June 17, 2025 • 68 mins
In this rewind episode, Eboné sits down with a dynamic Black cowgirl who’s redefining western culture and reclaiming space in the world of horsemanship. Together, they explore the rich—but often erased—history of Black equestrians, the lack of diversity in equestrian clothing and gear, and the emotional toll of gentrification and identity loss.
Eboné’s guest also shares her raw experience as a single mother of four, balancing legacy, finances, and burnout—while fiercely holding on to her passion for horses.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This episode contains sensitive topics. Listener, discretion is a vice?
What's a professional? Homegirls? Is she girl? Ebinez here? And
I hope Paul is cute. Now on this week's episode,
(00:23):
we're gonna throw it back to one of my favorite
conversations from season one. Okay that's like almost two years ago,
where we talked to our girl about her journey on
being a black cowgirl. You know, this episode was just
so amazing, very informative because not only did she share
her journey on what it means to be a black
cowgirl in today's world, but she also explored the rich
(00:47):
and often overlooked legacy of black equestrians and you know,
as us some real questions like I wanted to know this.
She think that yiha agenda was performative and you know,
what does it truly mean to center blackness and and
culture because often when they talk about cowboys, they don't
include us, Okay, especially the women. And also she opened
(01:08):
up about her experience as a single mother of four
even though I know she stays with a man, and
her frustrations with a lack of representation and clothing and gear,
and then also just an emotional burnout that came with
feeling disconnected from her identity and community, especially in the
face of gentrification. So I just really enjoyed this conversation.
(01:30):
And another reason why I thought it was important for
us to revisit this conversation is because your girl is
heading to Paris this week for the first time ever
to see Beyonce perform on June tienth for her Cowboy
Carter tour. Okay, and when I tell y'all, I am
so excited, like I better see Blue Roomy and Josephine
(01:52):
Baker in that stadium. Okay, but for real real, I
cannot wait to eat, I can't wait to drink, just overall,
just soak in all the beauty and culture that Paris
has to offer, Okay, especially Black Paris. Like I cannot
wait to fill you all in. You know, I'm gonna
do a special episode dedicated to my experience in Paris.
(02:14):
So I'm just super excited. And also I'm just super thankful,
like I can't wait to share with y'all with so
many different changes and updates that's gonna be taking place
with us. But in the meantime, say a little prayer
that your girl meet a kind, generous.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Given man while I'm out there.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Okay because my outfits, baby, when I tell you, I
am on point with it, like y'all, I cannot wait
for you all to see. Please make sure to follow
me at the Professional Homegirl on all social media platforms
because your girl's about to be serving looks okay. And
last but not least, thank you think you think you?
Thank you to everyone who supported me doing this hiatus,
(02:55):
you know, to those who have sent me gifts for
my Amazon wishless thank you you. Thank you so much.
I am just truly grateful. You know I have so
much to read thanks to you all because you know
you know I love to read. So thank you so much.
And if you want to support your girl like I say,
click the link and shown us below. Or you can
buy me a coffee because y'all know I love me
some coffee.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
I don't see how people operate when I was drinking
coffee like, I just don't. But AnyWho, I really do
hope that you all enjoyed this week's episode, So please
get ready because I am a black How girl starts now?
So to my guess, how you feeling? How you doing?
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Hey?
Speaker 3 (03:35):
After the hour that we just spent troubleshooted. I'm surprised
that I'm still awake.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Listen.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
We literally just spent like an hour trying to figure
out why this audio was not working. But we are here.
My guess is about to go to sleep. She got
her bonnet on.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Blanket.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
I'm like, ahh.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Over here yawning.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
But no, Seriously, I have been stalking our guests for
like it has it been months.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
I think at this point it has been months. We're
in August. I think this started inmate.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Yes, I had shared my Instagram page that we were
going to have a Calgirl because a lot of people
wanted to know more about the history of Calgirls. So
I'm like, I'm a finalist Calgirl. I found one, but
then there was a conflict of our schedule, and so
I was just like, yo, she don't want to be
on the show, because then I never heard from her.
But then here we are, y'all. So I'm super exasy. Yes,
(04:30):
so I'm really excited to have you on the show.
Because the stories of black cowgirls and cowboys are often
overlooked and underrepresentative. Why do you think black cowgirls and
cowboys are not recognized in the history of equestrians.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Documentation.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
I think that there was not enough documentation when certain
events happened, you know, the Kentucky Derby for example.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Facts facts, they say, Okay, there was there.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
It started out with black jockeys, okay, and we have
like more than.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
We have more than like twenty names.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
But where are all the pictures, you know, like for
the other people who were helped, who helped them train
the horses, you know, right, And a lot of it
is men. I know this is early on me is
talking about it. But I have a coloring book and
I made a coloring book specifically because the coloring book
I found that was about like black cowboys, black equestrians,
(05:33):
black horse people.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
It didn't even mention women. So it didn't mention any
any women at all, No black women. So trying to
find women in this history that is so hard. Yeah,
And I.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
Don't know if it was like documentation and because it
was women and it's like.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Okay, well you're a woman, Like what do you know
about training horses?
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Where you know about doing whatever with horses or women
weren't really there.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
So I really think it boils down to documentation.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Right, And you know, I mean I'm from the South.
I was raised in Tennessee, so niggas loved going to
the Kentucky Derby. So when I was preparing for our conversation,
because I wanted to be, you know, just learn more
about the history. And the first Kentucky Derby was one
by black jockey Oliver Lewis. And then also, you make
a good point because you said where are all the pictures?
But fifteen of the first twenty Derbys were won by
(06:23):
black jockey jockeys And I'm like, they don't teach us that.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
No, and I have a book on Oliver Lewis, But
but yeah, where are where are the pictures? Where are
there winning photos? Because evidently pictures insisted in that frame,
Like where is that stuff at?
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Who has it right? Right?
Speaker 3 (06:45):
I swear they have better documentation of horse bloodlines than
they do stuff with black history.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
You see, you know how these people feel about these animals.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Yeah, because I traced far Hors's bloodline all the way
back like really like eighteen hundreds or something.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Yes, one of my words, they cool. Yeah, but they
have been documenting horse stuff, pedigrees and all of that,
But why we document this other stuff, you know? And
it really sucks that racism in general sucks.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
It just really sucks to me that somebody could let, like,
you have a horse that's winning, winning you money because
nobody's racing horses just to be racis. They were betting,
making bets and stuff, but because the person was black,
you just didn't want them to win, even though you
wouldn't be winning money, right, like, oh, but they're black.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
You know what, let's put it into this, right, It
now sits to me.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
You know, that's actually a good idea for maybe you
to start, or for someone to do, is to like
find these images because this is what not this wasn't
long ago.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
No, it wasn't long ago.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
And so I actually have a collection of every published
book that has black people and horses in it.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
I don't care.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
It was just like one picture is if it's black
people and horses. I have a collection of it, and
a lot of them are like university text But the
total number is very very close to sixty, but it's
still like it's less than sixty books. There is a
horse series that has one hundred books in the one
series and it's all white people and horses.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
That's just one series. There's multiple series that are.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
Like that, but us in books with horses, there's only
less than sixty.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Yeah, that's wow.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Yeah, So what are your thoughts on how black as
questrians are portrayed in the media, because for the longest,
we always saw white cowboys.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Yeah, so just a little bit on my background. I am.
I was born and raised on a horse farm.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
So the moment I came into this world, I automatically
had horses. I was automatic were born into it, and
we did trail rides, and our trail rides were like
culturally predominantly black. You know, you talk to a trail ride,
it's basically like a family reunion on a weekend, but
it was every weekend hosted by different black saddle club.
(09:17):
So I grew up around black people and horses. I
grew up around black horse spoke and it's so interesting
because I never saw us in anything like it was
always until yeah, until recently, and so I trying to
you know, it was I'm really happy to see, like, Okay,
(09:37):
people are getting with the program, but the representation is
still lacking because what's happening is people are finding the
black equestrians that have a social media presence. Oftentimes the
ones with the social media presence are the ones that
just started, so they don't tell the things like.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
Let's get in, you.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
Know, the things that I know.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
They don't know the things that people like my dad knows,
like the old hiss and a lot of our old
heads on trail rids. I mean, I'm just speaking just
for the East Coast, and I'm sure it's the same
thing throughout wherever, Like there are you know, the old
his they're dying, you know, and who's collecting those stories?
(10:25):
My dad, my uncle, they used to collect stories. We
used to have a magazine in two thousand and four.
It's called Black Trolls Magazine and stuff like that. So
it's like, yes, I'm very glad that people are seeing us.
I just feel like it's so unfortunate that they're only
seeing the people who have the social media presence. Like
you're not really seeing those old country talking or rigging
(10:49):
up stuff.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
Making it work. You're not seeing them. You're seeing somebody.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
That's polished up, taking photos doing stuff like not.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
For I feel like, I know who you're talking about.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
But it's a lot of them. But that's the thing.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
It's a lot of them. And I've been behind the
scenes on a lot of different projects. I've seen projects
come and go like and I can say that it's
a lot of people who are like cloud they don't
cloud chasing, and they get into it not realizing how
much work it is. So recently I just started going
Instagram live like a lot while I'm doing farm chores,
(11:25):
and people are like, dang, and like, I didn't know
that you were doing all of that, And I'm like,
y'all think I was out here doing just taking pictures
of horses and having fun.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Well, that's one reason why I really want you on
the show. Because when I saw your videos and I
saw you was outside outside, I was like, oh, no,
like you really about this life and this is what
you do on a record. Once I realized that you
drive from your house to the farm, it's like an
hour drive, I said, oh, this is what she do, Like,
you're very passionate about it. So I think you make
a good point.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
So I don't have to make that drive anymore. So
let me clarify, men, I used to live in Virginia
for like two years. Where I'm at now, this is
where I grew up at in Window and so when
I was living in Virginia.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
I was driving three hours one way.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
Yeah, I did that for a year and I was pregnant.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
So lifestyle.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
Yeah, So now I live on the farm now, like
I'm back on the farm, me and my four girls,
like we are here. We get up in the morning
before I get them up because they will sleep until
nine o'clock. But before I get them up, I go
and do my farm tours. Before we only have horses.
Now I have horses, sheep. I got a rabbit, chickens, pigs, goats,
(12:45):
and getting some more animals, so I have a I
have twenty six animals right now. Yes, and it's so
interesting because oh and ducks, ducks too. It is so
interesting because we really just have horses. So now I'm
learning about all these different animals. They all have different
needs like that. All the animals need minerals and stuff
(13:09):
like that. But the sheep cannot have copper because I
don't know what it does, but they can't have like
high levels of copper. So you got to make sure
like all of that is right, and then parasite control
and all of that stuff.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
By ay, so say a.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
Veterinarian or something.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
I did want to be a vectorian when I was younger,
and if I could go back, and anybody who's listening,
if there's a kid in your life that wants to
be a veterinarian, you need to get them involved in
four h FFA and find a veterinarian that they can
shadow or volunteer with stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
I didn't do none of that, right.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
So, and it's wild because we already had the horses
in the space, like, and we had dogs.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
I have dogs too.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
You just gotta over there.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
Huh, yes, I have a hole. Just wait until I
get these these necks to seats. Wait, so what do you?
What do you?
Speaker 1 (14:02):
I don't want to sound ignorant because I know you
have a farm, but what do you want to do
with these animals?
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Like?
Speaker 3 (14:07):
So, my biggest thing now has been educating. It's been
educating people how to be around horses, how to take
care of animals, and really because when I graduated high school,
I realized that there was so much I didn't know
about horses rights, so much. I mean the things that
I that I used to do, Like I cringe at
(14:28):
it now, like okay, shout out to growth. But it
was like, oh my gosh, I feel so bad for
all the times where I just didn't know stuff right,
and now because I pay attention. I went to college.
I went to East Carolina University, which is only an
hour away from here, and I majored in sociology and
with that it's just you know, the study of like society,
(14:51):
how things work. So I'm always interested in what's going
on in like the bigger picture and.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
How like certain group's mentalities are.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
And something that I found is that people who don't
understand black people to begin with, they don't understand how
we do things in the horse world. So to somebody
it might look like, oh, that person doesn't know what
they're doing. But to us, it's just we just don't
have Sometimes we don't have that book turn like, we
might call it something else and y'all might say that
(15:24):
it's the language.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
We might not have that language, right.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Yeah, So learning that and then just learning that a
lot of us we got hand me down stuff.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
And again, this is my culture that I grew up
in and my perspective. But it's two totally different worlds, right.
It's literally like black and white. And I've been I've
seen both sides, and I've seen I don't know. I
don't know how to explain it.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Like you've just been exposed to both sides of the coin.
Speaker 3 (15:58):
Yeah, I've been exposed to both, and it's that we
don't do things for luxury. We'll not have luxury, but
we just treat it totally different. And so I wanted
to back to what you asked me, what I plan
on doing. I wanted to be that person that could
help kids.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Start better off than what I started with.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
Like I'm not going to say that I didn't start off,
you know, like good, but I won't call it.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
It was just you only know what you know and.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
You don't know what you don't know. Yeah, like most
black people.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
Yeah yeah, So it was like, okay, we already behind
because statistically.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
Black people didn't even have horses like that, like especially slave.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
Where do you buy a horse from?
Speaker 3 (16:43):
You can't get a horse from anywhere Craigslist, but you
know that's where I got mad Man, my miniature horse.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
In the country, like where you I know where you at?
But like, what what's the I said?
Speaker 2 (16:59):
It used to the country, but a family member, so
playing and now just a development behind us? What that means?
Speaker 1 (17:07):
I got some coins though, right in other words that part,
yeah everything, this used to be the country.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
This used to be the sticks. People were like, I'm
not driving right.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
Yeah, the boonies or what we call like you you
live out in Egypt. There's a Publix around the corner now,
like gentrification. I never thought that I see the day
that there there's a publics around the corner of Starbucks,
a Bojangles. Y'all city, Now y'all got Starbucks. Yeah they
(17:44):
got blown. It's not open yet in the McDonald's. It's
going to open, so full blown gentrified. Like if I
go out, I can see the new road and all
of that, and you don't like that, huh too much.
But but I'm just trying to look on the brighter side.
It's going to be more clients for me, So that's
(18:05):
what I'm trying.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
On top of it already coins.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Right, but.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
Enslaved our ancestors and enslaved black people. If they were
called riding a horse, it would be like, okay, something
is up because they mules or they didn't have horses.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
So it's like we already.
