Mathena Washington grew up on horseback. From pony rides at three years old to volunteering at ranches in Georgia as a teenager, horses have been a constant thread through a life that's taken her from Boulder to Amarillo to Denver and back again. Now she's channeling everything she's built, an athletic background, a broadcast journalism degree from West Texas A&M, and years of community work, into one of the most intentional campaigns we've seen come through this community.Mathena is currently running for Miss Black Rodeo USA 2027, and what she's building around that campaign goes far beyond the title. She's also founding the High Plains Legacy Riders Foundation and its youth program, Lead the Legacy, which is bringing inner-city kids in Denver face-to-face with horses, agricultural education, and the confidence that comes with it.This episode is about what it looks like to build a campaign with mission and a program supported with strategy, faith, patience, and a very good calendar.Resources & References:High Plains Legacy Riders Foundation (in development)Lead the Legacy youth programMile High Equestrian and Rescue — Centennial, COMiss Black Rodeo USA 2027 — pageant in Little Rock, AR, August 20–21Justin Great — hat designer and campaign sponsorKime's Jeans — riding apparelJordan Peele's High Horse documentary (2025)If you enjoyed this episode, take a quick second and leave us a 5 star review! It helps get the podcast out to new listeners. I mean, while you're at it you should share it with a friend! I'm sure they'll enjoy this episode as much as you did.Support Our Next Level on PatreonYour support means we get to build connections with fellow horsefolk, pathways in our industry, and events that will change how we connect to our horses. Join us on Patreon to support Black in the Saddle and get access to bonus content, behind-the-scenes updates, and more ways to connect with the community. → patreon.com/blackinthesaddleJoin Us at Kinship ConferenceMark your calendar: November 6–7, 2026 in Greensboro, NC.Kinship is a two-day gathering for Black horse folks across every discipline. The FIRST event of its kind, Kinship is built on connection, mentorship, skill-sharing, and honoring the stories that shaped us. If you're looking for real community and real pathways forward in the horse industry, this is where you belong.✨ Join the waitlist + learn more: www.blkinthesaddle.com/kinshipLet's Keep in Touch:Join the newsletter to be the first to know EVERYTHING BITSFollow Black In the Saddle on InstagramFollow Abriana on InstagramSubscribe to BITS on YoutubeAdvertising DisclosureSome links or mentions in this episode may be promotional or include affiliate partnerships. We only share what aligns with the values of Black in the Saddle and serves our community.

Coach Kamerra Brown didn't set out to be a coach. She set out to be a veterinarian mostly, she admits, because she couldn't figure out another way to afford her horse habit. What she found instead was a calling she'd been living out since she was nine years old, cleaning stalls just to stay close to the thing she loved most.In this episode, Kamerra walks us through a journey that spans a childhood barn family in the Midwest, a Division I scholarship to Delaware State University (the only HBCU with a Division I NCAA equestrian team), a career-defining pivot away from vet school, and a season of professional hardship that tested everything she thought she knew about herself. Through all of it, the wins, the firsts, and the messy middle, horses and community kept showing up for her.Now she's building something new: the Nokomis Farm Foundation in Orange, Virginia, a place designed to make horses and equine education accessible to people who've always been told this world wasn't for them. Coach Kamerra is also joining us at the Kinship Conference this November, and after this conversation, you'll understand exactly why.Resources mentioned:Delaware State University Equestrian Program (only HBCU with a Division I NCAA equestrian team)Nokomis Farm Foundation — Orange, Virginia (near Montpelier/James Madison Museum)The Difference Maker by John MaxwellCrossing the Line — polo memoir (title confirmed in episode; author not fully named)Kinship Conference — November 6–7, 2026 | Greensboro, NC | blkinthesaddle.com/kinshipIf you enjoyed this episode, take a quick second and leave us a 5 star review! It helps get the podcast out to new listeners. I mean, while you're at it you should share it with a friend! I'm sure they'll enjoy this episode as much as you did.Support Our Next Level on PatreonYour support means we get to build connections with fellow horsefolk, pathways in our industry, and events that will change how we connect to our horses. Join us on Patreon to support Black in the Saddle and get access to bonus content, behind-the-scenes updates, and more ways to connect with the community. → patreon.com/blackinthesaddleJoin Us at Kinship ConferenceMark your calendar: November 6–7, 2026 in Greensboro, NC.Kinship is a two-day gathering for Black horse folks across every discipline. The FIRST event of its kind, Kinship is built on connection, mentorship, skill-sharing, and honoring the stories that shaped us. If you're looking for real community and real pathways forward in the horse industry, this is where you belong.✨ Join the waitlist + learn more: www.blkinthesaddle.com/kinshipLet's Keep in Touch:Join the newsletter to be the first to know EVERYTHING BITSFollow Black In the Saddle on InstagramFollow Abriana on InstagramSubscribe to BITS on YoutubeAdvertising DisclosureSome links or mentions in this episode may be promotional or include affiliate partnerships. We only share what aligns with the values of Black in the Saddle and serves our community.

