Tell us a little about your business.

 Matt and I opened Marketmoor, LLC together in January of 2019. We had been working together for about three years, but still were operating our own businesses. I was running Evermoor, LLC on the North shore of Massachusetts, and Matt operated Marketplace Sales based out of Middle, Tennessee. The merger of the businesses came pretty naturally, it just made sense. So, since we merged the businesses, we just combined the name of both entities to make Marketmoor, LLC! We operate out of the farm we bought in Ocala, FL last June and plan to continue to summer in New England. 

How did the both of you first get into the horse industry?

Matt became enthralled in horses at a very young age. The local ‘pony party’ people knew him by name. He used to track them down at all the neighborhood birthday parties just so he could be around the animals. There was also one time where he even convinced them to let him have the ponies for an afternoon! As years went on Matt began riding at a local riding school in Atlanta before he continued his education with Bill Russell, and then Debi Connor.

 My story is very similar. I started riding at Miles End Farm in Sterling, MA at the age of four. Over the next several years I rode with many different trainers showing hunters, pony club, and 4-H.  As I got older I wanted to focus my attention on the Hunter/Jumper side of the business. After graduating high school early, I took a working student position with Mark Jungherr at Starlite Farm and later became an assistant trainer at SBS Farm with Jen Alfano and Susie Schoellkopf. 

How do you guys work together to allow your business to operate?

Matt and I have been a couple for over four years now. We are so lucky we get to share our passion and career together. When we met, Matt had recently injured his arm and was doing minimal riding, so I stepped in to help him with his horses. It was a unique time and with Matt out of the tack he became responsible for arranging horse sales and talking with customers. While he was tackling all of that, I was able to focus even more attention to the care and training of the horses. Being able to separate those responsibilities, to an extent, helped shape our current business model. I think we are fortunate to work together because we have different styles of riding which allows us to work with a wider range of horses than we would have been able to without one another! 

What is your training philosophy and why?

Our business is currently made up of primarily horse sales. That allows our training philosophy to be tailored to each horse’s individual needs. We need to figure out the best program for each horse’s daily training, horse show prep, and veterinarian needs so that we can match them with a new rider and trainer. With our clients, it is all based off of their short and long term goals and their learning style. Some people like it simple and some people want it broken down to the specific mechanics behind riding. We believe in finding a program that fits each horse and rider combination and keeping everything positive.

What can the horse industry do to support young professionals like yourselves?

The horse business is definitely changing and evolving to stay current and get caught up with the rest of the world.  We both feel our industry would continue to benefit from having the seasoned trainers and professionals mentor the younger trainers coming up in the business. Neither Matt nor I would be as successful as we have been without the help of many fellow professionals who helped us figure out this amazing industry! We are all in this together and sometimes people forget that. 

What are your biggest strengths when it comes to your work and business?

I’m biased, however Matt is one of the hardest workers I know. As a trainer he is patient and even-tempered. Additionally, he has an amazing ability to match a horse and rider.

As for myself, I have a reading based learning disability which made school a challenge. I had private tutors and even spent a few years at a school for kids with Dyslexia.  Due to my dyslexia I feel I have learned to think outside the box. My early education has taught me that there is more than one teaching style. Some people learn from one style and not another. I have been able to bring that philosophy to my teaching and feel it has made me a better teacher and a better horse trainer. 

Photo by ESI Photography

Does being on the road so often take away from other aspects of your life?

In a typical year we spend a majority of our time living on the road, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. We frequently travel with over 20 horses, 4 dogs, working students, and a staff and have it managed down to a science! It is our job and business, but it’s also our lifestyle. We would be lying if we didn’t acknowledge how it impacts our personal life. We miss out on major family events and friends’ special occasions, such as weddings and babies being born. Anyone who does what we do misses things like that. That’s one of the main reasons we bought our farm in Ocala. We stay here the longest out of any other place. So we made this OUR home. Knowing every year, from now on, after indoors, we get to go home, makes missing out on some of those important events a little easier. As we have grown older, we have started to try to space some time out for us and our families, but there is always another show!

If you could do it all over again what would you do differently?

I don’t think we would change a thing if we could go back and do it differently. We try to go with the flow and make the most out of any situation. So far it’s working out for us!

What other industry professionals do you admire and look up to?

Matt has always looked up to Terry Brown. She always has a pleasant demeanor, no matter what the situation. She is an exceptional horse trainer, and produces results for clients while still being a wise businesswoman. 

 I have alway looked up to Mark Jungherr. He’s not only an amazing horse trainer but a wonderful mentor and friend. He has an amazing ability for teaching riders and an amazing eye for a quality horse. 

Where do you see the industry going in the next 10-15 years?

We have watched this industry change in a positive way as we built our business and adjusted our business model to meet the ever-changing needs. I think social media and technology is helping the horse industry thrive. Significantly more people are able to enjoy the sport, either as riders or spectators. Social media has also allowed more opportunities for younger riders to explore what programs and further education is available to them. Additionally, former riders have been reintroduced to the sport they loved as children and they feel welcomed back into our community. In the next 10-15 years we hope more riders, children and adults alike, are drawn to the sport and we can become more inclusive as an industry. We all got into this business because we were once, and still are, horse crazy little kids. It is our responsibility to continue to raise not only good riders, but also good horsemen who love the horses and the sport equally.