Speaker 3 (18:27):
Started behind and now I just I just don't want
any kid that if I can help it, I don't
want any kid to feel like, dang, nobody ever taught
me this and that, or for them to feel like
they're behind, because that sucks if you feel like you're behind,
or if you don't.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Know something right right.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
So I'm just curious because I do want to talk.
I do want to touch on a yeeha agenda, which
I found very interesting. But did you like the movie
The Harder They Fall?
Speaker 2 (18:56):
I did like that. I like that movie.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
Now, the only thing I will say about these movie situations,
I don't know why they don't reach out to.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
People who have already done certain things.
Speaker 3 (19:07):
Because my coloring book, at least like eight of the
members of the cast the characters in the movie are
in my coloring book. So it's like I watched interviews
and I saw stuff like tweets and stuff when they
were talking about it. But this could have been like
(19:28):
a whole thing because I was I'm already here, I've
been here, I have a nonprofit and I've been getting
my horses into neighborhoods and stuff like that. Kids coming out,
specifically black kids what I've been targeting. So it was like,
you know, when these things happen, maybe they have on
a local level. I didn't see it, but reaching out
(19:52):
like how cool would that have been to be able
to be like, Okay, if you're interested, here are facilities
that you can go to. Here are museums that you
can go to. Here are black owned businesses, black farmers,
black horse farms that you can't help support because.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
A lot of us are struggling out here.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
And that was my entire thing with the different projects
that I've worked on throughout the years, Like since twenty thirteen,
I've been working on projects with other people that they
have started and really just left it where it was at.
But that has always been my issue. How me being included?
How does that not only help me, but how does
(20:34):
it help my community? How does it help other black
equestrians who you know, you know they living on Grandma land,
but somebody want to somebody want to sell Grandma land,
or somebody can't pay taxes on Grandma land.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
How does that help them keep their land? How does
it help them get their own land?
Speaker 3 (20:51):
And I had seen that anywhere, So that was my
biggest thing with the Yehulgeen, the gyiests you know.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
Like before you, before you, because I want to touch
on that because a lot of people don't know what
the Ehiah agenda is. But before we talk about that,
do you feel like a lot of this be like
the movies and stuff is performative. Yeah, because after they,
you know, like did the movie.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
I didn't see anything else. I didn't see anything for kids,
I didn't see anything for adults. It was like okay,
that was it.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
And then the directors like they had a heavy presence
on social media.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
Do you remembers he made Instagram?
Speaker 1 (21:27):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (21:27):
I mean yeah, and where and left right right, Like okay,
y'all made draw money, but we still out here struggling
right right right.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
So the eha agenda y'all has gained popularity on social
media and was used to describe moments where black artists, rappers,
and public figures embraced Western aesthetics cowboy hats, boots and
rodeo imagery and their work. It has become a symbol
of subverbing stereotypes and reclaiming a part of a mayoric
history that has been largely misrepresentative. So obviously you feel
(22:05):
like the yeehah agenda has been performative.
Speaker 3 (22:09):
Yeah, And again I say that because I personally know
people who couldn't pay taxes on land or lost land,
or didn't have enough resources to take care of their horses,
had to get rid of everything. And it's like, dang,
like I can they might not be on social media,
but I can see people making money off of our history,
(22:31):
you know, and not really pouring back into our community,
but they're pouring into somebody they might find on social media.
But it's like, dang, what about the people who taught us,
you know, the people before us and stuff like that,
like how do you pray tribute to them? And I
just felt like, like it's cool because I even did
a blog about the Yeeha agenda and different celebrities throughout
(22:54):
the century who have you know either like Will Smith.
I think it was a BT performance and he you know,
the Wild Wow West song and all that stuff. Like I.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
Did a blog about that Little Eggs.
Speaker 3 (23:10):
I haven't even seen much of Little Nights x like,
and the only song that most people know is Old.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
Town Row.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
Yeah, because at the time I was teaching with kids
and it was just kids was singing yes. So it's
like where we're not at, Like okay, like you you
put your cowboy hat down. That's of all I don't
even wear a cowgirl hat, like I just started wearing
it recently because pictures in public. Right, I'm reading to
(23:44):
like little kids, because most times I'm wearing a helmet.
I can't wear a helmet on the top of my
cowgirl hat, even though they do make an helment that
is like a cowboy hat.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
I just don't like how it looks.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
But but you feel like the esthetic of a calgirl
has evolved as well. Yes, So I'm glad you said that,
So I listen. I did my research.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
Now.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
I was like to you, So I used.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
To do Rodeo relay and I remember googling like black
cowgirl and the only thing that popped up was black
cowgirl boots, black chaps, black clothes, black hats. That's what
popped up. It wasn't actual.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
Black people, right right.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
So definitely has evolved, and you know, it's it's it's
moved like some people put their own, you know, their
own playing to it, their own style. But I remember
when it used to just be like naked women and
cowgirl hats and and panties, and it was like that
was what a cowgirl is. And it's like, okay, this
is this waltry stuff is not what you wear when
(24:46):
you're out with horses, even though you can. But that's
not realistic. Yeah, that real nothing and nothing against that.
But again, those people who were dressing like that, they
were like models, and they were doing it for modeling.
They were doing it because they were actually around horses
and of course ill to men. So yes, it has evolved,
(25:22):
and I love it because it's like how how nobody
can like nobody. It's like the word equestrian. Equestrian is
the umbrella turn. It literally means someone who rides or
performs on horseback.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
That's the textbook definition.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
But I always tell kids that they're equestrians because to me,
it's just like you love horses, you're around horses, whether
you sat on a horse or you overcame your fear
of even touching a horse. I just feel like they're
all equestrians. And people go back and forth between old equestrian, cowboy, cowgirl,
oh blah blah. It's so many words. And then I
at one point I was set up and I just saying,
(26:00):
horse folk, like, we're not about to have beef over
these words.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
Right right? You know you? Also, I think I was
reading something that you. I think he was interviewed for
something or something with something you was including. And you
also brought up the issue of lack of representation and
gear and what ways do you feel the industry falls
short when the concept providing inclusive gear for black how girls?
And I was like, damn, I didn't even think about that,
because you know, we were we we have brains, we
(26:26):
have natural hair fro And I'm like, I can't even
imagine you not wanting the rye and you're not able
to fully protect yourself like you should.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
Yeah, definitely with with the helmet situation. And it's so
interesting anytime a black person brings up helmets because somebody
will say, well, football players have have locks, football players
have blocks, but guess what, they researched and created helmets
that protect them with their locks, with their different shaped heads.
(26:54):
They have yet to do that within the equestrian industry.
And when I started talking about it, now only did
other black people, other black equestrians started to talk about
how they couldn't find the helmets that fit. It was
other racest talking about like Asian for example. Asian equestrians
were reaching out to me. They're like, our heads are
(27:16):
naturally shaped a certain way.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
Helmets do not get it.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
No, like having smaller heads. Right, Oh, they were just
like people.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
I mean, I get so many messages or have gotten
so many messages of people just saying this is an
issue for me too, you.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
Know, like it's just.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
It's really a lot of non white people. And then
the white people that did say they had issues with helmets,
it was mainly ladies that had really curly hair and
like like thick and curly hair, or they might have
had thin hair and it kind of like a narrow
and a narrow head or something like that. So they
just need to do a lot more research and studies
(27:58):
on helmets in general, which I have found a helmet
that I like.
Speaker 2 (28:05):
I do like it.
Speaker 3 (28:06):
It's really adjustable, but I would like to see some
actual research because you know, if you put a baby
in a car seat with a coat on, like a
winter coat, and if you adjust a car seat with
them in the coat, if there's an impact, the coat
will flatten, so then it's not really protecting because it'll
be loose. So my thinking is, if I push my
(28:28):
afro into my helmet impact, what happens to my hair?
Does my hair flattened right or its cushion. You know
what I'm saying, Well, survive, Yeah, then I wonna survive.
So I would like for them to put an afro
on a test dummy and see what happened.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
Right.
Speaker 3 (28:50):
Put some micro not nobody wear microbrais nomore, Put some
braids on that on the test dummy and see what
happens because we don't know, like nobody knows.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
Damn.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
I used to love me some micro breaks.
Speaker 2 (29:03):
It had them faithfully sitting in the salon all day.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
No. I used to go to my homegirl house in
the hood. Her name was Stephanica, and she said to
be doing my hair from sun up to sundown.
Speaker 2 (29:14):
Yo, all day, just sitting there in your hair done right.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
Another good point that you made was that all body
types and disabilities are not given the same space to
drive in an equestrian world, which I thought was fucked up.
Speaker 3 (29:30):
It really is, because you know, there are people always
I hate those comments when people are commenting on people's
weights and they're like that you're too big to be
on that horse, And it's like, first of all, if
anybody was too big to be on any horse, that
horse is gonna let you know oh, either it's on
this collapse, its legs is gonna buckle up up under it.
(29:51):
It's gonna buck, try to buck like I feel like
the horse will let you know. Also, everybody isn't always
too big for the horse. The horse might be trained,
you know, I mean, horses are athletic. Might you know
they might have some sort of exercise regimen where they
keep up with that horse and make it comfortable. So
I think when situations like that happen, they just want
(30:13):
a fat shame and call people games and stuff like that.
And then with disabilities in general, I know our farm
is not accessible to anybody that's in a wheelchair. Not
all people who are in a wheelchair are like paralyzed
and stuff like that, Like we don't always know like
why they're in a wheelchair. But I've been at therapeutic
(30:35):
riding centers where they had like certain ramps so that
people could get on. But again, those are therapeutic riding centers.
Not everybody that's in a wheelchair needs that. So it's
just like thinking about when I go to different farms,
if somebody in a wheelchair were to come here at
the front of our barn, like they were literally to
(30:56):
we would have to give them like a detour to
get into the barn because at the of our barn
it's rained so much, it's created a And then another
thing with disabilities is people just are not super considerate. Yeah,
you know, because not all disabilities can be seen, and
not all people feel like super comfortable.
Speaker 1 (31:20):
You know, especially in this ghetto ass world and.
Speaker 3 (31:23):
Talking about it. So it all, it all depends. But
I think it's so unfortunate. And even people who want
to be around horses, but maybe they have anxiety. But yeah,
sometimes we aren't super considerate because I know, like with me,
I'll be in my own world. I try not to
deal with adults too much. I love working with kids.
(31:47):
I don't have too much against adults. But sometimes sometimes
they're so afraid and I'm like, this is ain't gonna
do nothing to you. And if it was, like, why
would I put myself in that situation so you can
sue me.
Speaker 2 (32:04):
I'm not gonna lie.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
I went to I think it was close toa Rica,
and we did a trail with the horses. I had
like this little white little pony and I ain't gonna lie.
She was very strong because I was so nervous and
we had like that. We had we had to like
hike up a mountain or something.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
Oh.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
When I tell you, I was proud. I was like, Cocaine,
please do not drop me.
Speaker 3 (32:24):
No, first of all, hiking up any mountain and you
don't ride horses on their regular now, that's scary.
Speaker 1 (32:32):
The girl, when I tell you, I was freaking out.
I had named her Cocaine. I was like, Cocaine please.
I was like please, girl, can we And she was
going up the mountain. I was like, good girl, like
because I can feel her. And horses are very powerful,
they very animals. So I was like, girl, you're not
gonna Christopher readze me Like, oh my god.
Speaker 3 (32:53):
And you know what, I didn't even know who that
was until people started telling me like they were afraid
of horses because of what happened.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
To him, and yeah, horse superman up you. So I
had to google and I was like, oh my gosh.
It's like, oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
Yeah, oh he went round like and a horse does
something knocked hi mom, and he broke his neck. He's paralyzed.
Speaker 2 (33:14):
Yeah, And that's the other thing in horses.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
It is dangerous to be around horses and That's another
part of why I really am like, okay, creating that
safe and positive environment. You need the proper education. Yeah,
because it's not fair. For it's not fair, and I
say this in a lot of my videos. It's not
fair for people to reach out to me and say
they wished I lived closer to them, to say they
(33:38):
wish they lived closer to me, because they literally cannot
find anywhere that's not racist so that they can take their.
Speaker 2 (33:45):
Kids to learn about horses.
Speaker 3 (33:47):
And that sucks because it's like, no parent wants to
put their kid in a situation where they might not
be taken seriously and they might not be.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
Looked after like the other kids.
Speaker 3 (33:58):
Yeah, because a horse could knock you out with its
head like a horse.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
Mm hm.
Speaker 1 (34:06):
That's why I was like, come on, cocaine, Like I
got things.
Speaker 3 (34:08):
To do, Like.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
We get up this mountain.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
Were getting up this mountain, baby girl. I also came
across this question that you're constantly asked about on the
reasons why you put black in front of cowgirl all
the time, and I just be like, I know it
is because when they say don't read the comments, and
I get to reading the comments, that's what normally that's
(34:33):
what the comments are. Like a lot of times it
is people saying, oh, that's wonderful news. And I'm specifically
talking about articles that came out and they're like the
black cowgirl.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
But sometimes there are oh my gosh. I remember when Adobe.
I just went Adobe and they were like, why do
you have to say the black cowgirl? Why can't you
just say cowgirl? First of all?
Speaker 3 (34:52):
Your only comment and to make that comment, like you
could have been like, oh, that's amazing what she's doing.
But their only comment is to say that, like.
Speaker 1 (35:00):
Or you to say anything.
Speaker 3 (35:02):
Yeah, you didn't have to say you just kept strolling.
So it's so interesting and so I've explained it and
I'm just like, y'all, I'm black, right, we can see that.
I don't see you better see my color because no,
that's not what we're going to do, because I think
my black is beautiful. Come on, it's like, I'm black.
(35:23):
And then I didn't want to use the word equestrian.
Have you heard five year olds, six year olds, seven
year olds try to pronounce certain words. I didn't want
to use black equestrians. So I just kept it with
simple black cowgirl, super simple. Because when I showed up
because I was doing a lot of readings at schools,
(35:45):
readings about black cowboys, and I would dressed up like
now that's when I would wear like a cowgirl hat
and I would dress up in full cowboy yeah after that,
like calgro like that maybe the way shells. I'm telling you,
(36:07):
I'll be wearing a helmet. I'm in my bonding at
the farm, I had something. Anyway, they would be like, oh,
it's a cowgirl.
Speaker 1 (36:16):
So are there any particular cowgirls like cowboys who inspire
you or who you look up to.