Sydney Steverson didn't grow up in the show ring. She got bit by the horse bug at summer camp, had to put it down when life got complicated, and then made a beeline for the barn the day she crossed the graduation stage. No plan B. No "let me ease into this." Just: here we go.In this episode, Sydney, an adult amateur eventer training in Virginia with her horse Superman, brings that same energy to the conversation. If you've ever wondered what it's like coming into a high-stakes discipline in your mid-20s and being told you're already too old, Sydney shares her candid but vulnerable take. We talk about the trainer search, the ego death that horses require, and what it actually feels like to be drift compatible with a 1,200-pound animal who thinks he knows better than you (and is usually right). We also get into her fall at her last show, the video she almost didn't post, and what the outpouring from her community revealed about what vulnerability can build.Look forward to hearing more about:Growing up with horses, losing access, and coming back on her own termsThe trainer search as a Black woman in a white-dominated disciplineRelocating to Virginia to train, and what it cost and requiredWhere she's headed: five-star aspirations, a lesson program, and getting inner-city kids near horsesFind Sydney:TikTok & Instagram: @bookipsies / @bookipsies_Facebook: Sydney SteversonIf you enjoyed this episode, take a quick second and leave us a 5 star review! It helps get the podcast out to new listeners. I mean, while you're at it you should share it with a friend! I'm sure they'll enjoy this episode as much as you did.Support Our Next Level on PatreonYour support means we get to build connections with fellow horsefolk, pathways in our industry, and events that will change how we connect to our horses. Join us on Patreon to support Black in the Saddle and get access to bonus content, behind-the-scenes updates, and more ways to connect with the community. → patreon.com/blackinthesaddleJoin Us at Kinship ConferenceMark your calendar: November 6–7, 2026 in Greensboro, NC.Kinship is a two-day gathering for Black horse folks across every discipline. The FIRST event of its kind, Kinship is built on connection, mentorship, skill-sharing, and honoring the stories that shaped us. If you're looking for real community and real pathways forward in the horse industry, this is where you belong.✨ Join the waitlist + learn more: www.blkinthesaddle.com/kinshipLet's Keep in Touch:Join the newsletter to be the first to know EVERYTHING BITSFollow Black In the Saddle on InstagramFollow Abriana on InstagramSubscribe to BITS on YoutubeAdvertising DisclosureSome links or mentions in this episode may be promotional or include affiliate partnerships. We only share what aligns with the values of Black in the Saddle and serves our community.

In this episode, I am joined by Tiombe Vaughan, whom I had the pleasure of meeting in person at the Black Equestrian Summer Bash. Tiombe is an incredible equestrian, artist, and breed preservationist who is doing vital work to protect the Spanish Barb horse. We dive deep into her journey from being a kid in Queens, New York, to establishing Falcons Heritage Farm in Waldorf, Maryland, where she balances life as a veterinary technician with the demands of running a sustainable homestead.We explore how Tiombe uses her background in veterinary medicine and her incredible talent as a self-taught artist to promote the versatility of this historic breed. Tiombe shares the realities of "foaling" and breeding these hardy horses, explaining why it is so important to preserve their form-to-function heritage. She also opens up about the resilience required to navigate the horse industry as a Black woman and the importance of keeping your "blinders on" to stay focused on your vision.I truly loved learning about her "plan A, B, and C" approach to sustainability, from spinning wool from her own sheep to her dreams of a family compound. Tiombe is a powerful example of what it means to steward both the land and the legacy of the horses that built our history. I know you will find her story as inspiring as I didIn this episode:Why preserving the Spanish Barb breed matters now more than ever.Tiombe’s pivot from aspiring vet to full-time preservationist and artist.The unique story of Falcon Wind, her heart horse who started it all.Lessons on land, lineage, and community as a Black horsewoman.Advice for aspiring equestrians and homesteaders of color.If you enjoyed this episode, take a quick second and leave us a 5 star review! It helps get the podcast out to new listeners. I mean, while you're at it you should share it with a friend! I'm sure they'll enjoy this episode as much as you did.Support Our Next Level on PatreonYour support means we get to build connections with fellow horsefolk, pathways in our industry, and events that will change how we connect to our horses. Join us on Patreon to support Black in the Saddle and get access to bonus content, behind-the-scenes updates, and more ways to connect with the community. → patreon.com/blackinthesaddleJoin Us at Kinship ConferenceMark your calendar: November 6–7, 2026 in Greensboro, NC.Kinship is a two-day gathering for Black horse folks across every discipline. The FIRST event of its kind, Kinship is built on connection, mentorship, skill-sharing, and honoring the stories that shaped us. If you're looking for real community and real pathways forward in the horse industry, this is where you belong.✨ Join the waitlist + learn more: www.blkinthesaddle.com/kinshipLet's Keep in Touch:Join the newsletter to be the first to know EVERYTHING BITSFollow Black In the Saddle on InstagramFollow Abriana on InstagramSubscribe to BITS on YoutubeAdvertising DisclosureSome links or mentions in this episode may be promotional or include affiliate partnerships. We only share what aligns with the values of Black in the Saddle and serves our community.