Speaker 2 (36:24):
That I look up to you. That's a great question.
Speaker 1 (36:28):
Like who's your go to calgirl cowboy?
Speaker 3 (36:33):
Oh my goodness, please forgive me in advance if I
pronounce her name wrong. The actor Pam Grier, her last
name gert Ye. I didn't know that if she has
a background in like veterinarian science and all of this
awesome stuff.
Speaker 2 (36:52):
So when I found that out, I was like, Oh,
she's just she's awesome and she's.
Speaker 1 (36:56):
Bad too, so that's what's up.
Speaker 3 (36:58):
Yes, And then so Dad O'Brien, she rides English, but
I just think that it's me she rides English, So
there's there's English and there's Western. Western is what you
see in like the Cowboy movies. They have a seattle
that has like a horn on it. It's a heavier,
it looks it looks hairy, heavier. Well, it's a heavier saddle.
(37:21):
And then the English shaddow doesn't have a horn on it,
and it's totally different, Like the stirrups are different, the
way the saddles are made. It's totally it's two different styles.
So Soladad O'Brien rides English, and so it's like these
ladies are in they're not thirties and they're horses. They're
(37:43):
older women riding horses, And I just think that it's
so amazing because a lot of times can be cool. Yeah,
when we were on trail rides, there were not a
lot of women riding, right, Like my cousin rode horses
and my dad's friend his daughter rode horses, and it
was like we're the only girls out here, Like it
might be some girls like every now and then, but
(38:05):
it was mainly men. So to see you riding, I
think that's pretty dope. But as far as like anybody else,
I don't really have that many role models like that.
When it comes to this horse stuff. Like I'm inspired
when I see, you know, on social media people posting
and continuing their education and stuff. And then in my
(38:30):
actual real life, like I just love being around our
trail ride atmosphere because I mean I grew up in it,
you know, Like that's always the thing I wanted to do.
Like kids probably wanted to go to the movies or
go to the skating rink or something. I was ready
to go to the trail ride, to be at the
(38:51):
trail ride with my horses, even though I was super shy,
but I just always just felt comfortable just doing that.
Speaker 1 (39:00):
So do you engage with or connect with the other
cowgirls within the community.
Speaker 3 (39:05):
Yeah, and it's wild because we are all spread out.
Speaker 1 (39:10):
Yeah, like y'all all over the place.
Speaker 2 (39:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (39:12):
Some of the ladies I know on our Trail Rock
circuit who do amazing work in the community, they like
maybe like an hour or so away from me. So
it's not like anybody is really in my backyard. Like
it's like I'm here, somebody's over there. There's a girl
out in Charlotte that's doing some stuff that's like two
hours inster Changed for me. So nobody is like really
(39:33):
right here where we could be like, hey, let's meet up.
Speaker 2 (39:36):
Like I don't have that right now, right, And I mean,
it is what it is.
Speaker 3 (39:43):
But I guess it's also a good thing because there's
representation in different places in North k and then I
know a lot of my support and it's so odd,
like I don't know why comes from California.
Speaker 2 (39:58):
Really yes, and I'm just like you' are so far away.
Speaker 1 (40:04):
Yeah, so it is.
Speaker 3 (40:06):
You know, like weighing on me when I'm like, dang,
I really need some help and reading comments and people
are like I would love to help, but I live
in Michigan.
Speaker 2 (40:13):
I live in California.
Speaker 3 (40:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (40:15):
I was just about to answer that, because when it
comes to the ranch and all of these animals you have,
you're the only one that's taking care of them.
Speaker 2 (40:21):
Right up, it's me.
Speaker 1 (40:23):
So what does like a typical day look like? Because
that's a lot.
Speaker 2 (40:27):
Oh, it is a lot. So Okay, I get up
in the morning, I.
Speaker 1 (40:31):
Go, what's time? You wake up?
Speaker 2 (40:33):
Real quick?
Speaker 3 (40:35):
By either five or six. Between five and seven, I'm
out the door most days, probably six o'clock I'm out
the door. So I get up and I go and
feed everybody that's in the stalls in the barn. So
there's six horses that are in the stalls daily, they
(40:56):
do get turned out. I just I have a horse,
Rainbow and Peaches. Peaches is a miniature horse, so I'll
just let them out and let them eat grass around
the farm and then bring them back in and let
man Man. He's a he's a miniature horse, but he's
a stud, so him and Peaches can't be out at
the same time, so I'll let him out. And yes,
(41:19):
I don't want a baby. And she's a baby. She's
only a baby, she's only nine months.
Speaker 1 (41:25):
Not the horses outside.
Speaker 3 (41:27):
He might try it, but so yeah, I feed the
horses that are in the barn, feed the goats and
the sheep, sweep the barn out.
Speaker 2 (41:34):
Our barn is very long, so sweep that entire out.
Speaker 1 (41:37):
You have a big ass barn.
Speaker 2 (41:39):
Too, Yes, it is huge. And then give everybody water.
Speaker 3 (41:44):
And I give him order twice because most times it's
empty in the morning when I get there. They drunk
it all overnight, so I fill it up once and
then fill it up again because they probably drunk all
of it.
Speaker 2 (41:57):
And check the.
Speaker 3 (41:58):
Horses in the pasture and make sure they have water,
feed the pig. One of my pigs is locked up
right now, get offence up, just until we get a
fence that she can't get out of. One of my
other pigs, he's just roaming around. Oh, and then I
have to clean the stalls. Now, cleaning the stalls is
(42:19):
what takes the most time because I at the moment,
I don't have a tractor, and I have to go
into each stall. It's kind of like the stalls have
sawdust in it. So just imagine a giant kitty litter
box and you know, you just scoop it out. That's
what I do for each of the stalls. And so
(42:40):
then I had to dump it. And our manure mountain
is like around the corner from the barn. So you
gotta put the manure like scoop all the manure out
of the stall, put it in the wheelbarrow, push the wh.
Speaker 2 (42:53):
And then come back and then do the next all.
Speaker 3 (42:56):
And then some days I have to take everything out
of the stalls called dripping, and then put new sawdust in.
And I do all this by hand, like I do
not use machinery. Because you got four babies, yes, and
I have four girls. So at some point in that
morning routine. I come back home, wake them up, the
little ones, get a bath, everybody gets dressed, drop them
(43:20):
all off at school, and then come back and finish.
Speaker 1 (43:24):
So I ain't trying to be in your business or anything,
but how do you make money?
Speaker 3 (43:29):
So this summer, well, I've been doing it multiple summers.
Hod I do summer camps, the color and book. I
used to do corspect riding lessons a lot more than
what I am doing now. Now I have restructured my
riding academy and the goal isn't to focus on riding.
(43:51):
The goal is to focus on horse welfare so that
horses don't end up like the horses that we used
to take care of when I was little, because sometimes
we would take in people's horses because they could no
longer take care of them or they just less. And
then I bought a horse a year ago who was
like skin and bones, and I never I never want
(44:14):
a kid that was taught by me to not know
what to do and to not ask for help. So
that's how I make my money off of that. I
did have an overnight job at the beginning of the year,
but I couldnot stay awake and I was terrible.
Speaker 2 (44:31):
I ended up being plated.
Speaker 1 (44:33):
You got fired.
Speaker 2 (44:34):
No, I just left.
Speaker 3 (44:37):
Because I got falling asleep. And then when we're on break,
I would just I would be sleeping. I'll always come
back like ten minutes late, and I'm like, y'all, I'm sleepy.
Speaker 1 (44:46):
No, So how do you buy everything? Because you're are
you a single mother?
Speaker 3 (44:52):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (44:52):
So you ad a mother for you have this growing farm,
had you're an entrepreneur, like you're well known in the community. Like,
how are you balancing everything? I am running off a fuse, Like,
I'm pretty sure you get burned out, which is not.
Speaker 2 (45:09):
A good thing, you know.
Speaker 3 (45:10):
Like the biggest task definitely is trying to find that balance.
Speaker 2 (45:15):
And so we moved. So had our childhood home renovated because.
Speaker 3 (45:21):
It had mold in the walls and stuff like that,
and we moved in at the beginning.
Speaker 2 (45:28):
We wait, we.
Speaker 3 (45:30):
Moved in last year. I still have no like, there
are still things that I need. My bathroom isn't even finished.
Speaker 2 (45:37):
We don't even have you don't.
Speaker 3 (45:39):
Have mirrors in the bathroom. I got one mirror in
the house and that's on my dresser. So it's like
there's always something to do. So I'm just always getting
stuff done. But I'm gonna, like, I don't know, I'm
hoping to, hopefully after this month, find someone who can
(45:59):
come and help with the kids on a consistent basis
so that I can be like, Okay, let me tackle
this and slowly.
Speaker 2 (46:08):
Make my way, because right now it is wild. Even
though I do have.
Speaker 3 (46:12):
A schedule, you know, and I have my routine, just
trying really hard to just polish it up a little
bit more so that so that it's more consistency, because
the most the thing is me feeding the animals like
I have to, and I have to do it at
certain times my kids bedtime, even though as they did tonight,
(46:36):
they wanted to come and give me a hug.
Speaker 1 (46:54):
Wait, so you ain't. Ain't no fine black cowboys where
you at?
Speaker 3 (47:00):
That's the problem. Maybe they're all too fine and everybody
want them.
Speaker 1 (47:04):
Oh yeah, yeah, that could be it. That could be it.
Speaker 2 (47:08):
Shoot, I think that might be the problem.
Speaker 1 (47:11):
Yeah, you know, cowboys are in too.
Speaker 3 (47:13):
So that part because you know somebody, I think somebody
messaged me on TikTok and they were like, can you
introduce me?
Speaker 2 (47:21):
Introduce you back here? I'm looking for myself, right.
Speaker 1 (47:25):
I used to make come and take care of this
household shit, right.
Speaker 3 (47:29):
Come build met a chicken coop, right, not chicken coop?
Cash your fices up right, So I'll go ahead, We'll
see me, Especially when men like I don't think that
they realize that, like I be at the barn, you know,
(47:49):
like and how I'm I meet somebody if I'm at
the barn.
Speaker 2 (47:52):
Well what they don't do for fun?
Speaker 1 (47:54):
Because you can't be at the bar twenty four.
Speaker 2 (47:55):
Seven, You ain't gonna be no man, not that people
can that part. I approchet.
Speaker 1 (48:02):
You need to go outside when yeah, with some cowboy
boost on a little mini skirt and find you a
man ship. You too cute to myself this.
Speaker 2 (48:14):
Part, But I I do, I do need to get
out like that. It's so funy. They're gonna get to
this part and be like child everybody going through it.
But I'm hoping to. I'm hoping to just to have
some more fun. But trail rides used to be my thing,
like just going used to bag them at.
Speaker 3 (48:35):
No, no, no, I gotta go on the trail to
get a nigga.
Speaker 2 (48:42):
Yeah you on the trail ride all over you, that.
Speaker 1 (48:47):
Would be all over you are pro showing back outside
of dating. So I'm like, I need need a good
black fire man. I'm in New York.
Speaker 2 (48:57):
Oh, I've been going to New York.
Speaker 3 (48:59):
I can't release while I'm going there yet, but I'll
be going to New York in October for some.
Speaker 1 (49:07):
Hit me up, let's go out. They can go to
a bar together.
Speaker 2 (49:12):
I'm serious, hit me up, pay will.
Speaker 3 (49:17):
I think I'll be there for like three days. But
it's something that's really special and I'm super excited. But
they told me I can't say anything until they make
a press release.
Speaker 1 (49:26):
So well, if you can bring a plus one, I
want to come.
Speaker 2 (49:30):
Yeah, So I'm excited. Oh yeah, we used to have it.
We used to have a trail ride in New York.
Like these are the things that I'm talking about, Like
there's so much history and our trail ride circuit on
the East Coast. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (49:45):
But yeah, the the Federation of Black Cowboys, they're in
New York and I'm pretty sure some of them are
still there.
Speaker 2 (49:52):
But they did used to host an annual trail ride
in New York.
Speaker 3 (49:56):
That was one of the coolest things, you know, to
be able to witness, right, But yeah, and then the
something and I don't know if you were even going
to say this, but something that people say, like, oh,
well she doesn't have cows.
Speaker 2 (50:12):
I don't have cows, and think about that. Why ain't
got no cows?
Speaker 3 (50:18):
We had cows at one point, but cow fences and
horse fences, like we could put up some string and
some poles and the horses are not going to get
out of it, because when the horse feels like they're
in something, they're like, Okay, I'm in this, unless they're
a rebel and they like challenge it. But you do
(50:39):
have to have certain type of fences to keep cows,
and you need space for cows. And I don't think
we ever had like enough space to have horses and
cows all in the same thing. But somebody did just
give me some cows. So now I got cows, but
they're not here yet.
Speaker 1 (51:00):
You eat meat.
Speaker 2 (51:02):
Sometimes I do, but not.
Speaker 3 (51:05):
I don't eat beef and I don't eat pork, but
I would tear out some chicken wings.
Speaker 1 (51:12):
So what are some of the biggest lessons you learned
from working with animals, especially horses?
Speaker 3 (51:18):
Oh, patients and my horse, Rainbow, the one that I
bought a year ago, she's teaching me even more patients
because sometimes I do get frustrated with her because she
horses going heat and she want a baby so bad,
but I cannot. No, So when horses going heat, I
(51:43):
don't know the technical term for this, and I never
thought to look it up, but they actually like this
liquid comes this fluid comes out of like nut.
Speaker 2 (51:55):
No, like I don't even know what baby if I see.
Speaker 3 (52:00):
Some liquirts out.
Speaker 2 (52:05):
Yes, and.
Speaker 3 (52:09):
She wants a baby so bad because she's in heat
and her hormones are like breed me. But I can't
bread her because she isn't at her ideal wait, because
it takes a long.
Speaker 2 (52:20):
Time for horses to grow to I.
Speaker 3 (52:22):
Mean, to gain weight. And when I got her, like
I said, she was just skin and bones. So I
cannot I cannot in my right mind like breed her.
And she gets pregnant because the baby could take so
much from her.
Speaker 2 (52:35):
So like, let's finish, you know.
Speaker 3 (52:38):
Getting you back to where you need to be. And
after that, if everything is good to go, but not
right now.
Speaker 1 (52:45):
You're gonna breed her with stuck.
Speaker 2 (52:47):
Mm hmm yep.
Speaker 3 (52:49):
Eventually if everything is okay, I definitely will. Yeah, So
it is what was the question I never forgot? Lord?
Speaker 1 (52:58):
Well, when you said, I asked you what was some
of the things that working with animals taught you or horses,
but you said patience.
Speaker 2 (53:04):
Yeah, so patients.
Speaker 3 (53:04):
Because I'll let her out and let her free roam
and eat grass around the farm, and then when I
go get her, she don't want to come on, not girl,
come own because I can't leave her out because she'll
go and stand in front of the studs that are
in the stalls.
Speaker 1 (53:20):
Horses, I would say one of them type of holes.
Speaker 3 (53:24):
Yes, and they will go crazy and like be sweating,
and I'm like, oh my gosh. Yes, So they taught
me patients. Consistency. You've got to be consistent. Yeah, you
have to be consistent with feeding them, and really.
Speaker 2 (53:41):
To have fun, like more now than ever.
Speaker 3 (53:44):
And I think it shows in my Instagram excuse me,
in my Instagram post. I'm just having a lot of fun,
just enjoying the horses. I haven't even been riding like that,
but I haven't been riding like that. I'm talking to them,
doing stuff, just watching them sometimes. Yeah, and just getting
(54:05):
back into my groove because I've kind of been like
not myself, Like I've been myself, but like you burned
out yeah, I've been burned out. So I'm just getting
to where I'm like, okay, delegating, trying to figure out
how I can get volunteers out.
Speaker 1 (54:25):
Like so you need help. You can't because the way
you're moving, like especially with you having for babies, like
that's a lot. And I be seeing you. I'm like, yo,
this girl is up and I'm up early, Like you
need something. You need help because it's I mean, well
with any growing business, and your business is definitely growing
and reaching a lot of people, so you need as
(54:45):
much support as possible.
Speaker 3 (54:47):
Because I think I think I may have officially been
on every news channel.
Speaker 1 (54:54):
You ain't got to use.
Speaker 3 (54:56):
I'm down, especially the like it's wild, like seeing it
Good Morning America and yeah.
Speaker 1 (55:04):
You've been everywhere.
Speaker 3 (55:05):
Yeah, I'll be on PBS. I saw that, Like it's
like all these things are happening. So I'm just putting
in the pieces, like I'll be up like it's ten o'clock.
So last night, all this week, what I've been doing
is going to bed early, and then I'll wake up
around like this time or like one in the morning,
(55:25):
and I'm wiping out stuff and getting stuff ready.
Speaker 1 (55:30):
And it's probably the only time you can really work
since your kids are sleep too.
Speaker 3 (55:34):
While they're sleeping, So it's like, Okay, I'm learning to
build an even stronger foundation because it's just like, okay,
you need that I have, you know, I have access
to the farm, the horses, all these animals, but I
have to really like strengthen this foundation cause it's it's
cool and now that I think about it, like it's
(55:55):
wild that a lot of my I guess family members
and maybe you just never had those conversations, but sometimes
it does seem like I'm the only one interested in
farm life. Like in both sides of my family, they
were farmers, like my family was.
Speaker 2 (56:13):
They were farmers.
Speaker 3 (56:14):
They raised hogs, they had not hogs, they had fields
of food that they grew and they went and farmed
at other land, other farms and stuff like that. So
it's like, how do you get away from that because
we need it now more than.
Speaker 1 (56:30):
Oh yeah, the way they putting it in our food.
But I think you make a good point. It's very
unfortunate when the tradition just dies and then unfortunately you
have to keep the or one person have to keep
the tradition going, and that's a lot of work. Because
the tradition is so rich and so long and so full.
So it's just like, what do you do at this point?
(56:50):
Maybe you should have the conversation with your family and
just ask because like you're not just out here starting
off like you also like a lot of people know
who you are.
Speaker 2 (56:58):
Yeah, that that part, and I just you.
Speaker 1 (57:02):
Know, imagine what y'all can do if everyone wants to
help out.
Speaker 3 (57:06):
Yeah, and seeing this horse fast you know this this
uh well it was a dirt road be turned into
houses and asphalt like Starbucks. Oh yeah, Starbucks publics, Like
we used to ride trails through here, Like people don't
even know. And that's how I feel every time I
(57:28):
go to publics, because I do go to this publics.
Speaker 1 (57:31):
Just steal from them. That's that's your reparation.
Speaker 3 (57:34):
That point, I go over there and get a couple
of ice, right, But every time I go in there,
I'm just like, these people have no idea what used
to be here, Like that's I can't help but think
that every single time, every time, like.
Speaker 2 (57:47):
These people don't know that was all through here.
Speaker 1 (57:51):
Yeah. Wow, Now what inspire you to come to combine
your passion for horses and reading to create settle up
and read.
Speaker 2 (58:00):
Because these kids was not reading. They were not reading,
but they were interested in horses.
Speaker 3 (58:07):
And really it was like, and I always say it
was a good idea, because why was I up one
random night at twelve o'clock and thinking about literacy rates?
Speaker 2 (58:17):
Like, ain't nobody doing that?
Speaker 1 (58:20):
And it's definitely low within our community, especially in the.
Speaker 3 (58:22):
South, it is. And when I started collecting those books
that had black people and horses, horse spoke in them.
I remember reading a story about time and toime again,
it was always a black man. He didn't know how
to read, He didn't know how to read, He didn't
know how to read. And you look at the literacy rates.
(58:43):
These kids don't know how to read. Why did we
think that these black children don't know how to read
today because of slavery? Toukle down And I just think
that it's not that people don't it's not that families
don't think read is important. Just look at how hard
black families are working just to provide, right and I've
(59:05):
seen this too.
Speaker 2 (59:07):
People will be like, well, they got new.
Speaker 3 (59:08):
Cars and they got the latest jays, and they got
this and they got that. Y'all a lot of mindsets
have been birthed because of slavery. It's like, let me
just get that instant gratification of something that I can
feel good. Yeah, so you can feel good because if
we look at how outside it looked real ghetto like
(59:31):
people working in their checks.
Speaker 2 (59:33):
The checks, the math.
Speaker 1 (59:35):
Is the math mathing.
Speaker 3 (59:36):
It's not so I can totally understand why some people
are like, you know what, if I'm gonna work this
hard and I get paid pennies, I might as well
look good.
Speaker 2 (59:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (59:46):
Or still so.
Speaker 3 (59:48):
They might not prioritize, you know, reading at home, even
though reading at home is really important. So people always say,
you know, like read to your kids. Yes, read, But
I I still feel like those of us who do
have some sort of privilege or do realize that hey,
as a community, we can do more, Like if I
have four kids and all of these animals and I
(01:00:10):
can start a nonprofit, like somebody can pick up the
phone and call your younger cousin and be like, hey,
you want to go to the library.
Speaker 2 (01:00:17):
Hey do you a library card? What books do you like?
Speaker 1 (01:00:19):
And then they abandon books, they closed down libraries. It's like, yo,
y'all are making it. And I'm an avid reader. Like,
I always loved to read ever since I was a
little girl. So the fact that they closing down libraries,
I'm just like, yo, that's so fucking heartbreaking.
Speaker 3 (01:00:35):
Before they before people start realizing that was happening, I
had made a tweet and I was like, how old
were you when you realized that not all schools had
a library? And yeah, and it was like some people
just like what.
Speaker 2 (01:00:48):
They never even crossed my mind? And I'm like, and
now they're like really closing them.
Speaker 3 (01:00:53):
So I wanted to do Saddle Up and Read to
really just encourage kids, and the focus was black because
I felt like we needed books. Because something that really
started to fix me off is I love books.
Speaker 2 (01:01:07):
I do.
Speaker 3 (01:01:08):
Sometimes I just feel like putting a black character on
the cover of a book when you are a white
author and a.
Speaker 2 (01:01:16):
White illustrator is so misleading.
Speaker 3 (01:01:20):
And I remember it coming across books and I would
read it like black families, but the language and how
the character is like I've read this one book and
they called the black boy jungle foot.
Speaker 1 (01:01:32):
Now what now, one nigga you know is calling a
boy a little black boy jungle foot.
Speaker 3 (01:01:38):
Exactly, And I was like, oh my gosh, like nobody
thought that this was a bad idea for these two
white ladies to write this book, and they called thetive.
Speaker 2 (01:01:49):
So I was like, no, we're not going to do that.
Speaker 3 (01:01:52):
We want to find books written by non white Yeah, fine,
diverse characters, multi cultural character was written by black people,
illustrated by black people, their texture, lips and noses, those
that's very important. So that's really why I did it.
And I was like, you know what, I have horses.
(01:02:15):
I've always had horses. I can share my horses. Yeah,
And it's like, yes, other people could do the same thing,
but they didn't choose to and maybe that's not their mission.
Speaker 2 (01:02:27):
It's in't my mission to share.
Speaker 3 (01:02:29):
And so yeah, Sligan Reed was born with the intent
to get kids to read, and it's working and we're growing. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:02:37):
No, good for you. You know, I believe that you
have made a significant contribution in promoting awareness on the
legacy of blacks creep. I don't know why I can't
say this word. It's question. When you receive love and
recognition from people, including Oprah, how does that make you feel?
Speaker 2 (01:02:58):
You know?
Speaker 1 (01:03:00):
I I, oh, yeah, I gotta get her because the
rest of these girls ain't got no, no stamp on Oprah.
Speaker 3 (01:03:07):
Okay, at random times it'll hit me like, oh shit,
that happened, like Oprah, know who you are.
Speaker 2 (01:03:15):
Year, but it's like it was like rolling, it was
not for you. It was nine stop.
Speaker 3 (01:03:24):
If we think about it, since twenty twenty, I have
been in the news, if not every month, every other
month for something in the news and magazines that's fire.
Speaker 2 (01:03:35):
Since twenty twenty.
Speaker 1 (01:03:37):
It is not a stop.
Speaker 2 (01:03:38):
And I'm thankful it's gonna keep going into the wheel.
Speaker 1 (01:03:41):
Yeah, I'm gonna keep this going.
Speaker 2 (01:03:44):
Into the horse stop.
Speaker 3 (01:03:46):
And so I have to like physically stop and be like, yo,
look at all this stuff that you have done. Because
on my website I was starting to put interviews and
I'm like, I've run it out of spies.
Speaker 2 (01:03:58):
This is a long time I have.
Speaker 1 (01:04:00):
Oh come on, now, come on with us.
Speaker 3 (01:04:05):
Vogue Magazine, the Washington Post, Yeah, Sidelines magazine, that's a
horse magazine, Horse Illustrated. Like it's so many different, so
many different publications. So I just think, like it's really
really cool. So I'm still like conflicting. It's like, oh
my gosh, I did these amazing things. But I'm also like, dang,
(01:04:26):
I didn't know what I know now, you know, like
to set to set that intention to like grab people,
you know, like why the iron is hot, strike while
the iron is hot and stuff like. So now like
this is what August third, I have been promoting my
coloring book NonStop. So my goal for last month was
(01:04:47):
to sell ten coloring books on Amazon. I met that goal,
and then this month the goal was twenty and I'm
already at it's August third, I'm already at I think
fourteen sales Amazon, and I know, like it's like small,
but it's like.
Speaker 1 (01:05:04):
I don't listen. Even if it's a small win, it's
still a win.
Speaker 3 (01:05:08):
Yes, But for me, it's the consistency like I have
been multiple times throughout the day.
Speaker 2 (01:05:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:05:15):
No, absolutely, So you should definitely be proud of yourself.
Like I think that what you have done, especially like
this has been your life. So I feel like for
you to like really like make a business out of it,
I think it's amazing and not even that, but also
just shedding light on the history of our people in
this world because they've been there since they won. But
you made a great point. Why is there no pictures?
Speaker 2 (01:05:38):
Yeah, like where are the pictures in right? Right, it's
not well with me.
Speaker 1 (01:05:45):
Yeah, me either. Last, but not least, what are your
thoughts on those people who have sex with horses? You know,
people be having sex with horse to stop it would go,
Oh my gosh, people be having sex with ghosts.
Speaker 2 (01:06:02):
I've heard of that before.
Speaker 3 (01:06:03):
I remember when I was younger, and I think it
like scarred me for life because it was it was
in the news or something like this.
Speaker 2 (01:06:09):
Man got caught child.
Speaker 3 (01:06:11):
If people are out there doing that, that is just
so terrible, Like that has never crossed my mind.
Speaker 2 (01:06:17):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (01:06:18):
Yeah, it's a be a big thing. When I was
a kid, I heard about it and I actually YouTube
would google it and I mean, you know, horses got
some big things. So I seen this woman and I
was like, no way, it's terrible. But no, I think
this was an amazing episode. I'm so happy that. I'm
(01:06:40):
so happy that we were able to connect and make
it work tonight, because y'all, I really been in her dms,
like just trying to bring her on the show because
I think representation in all areas matter and that's very
important to me. When I started the Professional Homegirl and
my listener's been begging for this episode, So I really
do appreciate you coming on the show.
Speaker 2 (01:07:00):
Yes, and those technical difficulties that.
Speaker 1 (01:07:03):
Was wow, wow, y'all.
Speaker 3 (01:07:06):
I was like, man, yeah, I'm glad you were determined
to not have to reschedule again.
Speaker 1 (01:07:11):
I did not want to reschedule. I'm like, come on now,
come on.
Speaker 2 (01:07:16):
Great. This is the first podcast I've done, a podcast
interview I've done in a.
Speaker 3 (01:07:20):
While, so it's always great. But yeah, I really do
be busy, like stuff will just pop up. A horse
might get out, the goats might be doing something, my
kids might be doing something, and it's just doing my
best to just go with the flow.
Speaker 1 (01:07:35):
I think you're doing an amazing job. And you know, yes,
of course, and even though a wise point once said
I don't fuck with horses since Christopher Reese, I might
have to disagree with her on that one, because this
was really an amazing conversation. You know who said that,
(01:07:55):
Oh using to rap music, So no, you don't. When
you come to New York, I'm gonna take you outside.
Speaker 2 (01:08:03):
All old music? Is it in an old song?
Speaker 1 (01:08:06):
That's Nicki minaj I gotta take you outside when you
come up here.
Speaker 2 (01:08:13):
Yeah, you're a.
Speaker 1 (01:08:14):
Farm But thank y'all, so much for listening. Please follow
me at the Professional Homegirl at the PHG podcast on
all social media platforms, and until next time, everyone Later.