Sometimes you need a little pep talk before you go to the barn. In this episode, I update you on my own 90-day recommitment plan. I share where I am now, what’s been working, and the moment I realized I was letting my “inner bully” tell me a story about my horse that wasn’t even true.I want you to know the exact ways I’ve learned to shut that voice down, build self-trust, and create those small moments of belief that grow into real confidence, on and off the horse.In this episode, I share:How I caught my inner critic in the actWhy I believe confidence is the outcome, not the starting pointHow I use small milestones to keep momentum goingMy process for writing affirmations that actually work for meMentioned in this episode:Glo Atanmo – ‪@GloAtanmo‬ Cowgirl Camryn's Agffirmations - https://cowgirl-camryn.kit.com/e896c80696

In this episode of Black in the Saddle, I sit down with the incomparable Pennie Selina Brown, a community connector, wellness champion, and founder of The STAND Foundation. From trail rides under the stars to leading equine-facilitated leadership retreats in Jamaica, Pennie’s journey into the horse world is anything but traditional. And yet, her impact is exactly what this industry needs.We talk about how a chance encounter at a party led her into the horse world at age 40, how she found healing and growth through her horse Blue, and why she’s so committed to creating safe, transformative spaces for Black girls. We also unpack the difference between her nonprofit work and her new venture, PS Wellness, and what it really means to prioritize healing for ourselves and our communities.We also share behind-the-scenes reflections from our joint trip to Jamaica to introduce equine-facilitated learning to a new audience, and what it taught us about culture, connection, and care.In this episode, you’ll hear us discuss:The founding of The STAND Foundation and its 10-year legacyThe mission behind PS Wellness and the power of healing-centered workOur reflections on leading a retreat in Kingston, JamaicaWhy work with the horses is more than sportThe upcoming Black Equestrian Summer Bash on August 31st at City Ranch in BaltimoreThis conversation is full of joy, depth, and truth-telling and it’s a reminder that you don’t need to have grown up on a farm or ranch to find your place in this world. Whether you’re new to horses or have been riding your whole life, you’ll find something in this episode that speaks to you.Learn more about Pennie:The STAND Foundation: thestandfoundation.org | IG: @thestandfoundation__PS Wellness: pswellness.me | IG: @pswellness.meJoin Us:The Black Equestrian Summer Bash is August 31, 2025, at City Ranch in Baltimore! Come for the horses, stay for the healing—and yes, there’s an afterparty.Can’t make it? Consider donating to The STAND Foundation to support youth development, healing, and leadership through horses.📩 Want to volunteer? DM me or send an email to get involved ([email protected]).