The Professional Homegirl podcast is a production of the Black
Effect podcast Network. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the
(01:08:35):
iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your
favorite shows. Don't forget to subscribe and rate the show,
and you can connect with me on social media at
the PG podcast
This episode contains sensitive topics. Listener, discretion is a vice?
What's a professional? Homegirls? Is she girl? Ebinez here? And
I hope Paul is cute. Now on this week's episode,
(00:23):
we're gonna throw it back to one of my favorite
conversations from season one. Okay that's like almost two years ago,
where we talked to our girl about her journey on
being a black cowgirl. You know, this episode was just
so amazing, very informative because not only did she share
her journey on what it means to be a black
cowgirl in today's world, but she also explored the rich
(00:47):
and often overlooked legacy of black equestrians and you know,
as us some real questions like I wanted to know this.
She think that yiha agenda was performative and you know,
what does it truly mean to center blackness and and
culture because often when they talk about cowboys, they don't
include us, Okay, especially the women. And also she opened
(01:08):
up about her experience as a single mother of four
even though I know she stays with a man, and
her frustrations with a lack of representation and clothing and gear,
and then also just an emotional burnout that came with
feeling disconnected from her identity and community, especially in the
face of gentrification. So I just really enjoyed this conversation.
(01:30):
And another reason why I thought it was important for
us to revisit this conversation is because your girl is
heading to Paris this week for the first time ever
to see Beyonce perform on June tienth for her Cowboy
Carter tour. Okay, and when I tell y'all, I am
so excited, like I better see Blue Roomy and Josephine
(01:52):
Baker in that stadium. Okay, but for real real, I
cannot wait to eat, I can't wait to drink, just overall,
just soak in all the beauty and culture that Paris
has to offer, Okay, especially Black Paris. Like I cannot
wait to fill you all in. You know, I'm gonna
do a special episode dedicated to my experience in Paris.
(02:14):
So I'm just super excited. And also I'm just super thankful,
like I can't wait to share with y'all with so
many different changes and updates that's gonna be taking place
with us. But in the meantime, say a little prayer
that your girl meet a kind, generous.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Given man while I'm out there.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Okay because my outfits, baby, when I tell you, I
am on point with it, like y'all, I cannot wait
for you all to see. Please make sure to follow
me at the Professional Homegirl on all social media platforms
because your girl's about to be serving looks okay. And
last but not least, thank you think you think you?
Thank you to everyone who supported me doing this hiatus,
(02:55):
you know, to those who have sent me gifts for
my Amazon wishless thank you you. Thank you so much.
I am just truly grateful. You know I have so
much to read thanks to you all because you know
you know I love to read. So thank you so much.
And if you want to support your girl like I say,
click the link and shown us below. Or you can
buy me a coffee because y'all know I love me
some coffee.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
I don't see how people operate when I was drinking
coffee like, I just don't. But AnyWho, I really do
hope that you all enjoyed this week's episode, So please
get ready because I am a black How girl starts now?
So to my guess, how you feeling? How you doing?
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Hey?
Speaker 3 (03:35):
After the hour that we just spent troubleshooted. I'm surprised
that I'm still awake.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Listen.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
We literally just spent like an hour trying to figure
out why this audio was not working. But we are here.
My guess is about to go to sleep. She got
her bonnet on.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Blanket.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
I'm like, ahh.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Over here yawning.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
But no, Seriously, I have been stalking our guests for
like it has it been months.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
I think at this point it has been months. We're
in August. I think this started inmate.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Yes, I had shared my Instagram page that we were
going to have a Calgirl because a lot of people
wanted to know more about the history of Calgirls. So
I'm like, I'm a finalist Calgirl. I found one, but
then there was a conflict of our schedule, and so
I was just like, yo, she don't want to be
on the show, because then I never heard from her.
But then here we are, y'all. So I'm super exasy. Yes,
(04:30):
so I'm really excited to have you on the show.
Because the stories of black cowgirls and cowboys are often
overlooked and underrepresentative. Why do you think black cowgirls and
cowboys are not recognized in the history of equestrians.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Documentation.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
I think that there was not enough documentation when certain
events happened, you know, the Kentucky Derby for example.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Facts facts, they say, Okay, there was there.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
It started out with black jockeys, okay, and we have
like more than.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
We have more than like twenty names.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
But where are all the pictures, you know, like for
the other people who were helped, who helped them train
the horses, you know, right, And a lot of it
is men. I know this is early on me is
talking about it. But I have a coloring book and
I made a coloring book specifically because the coloring book
I found that was about like black cowboys, black equestrians,
(05:33):
black horse people.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
It didn't even mention women. So it didn't mention any
any women at all, No black women. So trying to
find women in this history that is so hard. Yeah,
And I.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
Don't know if it was like documentation and because it
was women and it's like.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Okay, well you're a woman, Like what do you know
about training horses?
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Where you know about doing whatever with horses or women
weren't really there.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
So I really think it boils down to documentation.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Right, And you know, I mean I'm from the South.
I was raised in Tennessee, so niggas loved going to
the Kentucky Derby. So when I was preparing for our conversation,
because I wanted to be, you know, just learn more
about the history. And the first Kentucky Derby was one
by black jockey Oliver Lewis. And then also, you make
a good point because you said where are all the pictures?
But fifteen of the first twenty Derbys were won by
(06:23):
black jockey jockeys And I'm like, they don't teach us that.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
No, and I have a book on Oliver Lewis, But
but yeah, where are where are the pictures? Where are
there winning photos? Because evidently pictures insisted in that frame,
Like where is that stuff at?
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Who has it right? Right?
Speaker 3 (06:45):
I swear they have better documentation of horse bloodlines than
they do stuff with black history.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
You see, you know how these people feel about these animals.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Yeah, because I traced far Hors's bloodline all the way
back like really like eighteen hundreds or something.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Yes, one of my words, they cool. Yeah, but they
have been documenting horse stuff, pedigrees and all of that,
But why we document this other stuff, you know? And
it really sucks that racism in general sucks.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
It just really sucks to me that somebody could let, like,
you have a horse that's winning, winning you money because
nobody's racing horses just to be racis. They were betting,
making bets and stuff, but because the person was black,
you just didn't want them to win, even though you
wouldn't be winning money, right, like, oh, but they're black.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
You know what, let's put it into this, right, It
now sits to me.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
You know, that's actually a good idea for maybe you
to start, or for someone to do, is to like
find these images because this is what not this wasn't
long ago.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
No, it wasn't long ago.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
And so I actually have a collection of every published
book that has black people and horses in it.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
I don't care.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
It was just like one picture is if it's black
people and horses. I have a collection of it, and
a lot of them are like university text But the
total number is very very close to sixty, but it's
still like it's less than sixty books. There is a
horse series that has one hundred books in the one
series and it's all white people and horses.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
That's just one series. There's multiple series that are.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
Like that, but us in books with horses, there's only
less than sixty.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Yeah, that's wow.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Yeah, So what are your thoughts on how black as
questrians are portrayed in the media, because for the longest,
we always saw white cowboys.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Yeah, so just a little bit on my background. I am.
I was born and raised on a horse farm.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
So the moment I came into this world, I automatically
had horses. I was automatic were born into it, and
we did trail rides, and our trail rides were like
culturally predominantly black. You know, you talk to a trail ride,
it's basically like a family reunion on a weekend, but
it was every weekend hosted by different black saddle club.
(09:17):
So I grew up around black people and horses. I
grew up around black horse spoke and it's so interesting
because I never saw us in anything like it was
always until yeah, until recently, and so I trying to
you know, it was I'm really happy to see, like, Okay,
(09:37):
people are getting with the program, but the representation is
still lacking because what's happening is people are finding the
black equestrians that have a social media presence. Oftentimes the
ones with the social media presence are the ones that
just started, so they don't tell the things like.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
Let's get in, you.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
Know, the things that I know.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
They don't know the things that people like my dad knows,
like the old hiss and a lot of our old
heads on trail rids. I mean, I'm just speaking just
for the East Coast, and I'm sure it's the same
thing throughout wherever, Like there are you know, the old
his they're dying, you know, and who's collecting those stories?
(10:25):
My dad, my uncle, they used to collect stories. We
used to have a magazine in two thousand and four.
It's called Black Trolls Magazine and stuff like that. So
it's like, yes, I'm very glad that people are seeing us.
I just feel like it's so unfortunate that they're only
seeing the people who have the social media presence. Like
you're not really seeing those old country talking or rigging
(10:49):
up stuff.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
Making it work. You're not seeing them. You're seeing somebody.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
That's polished up, taking photos doing stuff like not.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
For I feel like, I know who you're talking about.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
But it's a lot of them. But that's the thing.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
It's a lot of them. And I've been behind the
scenes on a lot of different projects. I've seen projects
come and go like and I can say that it's
a lot of people who are like cloud they don't
cloud chasing, and they get into it not realizing how
much work it is. So recently I just started going
Instagram live like a lot while I'm doing farm chores,
(11:25):
and people are like, dang, and like, I didn't know
that you were doing all of that, And I'm like,
y'all think I was out here doing just taking pictures
of horses and having fun.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Well, that's one reason why I really want you on
the show. Because when I saw your videos and I
saw you was outside outside, I was like, oh, no,
like you really about this life and this is what
you do on a record. Once I realized that you
drive from your house to the farm, it's like an
hour drive, I said, oh, this is what she do, Like,
you're very passionate about it. So I think you make
a good point.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
So I don't have to make that drive anymore. So
let me clarify, men, I used to live in Virginia
for like two years. Where I'm at now, this is
where I grew up at in Window and so when
I was living in Virginia.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
I was driving three hours one way.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
Yeah, I did that for a year and I was pregnant.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
So lifestyle.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
Yeah, So now I live on the farm now, like
I'm back on the farm, me and my four girls,
like we are here. We get up in the morning
before I get them up because they will sleep until
nine o'clock. But before I get them up, I go
and do my farm tours. Before we only have horses.
Now I have horses, sheep. I got a rabbit, chickens, pigs, goats,
(12:45):
and getting some more animals, so I have a I
have twenty six animals right now. Yes, and it's so
interesting because oh and ducks, ducks too. It is so
interesting because we really just have horses. So now I'm
learning about all these different animals. They all have different
needs like that. All the animals need minerals and stuff
(13:09):
like that. But the sheep cannot have copper because I
don't know what it does, but they can't have like
high levels of copper. So you got to make sure
like all of that is right, and then parasite control
and all of that stuff.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
By ay, so say a.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
Veterinarian or something.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
I did want to be a vectorian when I was younger,
and if I could go back, and anybody who's listening,
if there's a kid in your life that wants to
be a veterinarian, you need to get them involved in
four h FFA and find a veterinarian that they can
shadow or volunteer with stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
I didn't do none of that, right.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
So, and it's wild because we already had the horses
in the space, like, and we had dogs.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
I have dogs too.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
You just gotta over there.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
Huh, yes, I have a hole. Just wait until I
get these these necks to seats. Wait, so what do you?
What do you?
Speaker 1 (14:02):
I don't want to sound ignorant because I know you
have a farm, but what do you want to do
with these animals?
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Like?
Speaker 3 (14:07):
So, my biggest thing now has been educating. It's been
educating people how to be around horses, how to take
care of animals, and really because when I graduated high school,
I realized that there was so much I didn't know
about horses rights, so much. I mean the things that
I that I used to do, Like I cringe at
(14:28):
it now, like okay, shout out to growth. But it
was like, oh my gosh, I feel so bad for
all the times where I just didn't know stuff right,
and now because I pay attention. I went to college.
I went to East Carolina University, which is only an
hour away from here, and I majored in sociology and
with that it's just you know, the study of like society,
(14:51):
how things work. So I'm always interested in what's going
on in like the bigger picture and.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
How like certain group's mentalities are.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
And something that I found is that people who don't
understand black people to begin with, they don't understand how
we do things in the horse world. So to somebody
it might look like, oh, that person doesn't know what
they're doing. But to us, it's just we just don't
have Sometimes we don't have that book turn like, we
might call it something else and y'all might say that
(15:24):
it's the language.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
We might not have that language, right.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Yeah, So learning that and then just learning that a
lot of us we got hand me down stuff.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
And again, this is my culture that I grew up
in and my perspective. But it's two totally different worlds, right.
It's literally like black and white. And I've been I've
seen both sides, and I've seen I don't know. I
don't know how to explain it.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Like you've just been exposed to both sides of the coin.
Speaker 3 (15:58):
Yeah, I've been exposed to both, and it's that we
don't do things for luxury. We'll not have luxury, but
we just treat it totally different. And so I wanted
to back to what you asked me, what I plan
on doing. I wanted to be that person that could
help kids.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Start better off than what I started with.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
Like I'm not going to say that I didn't start off,
you know, like good, but I won't call it.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
It was just you only know what you know and.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
You don't know what you don't know. Yeah, like most
black people.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
Yeah yeah, So it was like, okay, we already behind
because statistically.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
Black people didn't even have horses like that, like especially slave.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
Where do you buy a horse from?
Speaker 3 (16:43):
You can't get a horse from anywhere Craigslist, but you
know that's where I got mad Man, my miniature horse.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
In the country, like where you I know where you at?
But like, what what's the I said?
Speaker 2 (16:59):
It used to the country, but a family member, so
playing and now just a development behind us? What that means?
Speaker 1 (17:07):
I got some coins though, right in other words that part,
yeah everything, this used to be the country.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
This used to be the sticks. People were like, I'm
not driving right.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
Yeah, the boonies or what we call like you you
live out in Egypt. There's a Publix around the corner now,
like gentrification. I never thought that I see the day
that there there's a publics around the corner of Starbucks,
a Bojangles. Y'all city, Now y'all got Starbucks. Yeah they
(17:44):
got blown. It's not open yet in the McDonald's. It's
going to open, so full blown gentrified. Like if I
go out, I can see the new road and all
of that, and you don't like that, huh too much.
But but I'm just trying to look on the brighter side.
It's going to be more clients for me, So that's
(18:05):
what I'm trying.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
On top of it already coins.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Right, but.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
Enslaved our ancestors and enslaved black people. If they were
called riding a horse, it would be like, okay, something
is up because they mules or they didn't have horses.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
So it's like we already.
Speaker 3 (18:27):
Started behind and now I just I just don't want
any kid that if I can help it, I don't
want any kid to feel like, dang, nobody ever taught
me this and that, or for them to feel like
they're behind, because that sucks if you feel like you're behind,
or if you don't.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Know something right right.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
So I'm just curious because I do want to talk.
I do want to touch on a yeeha agenda, which
I found very interesting. But did you like the movie
The Harder They Fall?
Speaker 2 (18:56):
I did like that. I like that movie.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
Now, the only thing I will say about these movie situations,
I don't know why they don't reach out to.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
People who have already done certain things.
Speaker 3 (19:07):
Because my coloring book, at least like eight of the
members of the cast the characters in the movie are
in my coloring book. So it's like I watched interviews
and I saw stuff like tweets and stuff when they
were talking about it. But this could have been like
(19:28):
a whole thing because I was I'm already here, I've
been here, I have a nonprofit and I've been getting
my horses into neighborhoods and stuff like that. Kids coming out,
specifically black kids what I've been targeting. So it was like,
you know, when these things happen, maybe they have on
a local level. I didn't see it, but reaching out
(19:52):
like how cool would that have been to be able
to be like, Okay, if you're interested, here are facilities
that you can go to. Here are museums that you
can go to. Here are black owned businesses, black farmers,
black horse farms that you can't help support because.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
A lot of us are struggling out here.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
And that was my entire thing with the different projects
that I've worked on throughout the years, Like since twenty thirteen,
I've been working on projects with other people that they
have started and really just left it where it was at.
But that has always been my issue. How me being included?
How does that not only help me, but how does
(20:34):
it help my community? How does it help other black
equestrians who you know, you know they living on Grandma land,
but somebody want to somebody want to sell Grandma land,
or somebody can't pay taxes on Grandma land.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
How does that help them keep their land? How does
it help them get their own land?
Speaker 3 (20:51):
And I had seen that anywhere, So that was my
biggest thing with the Yehulgeen, the gyiests you know.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
Like before you, before you, because I want to touch
on that because a lot of people don't know what
the Ehiah agenda is. But before we talk about that,
do you feel like a lot of this be like
the movies and stuff is performative. Yeah, because after they,
you know, like did the movie.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
I didn't see anything else. I didn't see anything for kids,
I didn't see anything for adults. It was like okay,
that was it.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
And then the directors like they had a heavy presence
on social media.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
Do you remembers he made Instagram?
Speaker 1 (21:27):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (21:27):
I mean yeah, and where and left right right, Like okay,
y'all made draw money, but we still out here struggling
right right right.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
So the eha agenda y'all has gained popularity on social
media and was used to describe moments where black artists, rappers,
and public figures embraced Western aesthetics cowboy hats, boots and
rodeo imagery and their work. It has become a symbol
of subverbing stereotypes and reclaiming a part of a mayoric
history that has been largely misrepresentative. So obviously you feel
(22:05):
like the yeehah agenda has been performative.
Speaker 3 (22:09):
Yeah, And again I say that because I personally know
people who couldn't pay taxes on land or lost land,
or didn't have enough resources to take care of their horses,
had to get rid of everything. And it's like, dang,
like I can they might not be on social media,
but I can see people making money off of our history,
(22:31):
you know, and not really pouring back into our community,
but they're pouring into somebody they might find on social media.
But it's like, dang, what about the people who taught us,
you know, the people before us and stuff like that,
like how do you pray tribute to them? And I
just felt like, like it's cool because I even did
a blog about the Yeeha agenda and different celebrities throughout
(22:54):
the century who have you know either like Will Smith.
I think it was a BT performance and he you know,
the Wild Wow West song and all that stuff. Like I.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
Did a blog about that Little Eggs.
Speaker 3 (23:10):
I haven't even seen much of Little Nights x like,
and the only song that most people know is Old.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
Town Row.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
Yeah, because at the time I was teaching with kids
and it was just kids was singing yes. So it's
like where we're not at, Like okay, like you you
put your cowboy hat down. That's of all I don't
even wear a cowgirl hat, like I just started wearing
it recently because pictures in public. Right, I'm reading to
(23:44):
like little kids, because most times I'm wearing a helmet.
I can't wear a helmet on the top of my
cowgirl hat, even though they do make an helment that
is like a cowboy hat.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
I just don't like how it looks.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
But but you feel like the esthetic of a calgirl
has evolved as well. Yes, So I'm glad you said that,
So I listen. I did my research.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
Now.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
I was like to you, So I used.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
To do Rodeo relay and I remember googling like black
cowgirl and the only thing that popped up was black
cowgirl boots, black chaps, black clothes, black hats. That's what
popped up. It wasn't actual.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
Black people, right right.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
So definitely has evolved, and you know, it's it's it's
moved like some people put their own, you know, their
own playing to it, their own style. But I remember
when it used to just be like naked women and
cowgirl hats and and panties, and it was like that
was what a cowgirl is. And it's like, okay, this
is this waltry stuff is not what you wear when
(24:46):
you're out with horses, even though you can. But that's
not realistic. Yeah, that real nothing and nothing against that.
But again, those people who were dressing like that, they
were like models, and they were doing it for modeling.
They were doing it because they were actually around horses
and of course ill to men. So yes, it has evolved,
(25:22):
and I love it because it's like how how nobody
can like nobody. It's like the word equestrian. Equestrian is
the umbrella turn. It literally means someone who rides or
performs on horseback.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
That's the textbook definition.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
But I always tell kids that they're equestrians because to me,
it's just like you love horses, you're around horses, whether
you sat on a horse or you overcame your fear
of even touching a horse. I just feel like they're
all equestrians. And people go back and forth between old equestrian, cowboy, cowgirl,
oh blah blah. It's so many words. And then I
at one point I was set up and I just saying,
(26:00):
horse folk, like, we're not about to have beef over
these words.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
Right right? You know you? Also, I think I was
reading something that you. I think he was interviewed for
something or something with something you was including. And you
also brought up the issue of lack of representation and
gear and what ways do you feel the industry falls
short when the concept providing inclusive gear for black how girls?
And I was like, damn, I didn't even think about that,
because you know, we were we we have brains, we
(26:26):
have natural hair fro And I'm like, I can't even
imagine you not wanting the rye and you're not able
to fully protect yourself like you should.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
Yeah, definitely with with the helmet situation. And it's so
interesting anytime a black person brings up helmets because somebody
will say, well, football players have have locks, football players
have blocks, but guess what, they researched and created helmets
that protect them with their locks, with their different shaped heads.
(26:54):
They have yet to do that within the equestrian industry.
And when I started talking about it, now only did
other black people, other black equestrians started to talk about
how they couldn't find the helmets that fit. It was
other racest talking about like Asian for example. Asian equestrians
were reaching out to me. They're like, our heads are
(27:16):
naturally shaped a certain way.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
Helmets do not get it.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
No, like having smaller heads. Right, Oh, they were just
like people.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
I mean, I get so many messages or have gotten
so many messages of people just saying this is an
issue for me too, you.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
Know, like it's just.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
It's really a lot of non white people. And then
the white people that did say they had issues with helmets,
it was mainly ladies that had really curly hair and
like like thick and curly hair, or they might have
had thin hair and it kind of like a narrow
and a narrow head or something like that. So they
just need to do a lot more research and studies
(27:58):
on helmets in general, which I have found a helmet
that I like.
Speaker 2 (28:05):
I do like it.
Speaker 3 (28:06):
It's really adjustable, but I would like to see some
actual research because you know, if you put a baby
in a car seat with a coat on, like a
winter coat, and if you adjust a car seat with
them in the coat, if there's an impact, the coat
will flatten, so then it's not really protecting because it'll
be loose. So my thinking is, if I push my
(28:28):
afro into my helmet impact, what happens to my hair?
Does my hair flattened right or its cushion. You know
what I'm saying, Well, survive, Yeah, then I wonna survive.
So I would like for them to put an afro
on a test dummy and see what happened.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
Right.
Speaker 3 (28:50):
Put some micro not nobody wear microbrais nomore, Put some
braids on that on the test dummy and see what
happens because we don't know, like nobody knows.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
Damn.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
I used to love me some micro breaks.
Speaker 2 (29:03):
It had them faithfully sitting in the salon all day.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
No. I used to go to my homegirl house in
the hood. Her name was Stephanica, and she said to
be doing my hair from sun up to sundown.
Speaker 2 (29:14):
Yo, all day, just sitting there in your hair done right.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
Another good point that you made was that all body
types and disabilities are not given the same space to
drive in an equestrian world, which I thought was fucked up.
Speaker 3 (29:30):
It really is, because you know, there are people always
I hate those comments when people are commenting on people's
weights and they're like that you're too big to be
on that horse, And it's like, first of all, if
anybody was too big to be on any horse, that
horse is gonna let you know oh, either it's on
this collapse, its legs is gonna buckle up up under it.
(29:51):
It's gonna buck, try to buck like I feel like
the horse will let you know. Also, everybody isn't always
too big for the horse. The horse might be trained,
you know, I mean, horses are athletic. Might you know
they might have some sort of exercise regimen where they
keep up with that horse and make it comfortable. So
I think when situations like that happen, they just want
(30:13):
a fat shame and call people games and stuff like that.
And then with disabilities in general, I know our farm
is not accessible to anybody that's in a wheelchair. Not
all people who are in a wheelchair are like paralyzed
and stuff like that, Like we don't always know like
why they're in a wheelchair. But I've been at therapeutic
(30:35):
riding centers where they had like certain ramps so that
people could get on. But again, those are therapeutic riding centers.
Not everybody that's in a wheelchair needs that. So it's
just like thinking about when I go to different farms,
if somebody in a wheelchair were to come here at
the front of our barn, like they were literally to
(30:56):
we would have to give them like a detour to
get into the barn because at the of our barn
it's rained so much, it's created a And then another
thing with disabilities is people just are not super considerate. Yeah,
you know, because not all disabilities can be seen, and
not all people feel like super comfortable.
Speaker 1 (31:20):
You know, especially in this ghetto ass world and.
Speaker 3 (31:23):
Talking about it. So it all, it all depends. But
I think it's so unfortunate. And even people who want
to be around horses, but maybe they have anxiety. But yeah,
sometimes we aren't super considerate because I know, like with me,
I'll be in my own world. I try not to
deal with adults too much. I love working with kids.
(31:47):
I don't have too much against adults. But sometimes sometimes
they're so afraid and I'm like, this is ain't gonna
do nothing to you. And if it was, like, why
would I put myself in that situation so you can
sue me.
Speaker 2 (32:04):
I'm not gonna lie.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
I went to I think it was close toa Rica,
and we did a trail with the horses. I had
like this little white little pony and I ain't gonna lie.
She was very strong because I was so nervous and
we had like that. We had we had to like
hike up a mountain or something.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
Oh.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
When I tell you, I was proud. I was like, Cocaine,
please do not drop me.
Speaker 3 (32:24):
No, first of all, hiking up any mountain and you
don't ride horses on their regular now, that's scary.
Speaker 1 (32:32):
The girl, when I tell you, I was freaking out.
I had named her Cocaine. I was like, Cocaine please.
I was like please, girl, can we And she was
going up the mountain. I was like, good girl, like
because I can feel her. And horses are very powerful,
they very animals. So I was like, girl, you're not
gonna Christopher readze me Like, oh my god.
Speaker 3 (32:53):
And you know what, I didn't even know who that
was until people started telling me like they were afraid
of horses because of what happened.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
To him, and yeah, horse superman up you. So I
had to google and I was like, oh my gosh.
It's like, oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
Yeah, oh he went round like and a horse does
something knocked hi mom, and he broke his neck. He's paralyzed.
Speaker 2 (33:14):
Yeah, And that's the other thing in horses.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
It is dangerous to be around horses and That's another
part of why I really am like, okay, creating that
safe and positive environment. You need the proper education. Yeah,
because it's not fair. For it's not fair, and I
say this in a lot of my videos. It's not
fair for people to reach out to me and say
they wished I lived closer to them, to say they
(33:38):
wish they lived closer to me, because they literally cannot
find anywhere that's not racist so that they can take their.
Speaker 2 (33:45):
Kids to learn about horses.
Speaker 3 (33:47):
And that sucks because it's like, no parent wants to
put their kid in a situation where they might not
be taken seriously and they might not be.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
Looked after like the other kids.
Speaker 3 (33:58):
Yeah, because a horse could knock you out with its
head like a horse.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
Mm hm.
Speaker 1 (34:06):
That's why I was like, come on, cocaine, Like I
got things.
Speaker 3 (34:08):
To do, Like.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
We get up this mountain.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
Were getting up this mountain, baby girl. I also came
across this question that you're constantly asked about on the
reasons why you put black in front of cowgirl all
the time, and I just be like, I know it
is because when they say don't read the comments, and
I get to reading the comments, that's what normally that's
(34:33):
what the comments are. Like a lot of times it
is people saying, oh, that's wonderful news. And I'm specifically
talking about articles that came out and they're like the
black cowgirl.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
But sometimes there are oh my gosh. I remember when Adobe.
I just went Adobe and they were like, why do
you have to say the black cowgirl? Why can't you
just say cowgirl? First of all?
Speaker 3 (34:52):
Your only comment and to make that comment, like you
could have been like, oh, that's amazing what she's doing.
But their only comment is to say that, like.
Speaker 1 (35:00):
Or you to say anything.
Speaker 3 (35:02):
Yeah, you didn't have to say you just kept strolling.
So it's so interesting and so I've explained it and
I'm just like, y'all, I'm black, right, we can see that.
I don't see you better see my color because no,
that's not what we're going to do, because I think
my black is beautiful. Come on, it's like, I'm black.
(35:23):
And then I didn't want to use the word equestrian.
Have you heard five year olds, six year olds, seven
year olds try to pronounce certain words. I didn't want
to use black equestrians. So I just kept it with
simple black cowgirl, super simple. Because when I showed up
because I was doing a lot of readings at schools,
(35:45):
readings about black cowboys, and I would dressed up like
now that's when I would wear like a cowgirl hat
and I would dress up in full cowboy yeah after that,
like calgro like that maybe the way shells. I'm telling you,
(36:07):
I'll be wearing a helmet. I'm in my bonding at
the farm, I had something. Anyway, they would be like, oh,
it's a cowgirl.
Speaker 1 (36:16):
So are there any particular cowgirls like cowboys who inspire
you or who you look up to.
Speaker 2 (36:24):
That I look up to you. That's a great question.
Speaker 1 (36:28):
Like who's your go to calgirl cowboy?