In this episode, I’m unpacking something that’s been on my heart, and on the minds of a lot of folks in our community: the future of work in the horse industry.We’re in a different era now. College is more expensive, student loan systems are shifting, and the next generation isn’t buying into the “go to school, get a good job” blueprint the way we were told to. So what does that mean for people who love horses but need sustainable careers to support that passion?From planning for vet school to building a career that still keeps me close to horses, I'm sharing my story of pursuing this industry passionately, just not in the way I originally imagined. I also talk about the many transferable skills we gain from being in this world. Skills that can be multipurpose like marketing, logistics, customer service, tech, and beyond. Whether you’re in your 20s or your 40s, if you’ve ever questioned how to stay connected to horses without giving up financial stability, this one’s for you.What I Talk About in This Episode:How the changing education landscape impacts our industryReal examples of folks who are thriving in horse-adjacent careersThe hidden value of “free labor” and internships in shaping our skill setsEncouragement for parents and youth navigating equestrian opportunities in today’s worldA gentle reminder: you don’t need anyone else to validate your pathI Mentioned These Past Guests:Dale Johnson – Polo player who’s worked in tech and entrepreneurshipAndrea Davenport – Dressage show manager building a career through certificationSteven Pelzer – Photographer and videographer now working with major horse showsLet’s Connect:✨ I’m currently accepting guests for upcoming episodes!If you’ve got a story that needs to be heard, head to the homepage at www.blkinthesaddle.com, scroll down to “Tell Your Story,” and fill out the guest form.Did something in this episode resonate with you? DM me or tag me on socials—I want to hear what hit home for you.Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast so more folks can find us and feel seen in this space.

In this episode, I’m diving into a topic that’s become deeply personal and professionally exciting for me: agritourism. I’ve been studying this space for over a year now, and through my work on the board of the North Carolina Agritourism Networking Association, I’ve seen just how much untapped potential there is — especially for Black-owned farms and horse facilities.This episode is for anyone with land, a dream, and a desire to do something different. I talk about how agritourism can be a path to sustainability, community connection, and cultural preservation. And if you think all you have to offer is riding lessons? Let’s expand that vision.What I’m Sharing:What agritourism really is (and why it's more than just tours)Why riding isn’t the only way to engage the publicReal ideas for how horse farms can bring in revenue creatively and consciouslyThe behind-the-scenes: zoning, signage, insurance, infrastructureWhy this model might just keep the next generation interested in our farmsAgritourism Examples I Mention:North Carolina Agritourism Networking Association - https://nc-ana.org/Tryon International Equestrian Center - https://www.resort.tryon.com/Ebony Horsewomen event space - https://ebonyhorsewomen.org/Green’s Campground Hideaway - https://www.greenscampgroundhideaway.com/Sankofa Farms’ “Bees in the Trap” - https://www.sankofafarms.com/What kind of agritourism ideas do you have for your current or future horse farm?

In this episode of Black in the Saddle, I'm reflecting on a type of grief we don't often name, the grief that shows up when our reality no longer reflects our vision, especially when it comes to our horse journey. What happens when the life you said you wanted feels out of sync with the life you're actually living?After a meme, a TikTok, and one simple question from a mentor, I found myself reflecting on how grief shows up in my life and how I have (or often have not) processed it. I share the steps I’m taking to realign, not through performance or pressure, but through a personal 90-day recommitment plan focused on my physical, mental, emotional, and social wellness.If you’ve been feeling disconnected from your joy, your rituals, or your why, this episode might be the mirror you didn’t know you needed.In this episode, I explore:How grief can manifestWhat a recommitment plan looks like with the goal of building my relationship with my horseWhat I’m doing to start small and build up to the goals I’ve created.Mentioned in this episode: → Free 90-Day Recommitment Worksheet (Download) → Loveland Foundation (Therapy vouchers for Black women and girls) → Chincoteague Pony SwimIf this resonated, share the episode with a friend or tag me on social @blackinthesaddle. I’d love to hear what you’re recommitting to.

In this episode, I’m reflecting on my experience at Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter concert and using it as a jumping-off point to explore history, identity, and how narratives get reclaimed. We’re talking Black cowboys, the politics of genre, and why Beyoncé’s artistry is about legacy, protest, and power.From the symbolism in her visuals to the deep roots of denim in our ancestral labor, this is an episode about remembering what we’ve always known: we’re not new to this. And we don’t need permission to belong.*NOTE* I mention her award show snubs and accidentally say the CMAs added the 'Contemporary Country Album' category, but I should have said the Grammy'sIn this episode, I get into:The overlooked legacy of Black cowboys and cowgirlsWhy genre is more about safety and perception than truthThe history behind denim, indigo, and what it means to reclaim that style todayThe protest embedded in Beyoncé’s use of Jimi Hendrix and national symbolsHow institutions shift the rules when Black excellence shows upSpaghetti Westerns, Lola Falana, and seeing ourselves in storiesThings I mention or reference:Jimi Hendrix’s 1969 rendition of the national anthemLola Colt / Black Tigress (Spaghetti Western featuring Lola Falana)Denim’s roots in Negro cloth and indigo from West Africa7 Western Films Starring Black Women