Speaker 3 (36:33):
Oh my goodness, please forgive me in advance if I
pronounce her name wrong. The actor Pam Grier, her last
name gert Ye. I didn't know that if she has
a background in like veterinarian science and all of this
awesome stuff.
Speaker 2 (36:52):
So when I found that out, I was like, Oh,
she's just she's awesome and she's.
Speaker 1 (36:56):
Bad too, so that's what's up.
Speaker 3 (36:58):
Yes, And then so Dad O'Brien, she rides English, but
I just think that it's me she rides English, So
there's there's English and there's Western. Western is what you
see in like the Cowboy movies. They have a seattle
that has like a horn on it. It's a heavier,
it looks it looks hairy, heavier. Well, it's a heavier saddle.
(37:21):
And then the English shaddow doesn't have a horn on it,
and it's totally different, Like the stirrups are different, the
way the saddles are made. It's totally it's two different styles.
So Soladad O'Brien rides English, and so it's like these
ladies are in they're not thirties and they're horses. They're
(37:43):
older women riding horses, And I just think that it's
so amazing because a lot of times can be cool. Yeah,
when we were on trail rides, there were not a
lot of women riding, right, Like my cousin rode horses
and my dad's friend his daughter rode horses, and it
was like we're the only girls out here, Like it
might be some girls like every now and then, but
(38:05):
it was mainly men. So to see you riding, I
think that's pretty dope. But as far as like anybody else,
I don't really have that many role models like that.
When it comes to this horse stuff. Like I'm inspired
when I see, you know, on social media people posting
and continuing their education and stuff. And then in my
(38:30):
actual real life, like I just love being around our
trail ride atmosphere because I mean I grew up in it,
you know, Like that's always the thing I wanted to do.
Like kids probably wanted to go to the movies or
go to the skating rink or something. I was ready
to go to the trail ride, to be at the
(38:51):
trail ride with my horses, even though I was super shy,
but I just always just felt comfortable just doing that.
Speaker 1 (39:00):
So do you engage with or connect with the other
cowgirls within the community.
Speaker 3 (39:05):
Yeah, and it's wild because we are all spread out.
Speaker 1 (39:10):
Yeah, like y'all all over the place.
Speaker 2 (39:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (39:12):
Some of the ladies I know on our Trail Rock
circuit who do amazing work in the community, they like
maybe like an hour or so away from me. So
it's not like anybody is really in my backyard. Like
it's like I'm here, somebody's over there. There's a girl
out in Charlotte that's doing some stuff that's like two
hours inster Changed for me. So nobody is like really
(39:33):
right here where we could be like, hey, let's meet up.
Speaker 2 (39:36):
Like I don't have that right now, right, And I mean,
it is what it is.
Speaker 3 (39:43):
But I guess it's also a good thing because there's
representation in different places in North k and then I
know a lot of my support and it's so odd,
like I don't know why comes from California.
Speaker 2 (39:58):
Really yes, and I'm just like you' are so far away.
Speaker 1 (40:04):
Yeah, so it is.
Speaker 3 (40:06):
You know, like weighing on me when I'm like, dang,
I really need some help and reading comments and people
are like I would love to help, but I live
in Michigan.
Speaker 2 (40:13):
I live in California.
Speaker 3 (40:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (40:15):
I was just about to answer that, because when it
comes to the ranch and all of these animals you have,
you're the only one that's taking care of them.
Speaker 2 (40:21):
Right up, it's me.
Speaker 1 (40:23):
So what does like a typical day look like? Because
that's a lot.
Speaker 2 (40:27):
Oh, it is a lot. So Okay, I get up
in the morning, I.
Speaker 1 (40:31):
Go, what's time? You wake up?
Speaker 2 (40:33):
Real quick?
Speaker 3 (40:35):
By either five or six. Between five and seven, I'm
out the door most days, probably six o'clock I'm out
the door. So I get up and I go and
feed everybody that's in the stalls in the barn. So
there's six horses that are in the stalls daily, they
(40:56):
do get turned out. I just I have a horse,
Rainbow and Peaches. Peaches is a miniature horse, so I'll
just let them out and let them eat grass around
the farm and then bring them back in and let
man Man. He's a he's a miniature horse, but he's
a stud, so him and Peaches can't be out at
the same time, so I'll let him out. And yes,
(41:19):
I don't want a baby. And she's a baby. She's
only a baby, she's only nine months.
Speaker 1 (41:25):
Not the horses outside.
Speaker 3 (41:27):
He might try it, but so yeah, I feed the
horses that are in the barn, feed the goats and
the sheep, sweep the barn out.
Speaker 2 (41:34):
Our barn is very long, so sweep that entire out.
Speaker 1 (41:37):
You have a big ass barn.
Speaker 2 (41:39):
Too, Yes, it is huge. And then give everybody water.
Speaker 3 (41:44):
And I give him order twice because most times it's
empty in the morning when I get there. They drunk
it all overnight, so I fill it up once and
then fill it up again because they probably drunk all
of it.
Speaker 2 (41:57):
And check the.
Speaker 3 (41:58):
Horses in the pasture and make sure they have water,
feed the pig. One of my pigs is locked up
right now, get offence up, just until we get a
fence that she can't get out of. One of my
other pigs, he's just roaming around. Oh, and then I
have to clean the stalls. Now, cleaning the stalls is
(42:19):
what takes the most time because I at the moment,
I don't have a tractor, and I have to go
into each stall. It's kind of like the stalls have
sawdust in it. So just imagine a giant kitty litter
box and you know, you just scoop it out. That's
what I do for each of the stalls. And so
(42:40):
then I had to dump it. And our manure mountain
is like around the corner from the barn. So you
gotta put the manure like scoop all the manure out
of the stall, put it in the wheelbarrow, push the wh.
Speaker 2 (42:53):
And then come back and then do the next all.
Speaker 3 (42:56):
And then some days I have to take everything out
of the stalls called dripping, and then put new sawdust in.
And I do all this by hand, like I do
not use machinery. Because you got four babies, yes, and
I have four girls. So at some point in that
morning routine. I come back home, wake them up, the
little ones, get a bath, everybody gets dressed, drop them
(43:20):
all off at school, and then come back and finish.
Speaker 1 (43:24):
So I ain't trying to be in your business or anything,
but how do you make money?
Speaker 3 (43:29):
So this summer, well, I've been doing it multiple summers.
Hod I do summer camps, the color and book. I
used to do corspect riding lessons a lot more than
what I am doing now. Now I have restructured my
riding academy and the goal isn't to focus on riding.
(43:51):
The goal is to focus on horse welfare so that
horses don't end up like the horses that we used
to take care of when I was little, because sometimes
we would take in people's horses because they could no
longer take care of them or they just less. And
then I bought a horse a year ago who was
like skin and bones, and I never I never want
(44:14):
a kid that was taught by me to not know
what to do and to not ask for help. So
that's how I make my money off of that. I
did have an overnight job at the beginning of the year,
but I couldnot stay awake and I was terrible.
Speaker 2 (44:31):
I ended up being plated.
Speaker 1 (44:33):
You got fired.
Speaker 2 (44:34):
No, I just left.
Speaker 3 (44:37):
Because I got falling asleep. And then when we're on break,
I would just I would be sleeping. I'll always come
back like ten minutes late, and I'm like, y'all, I'm sleepy.
Speaker 1 (44:46):
No, So how do you buy everything? Because you're are
you a single mother?
Speaker 3 (44:52):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (44:52):
So you ad a mother for you have this growing farm,
had you're an entrepreneur, like you're well known in the community. Like,
how are you balancing everything? I am running off a fuse, Like,
I'm pretty sure you get burned out, which is not.
Speaker 2 (45:09):
A good thing, you know.
Speaker 3 (45:10):
Like the biggest task definitely is trying to find that balance.
Speaker 2 (45:15):
And so we moved. So had our childhood home renovated because.
Speaker 3 (45:21):
It had mold in the walls and stuff like that,
and we moved in at the beginning.
Speaker 2 (45:28):
We wait, we.
Speaker 3 (45:30):
Moved in last year. I still have no like, there
are still things that I need. My bathroom isn't even finished.
Speaker 2 (45:37):
We don't even have you don't.
Speaker 3 (45:39):
Have mirrors in the bathroom. I got one mirror in
the house and that's on my dresser. So it's like
there's always something to do. So I'm just always getting
stuff done. But I'm gonna, like, I don't know, I'm
hoping to, hopefully after this month, find someone who can
(45:59):
come and help with the kids on a consistent basis
so that I can be like, Okay, let me tackle
this and slowly.
Speaker 2 (46:08):
Make my way, because right now it is wild. Even
though I do have.
Speaker 3 (46:12):
A schedule, you know, and I have my routine, just
trying really hard to just polish it up a little
bit more so that so that it's more consistency, because
the most the thing is me feeding the animals like
I have to, and I have to do it at
certain times my kids bedtime, even though as they did tonight,
(46:36):
they wanted to come and give me a hug.
Speaker 1 (46:54):
Wait, so you ain't. Ain't no fine black cowboys where
you at?
Speaker 3 (47:00):
That's the problem. Maybe they're all too fine and everybody
want them.
Speaker 1 (47:04):
Oh yeah, yeah, that could be it. That could be it.
Speaker 2 (47:08):
Shoot, I think that might be the problem.
Speaker 1 (47:11):
Yeah, you know, cowboys are in too.
Speaker 3 (47:13):
So that part because you know somebody, I think somebody
messaged me on TikTok and they were like, can you
introduce me?
Speaker 2 (47:21):
Introduce you back here? I'm looking for myself, right.
Speaker 1 (47:25):
I used to make come and take care of this
household shit, right.
Speaker 3 (47:29):
Come build met a chicken coop, right, not chicken coop?
Cash your fices up right, So I'll go ahead, We'll
see me, Especially when men like I don't think that
they realize that, like I be at the barn, you know,
(47:49):
like and how I'm I meet somebody if I'm at
the barn.
Speaker 2 (47:52):
Well what they don't do for fun?
Speaker 1 (47:54):
Because you can't be at the bar twenty four.
Speaker 2 (47:55):
Seven, You ain't gonna be no man, not that people
can that part. I approchet.
Speaker 1 (48:02):
You need to go outside when yeah, with some cowboy
boost on a little mini skirt and find you a
man ship. You too cute to myself this.
Speaker 2 (48:14):
Part, But I I do, I do need to get
out like that. It's so funy. They're gonna get to
this part and be like child everybody going through it.
But I'm hoping to. I'm hoping to just to have
some more fun. But trail rides used to be my thing,
like just going used to bag them at.
Speaker 3 (48:35):
No, no, no, I gotta go on the trail to
get a nigga.
Speaker 2 (48:42):
Yeah you on the trail ride all over you, that.
Speaker 1 (48:47):
Would be all over you are pro showing back outside
of dating. So I'm like, I need need a good
black fire man. I'm in New York.
Speaker 2 (48:57):
Oh, I've been going to New York.
Speaker 3 (48:59):
I can't release while I'm going there yet, but I'll
be going to New York in October for some.
Speaker 1 (49:07):
Hit me up, let's go out. They can go to
a bar together.
Speaker 2 (49:12):
I'm serious, hit me up, pay will.
Speaker 3 (49:17):
I think I'll be there for like three days. But
it's something that's really special and I'm super excited. But
they told me I can't say anything until they make
a press release.
Speaker 1 (49:26):
So well, if you can bring a plus one, I
want to come.
Speaker 2 (49:30):
Yeah, So I'm excited. Oh yeah, we used to have it.
We used to have a trail ride in New York.
Like these are the things that I'm talking about, Like
there's so much history and our trail ride circuit on
the East Coast. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (49:45):
But yeah, the the Federation of Black Cowboys, they're in
New York and I'm pretty sure some of them are
still there.
Speaker 2 (49:52):
But they did used to host an annual trail ride
in New York.
Speaker 3 (49:56):
That was one of the coolest things, you know, to
be able to witness, right, But yeah, and then the
something and I don't know if you were even going
to say this, but something that people say, like, oh,
well she doesn't have cows.
Speaker 2 (50:12):
I don't have cows, and think about that. Why ain't
got no cows?
Speaker 3 (50:18):
We had cows at one point, but cow fences and
horse fences, like we could put up some string and
some poles and the horses are not going to get
out of it, because when the horse feels like they're
in something, they're like, Okay, I'm in this, unless they're
a rebel and they like challenge it. But you do
(50:39):
have to have certain type of fences to keep cows,
and you need space for cows. And I don't think
we ever had like enough space to have horses and
cows all in the same thing. But somebody did just
give me some cows. So now I got cows, but
they're not here yet.
Speaker 1 (51:00):
You eat meat.
Speaker 2 (51:02):
Sometimes I do, but not.
Speaker 3 (51:05):
I don't eat beef and I don't eat pork, but
I would tear out some chicken wings.
Speaker 1 (51:12):
So what are some of the biggest lessons you learned
from working with animals, especially horses?
Speaker 3 (51:18):
Oh, patients and my horse, Rainbow, the one that I
bought a year ago, she's teaching me even more patients
because sometimes I do get frustrated with her because she
horses going heat and she want a baby so bad,
but I cannot. No, So when horses going heat, I
(51:43):
don't know the technical term for this, and I never
thought to look it up, but they actually like this
liquid comes this fluid comes out of like nut.
Speaker 2 (51:55):
No, like I don't even know what baby if I see.
Speaker 3 (52:00):
Some liquirts out.
Speaker 2 (52:05):
Yes, and.
Speaker 3 (52:09):
She wants a baby so bad because she's in heat
and her hormones are like breed me. But I can't
bread her because she isn't at her ideal wait, because
it takes a long.
Speaker 2 (52:20):
Time for horses to grow to I.
Speaker 3 (52:22):
Mean, to gain weight. And when I got her, like
I said, she was just skin and bones. So I
cannot I cannot in my right mind like breed her.
And she gets pregnant because the baby could take so
much from her.
Speaker 2 (52:35):
So like, let's finish, you know.
Speaker 3 (52:38):
Getting you back to where you need to be. And
after that, if everything is good to go, but not
right now.
Speaker 1 (52:45):
You're gonna breed her with stuck.
Speaker 2 (52:47):
Mm hmm yep.
Speaker 3 (52:49):
Eventually if everything is okay, I definitely will. Yeah, So
it is what was the question I never forgot? Lord?
Speaker 1 (52:58):
Well, when you said, I asked you what was some
of the things that working with animals taught you or horses,
but you said patience.
Speaker 2 (53:04):
Yeah, so patients.
Speaker 3 (53:04):
Because I'll let her out and let her free roam
and eat grass around the farm, and then when I
go get her, she don't want to come on, not girl,
come own because I can't leave her out because she'll
go and stand in front of the studs that are
in the stalls.
Speaker 1 (53:20):
Horses, I would say one of them type of holes.
Speaker 3 (53:24):
Yes, and they will go crazy and like be sweating,
and I'm like, oh my gosh. Yes, So they taught
me patients. Consistency. You've got to be consistent. Yeah, you
have to be consistent with feeding them, and really.
Speaker 2 (53:41):
To have fun, like more now than ever.
Speaker 3 (53:44):
And I think it shows in my Instagram excuse me,
in my Instagram post. I'm just having a lot of fun,
just enjoying the horses. I haven't even been riding like that,
but I haven't been riding like that. I'm talking to them,
doing stuff, just watching them sometimes. Yeah, and just getting
(54:05):
back into my groove because I've kind of been like
not myself, Like I've been myself, but like you burned
out yeah, I've been burned out. So I'm just getting
to where I'm like, okay, delegating, trying to figure out
how I can get volunteers out.
Speaker 1 (54:25):
Like so you need help. You can't because the way
you're moving, like especially with you having for babies, like
that's a lot. And I be seeing you. I'm like, yo,
this girl is up and I'm up early, Like you
need something. You need help because it's I mean, well
with any growing business, and your business is definitely growing
and reaching a lot of people, so you need as
(54:45):
much support as possible.
Speaker 3 (54:47):
Because I think I think I may have officially been
on every news channel.
Speaker 1 (54:54):
You ain't got to use.
Speaker 3 (54:56):
I'm down, especially the like it's wild, like seeing it
Good Morning America and yeah.
Speaker 1 (55:04):
You've been everywhere.
Speaker 3 (55:05):
Yeah, I'll be on PBS. I saw that, Like it's
like all these things are happening. So I'm just putting
in the pieces, like I'll be up like it's ten o'clock.
So last night, all this week, what I've been doing
is going to bed early, and then I'll wake up
around like this time or like one in the morning,
(55:25):
and I'm wiping out stuff and getting stuff ready.
Speaker 1 (55:30):
And it's probably the only time you can really work
since your kids are sleep too.
Speaker 3 (55:34):
While they're sleeping, So it's like, Okay, I'm learning to
build an even stronger foundation because it's just like, okay,
you need that I have, you know, I have access
to the farm, the horses, all these animals, but I
have to really like strengthen this foundation cause it's it's
cool and now that I think about it, like it's
(55:55):
wild that a lot of my I guess family members
and maybe you just never had those conversations, but sometimes
it does seem like I'm the only one interested in
farm life. Like in both sides of my family, they
were farmers, like my family was.
Speaker 2 (56:13):
They were farmers.
Speaker 3 (56:14):
They raised hogs, they had not hogs, they had fields
of food that they grew and they went and farmed
at other land, other farms and stuff like that. So
it's like, how do you get away from that because
we need it now more than.
Speaker 1 (56:30):
Oh yeah, the way they putting it in our food.
But I think you make a good point. It's very
unfortunate when the tradition just dies and then unfortunately you
have to keep the or one person have to keep
the tradition going, and that's a lot of work. Because
the tradition is so rich and so long and so full.
So it's just like, what do you do at this point?
(56:50):
Maybe you should have the conversation with your family and
just ask because like you're not just out here starting
off like you also like a lot of people know
who you are.
Speaker 2 (56:58):
Yeah, that that part, and I just you.
Speaker 1 (57:02):
Know, imagine what y'all can do if everyone wants to
help out.
Speaker 3 (57:06):
Yeah, and seeing this horse fast you know this this
uh well it was a dirt road be turned into
houses and asphalt like Starbucks. Oh yeah, Starbucks publics, Like
we used to ride trails through here, Like people don't
even know. And that's how I feel every time I
(57:28):
go to publics, because I do go to this publics.
Speaker 1 (57:31):
Just steal from them. That's that's your reparation.
Speaker 3 (57:34):
That point, I go over there and get a couple
of ice, right, But every time I go in there,
I'm just like, these people have no idea what used
to be here, Like that's I can't help but think
that every single time, every time, like.
Speaker 2 (57:47):
These people don't know that was all through here.
Speaker 1 (57:51):
Yeah. Wow, Now what inspire you to come to combine
your passion for horses and reading to create settle up
and read.
Speaker 2 (58:00):
Because these kids was not reading. They were not reading,
but they were interested in horses.
Speaker 3 (58:07):
And really it was like, and I always say it
was a good idea, because why was I up one
random night at twelve o'clock and thinking about literacy rates?
Speaker 2 (58:17):
Like, ain't nobody doing that?
Speaker 1 (58:20):
And it's definitely low within our community, especially in the.
Speaker 3 (58:22):
South, it is. And when I started collecting those books
that had black people and horses, horse spoke in them.
I remember reading a story about time and toime again,
it was always a black man. He didn't know how
to read, He didn't know how to read, He didn't
know how to read. And you look at the literacy rates.
(58:43):
These kids don't know how to read. Why did we
think that these black children don't know how to read
today because of slavery? Toukle down And I just think
that it's not that people don't it's not that families
don't think read is important. Just look at how hard
black families are working just to provide, right and I've
(59:05):
seen this too.
Speaker 2 (59:07):
People will be like, well, they got new.
Speaker 3 (59:08):
Cars and they got the latest jays, and they got
this and they got that. Y'all a lot of mindsets
have been birthed because of slavery. It's like, let me
just get that instant gratification of something that I can
feel good. Yeah, so you can feel good because if
we look at how outside it looked real ghetto like
(59:31):
people working in their checks.
Speaker 2 (59:33):
The checks, the math.
Speaker 1 (59:35):
Is the math mathing.
Speaker 3 (59:36):
It's not so I can totally understand why some people
are like, you know what, if I'm gonna work this
hard and I get paid pennies, I might as well
look good.
Speaker 2 (59:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (59:46):
Or still so.
Speaker 3 (59:48):
They might not prioritize, you know, reading at home, even
though reading at home is really important. So people always say,
you know, like read to your kids. Yes, read, But
I I still feel like those of us who do
have some sort of privilege or do realize that hey,
as a community, we can do more, Like if I
have four kids and all of these animals and I
(01:00:10):
can start a nonprofit, like somebody can pick up the
phone and call your younger cousin and be like, hey,
you want to go to the library.
Speaker 2 (01:00:17):
Hey do you a library card? What books do you like?
Speaker 1 (01:00:19):
And then they abandon books, they closed down libraries. It's like, yo,
y'all are making it. And I'm an avid reader. Like,
I always loved to read ever since I was a
little girl. So the fact that they closing down libraries,
I'm just like, yo, that's so fucking heartbreaking.
Speaker 3 (01:00:35):
Before they before people start realizing that was happening, I
had made a tweet and I was like, how old
were you when you realized that not all schools had
a library? And yeah, and it was like some people
just like what.
Speaker 2 (01:00:48):
They never even crossed my mind? And I'm like, and
now they're like really closing them.
Speaker 3 (01:00:53):
So I wanted to do Saddle Up and Read to
really just encourage kids, and the focus was black because
I felt like we needed books. Because something that really
started to fix me off is I love books.
Speaker 2 (01:01:07):
I do.
Speaker 3 (01:01:08):
Sometimes I just feel like putting a black character on
the cover of a book when you are a white
author and a.
Speaker 2 (01:01:16):
White illustrator is so misleading.
Speaker 3 (01:01:20):
And I remember it coming across books and I would
read it like black families, but the language and how
the character is like I've read this one book and
they called the black boy jungle foot.
Speaker 1 (01:01:32):
Now what now, one nigga you know is calling a
boy a little black boy jungle foot.
Speaker 3 (01:01:38):
Exactly, And I was like, oh my gosh, like nobody
thought that this was a bad idea for these two
white ladies to write this book, and they called thetive.
Speaker 2 (01:01:49):
So I was like, no, we're not going to do that.
Speaker 3 (01:01:52):
We want to find books written by non white Yeah, fine,
diverse characters, multi cultural character was written by black people,
illustrated by black people, their texture, lips and noses, those
that's very important. So that's really why I did it.
And I was like, you know what, I have horses.
(01:02:15):
I've always had horses. I can share my horses. Yeah,
And it's like, yes, other people could do the same thing,
but they didn't choose to and maybe that's not their mission.
Speaker 2 (01:02:27):
It's in't my mission to share.
Speaker 3 (01:02:29):
And so yeah, Sligan Reed was born with the intent
to get kids to read, and it's working and we're growing. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:02:37):
No, good for you. You know, I believe that you
have made a significant contribution in promoting awareness on the
legacy of blacks creep. I don't know why I can't
say this word. It's question. When you receive love and
recognition from people, including Oprah, how does that make you feel?
Speaker 2 (01:02:58):
You know?
Speaker 1 (01:03:00):
I I, oh, yeah, I gotta get her because the
rest of these girls ain't got no, no stamp on Oprah.
Speaker 3 (01:03:07):
Okay, at random times it'll hit me like, oh shit,
that happened, like Oprah, know who you are.
Speaker 2 (01:03:15):
Year, but it's like it was like rolling, it was
not for you. It was nine stop.
Speaker 3 (01:03:24):
If we think about it, since twenty twenty, I have
been in the news, if not every month, every other
month for something in the news and magazines that's fire.
Speaker 2 (01:03:35):
Since twenty twenty.
Speaker 1 (01:03:37):
It is not a stop.
Speaker 2 (01:03:38):
And I'm thankful it's gonna keep going into the wheel.
Speaker 1 (01:03:41):
Yeah, I'm gonna keep this going.
Speaker 2 (01:03:44):
Into the horse stop.
Speaker 3 (01:03:46):
And so I have to like physically stop and be like, yo,
look at all this stuff that you have done. Because
on my website I was starting to put interviews and
I'm like, I've run it out of spies.
Speaker 2 (01:03:58):
This is a long time I have.
Speaker 1 (01:04:00):
Oh come on, now, come on with us.
Speaker 3 (01:04:05):
Vogue Magazine, the Washington Post, Yeah, Sidelines magazine, that's a
horse magazine, Horse Illustrated. Like it's so many different, so
many different publications. So I just think, like it's really
really cool. So I'm still like conflicting. It's like, oh
my gosh, I did these amazing things. But I'm also like, dang,
(01:04:26):
I didn't know what I know now, you know, like
to set to set that intention to like grab people,
you know, like why the iron is hot, strike while
the iron is hot and stuff like. So now like
this is what August third, I have been promoting my
coloring book NonStop. So my goal for last month was
(01:04:47):
to sell ten coloring books on Amazon. I met that goal,
and then this month the goal was twenty and I'm
already at it's August third, I'm already at I think
fourteen sales Amazon, and I know, like it's like small,
but it's like.
Speaker 1 (01:05:04):
I don't listen. Even if it's a small win, it's
still a win.
Speaker 3 (01:05:08):
Yes, But for me, it's the consistency like I have
been multiple times throughout the day.
Speaker 2 (01:05:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:05:15):
No, absolutely, So you should definitely be proud of yourself.
Like I think that what you have done, especially like
this has been your life. So I feel like for
you to like really like make a business out of it,
I think it's amazing and not even that, but also
just shedding light on the history of our people in
this world because they've been there since they won. But
you made a great point. Why is there no pictures?
Speaker 2 (01:05:38):
Yeah, like where are the pictures in right? Right, it's
not well with me.
Speaker 1 (01:05:45):
Yeah, me either. Last, but not least, what are your
thoughts on those people who have sex with horses? You know,
people be having sex with horse to stop it would go,
Oh my gosh, people be having sex with ghosts.
Speaker 2 (01:06:02):
I've heard of that before.
Speaker 3 (01:06:03):
I remember when I was younger, and I think it
like scarred me for life because it was it was
in the news or something like this.
Speaker 2 (01:06:09):
Man got caught child.
Speaker 3 (01:06:11):
If people are out there doing that, that is just
so terrible, Like that has never crossed my mind.
Speaker 2 (01:06:17):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (01:06:18):
Yeah, it's a be a big thing. When I was
a kid, I heard about it and I actually YouTube
would google it and I mean, you know, horses got
some big things. So I seen this woman and I
was like, no way, it's terrible. But no, I think
this was an amazing episode. I'm so happy that. I'm
(01:06:40):
so happy that we were able to connect and make
it work tonight, because y'all, I really been in her dms,
like just trying to bring her on the show because
I think representation in all areas matter and that's very
important to me. When I started the Professional Homegirl and
my listener's been begging for this episode, So I really
do appreciate you coming on the show.
Speaker 2 (01:07:00):
Yes, and those technical difficulties that.
Speaker 1 (01:07:03):
Was wow, wow, y'all.
Speaker 3 (01:07:06):
I was like, man, yeah, I'm glad you were determined
to not have to reschedule again.
Speaker 1 (01:07:11):
I did not want to reschedule. I'm like, come on now,
come on.
Speaker 2 (01:07:16):
Great. This is the first podcast I've done, a podcast
interview I've done in a.
Speaker 3 (01:07:20):
While, so it's always great. But yeah, I really do
be busy, like stuff will just pop up. A horse
might get out, the goats might be doing something, my
kids might be doing something, and it's just doing my
best to just go with the flow.
Speaker 1 (01:07:35):
I think you're doing an amazing job. And you know, yes,
of course, and even though a wise point once said
I don't fuck with horses since Christopher Reese, I might
have to disagree with her on that one, because this
was really an amazing conversation. You know who said that,
(01:07:55):
Oh using to rap music, So no, you don't. When
you come to New York, I'm gonna take you outside.
Speaker 2 (01:08:03):
All old music? Is it in an old song?
Speaker 1 (01:08:06):
That's Nicki minaj I gotta take you outside when you
come up here.
Speaker 2 (01:08:13):
Yeah, you're a.
Speaker 1 (01:08:14):
Farm But thank y'all, so much for listening. Please follow
me at the Professional Homegirl at the PHG podcast on
all social media platforms, and until next time, everyone Later.
The Professional Homegirl podcast is a production of the Black
Effect podcast Network. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the
(01:08:35):
iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your
favorite shows. Don't forget to subscribe and rate the show,
and you can connect with me on social media at
the PG podcast
Host
Eboné Almon
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