MY EXPERIENCE AS A BLACK EQUESTRIAN AND RACISM IN THE SPORT
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ต.ค. 2024
- Hi lovelies 💕 this weeks I decided to switch things up and talk about a more serious topic close to my heart , addressing racism in the equestrian community 😔 I know I did not cover every topic, but I wanted to talk about my experiences as a black equestrian 🖤 I hope this video helps bring to light some of the biases and problems still in this sport againsts BIPOC 💡
xoxo Macadoenzie
Animals
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Ruthie 5 year old Thoroughbred Mare 🦄
Ella 2 year old Pitbull 🐾💕
IG: @mckenziekay_equestrian
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I’m black and I’m starting lessons next week, my mom had told me “ I will let you know you might experience racism, but you should not let that stop you “ so I just wanted to brace my self, you also gained a new sub!
same!! i started riding in 2014 as a black girl you should never let it stop you. glad to have found my community 🥰 also good luck at your lessons!!
@@jess6882 thank you!
Im so happy that you get to start lessoning! Keep your head held high kiddo I know you'll love it 💞
Don’t worry, people are more focused on their phones than peoples skin tone nowadays in 2023
Omg please film more of these. We need more Black Girl Riders posting vlogs and looking cute and being real! #Followed
I so agree! 💗 thanks for the sub 🥰
I’m a mixtrace rider
Subscribed! I’m so happy I found your channel. I haven’t faced any direct racism thankfully, but I felt so out of place and uncomfortable around other riders. I hope more black equestrians start to pop up!
Im so glad you've found me too, I know its difficult to just stay motivated when no on in the sport looks like you 😓
yep
@@macadoenzie why do you care about skin colour so much? You are literally complaining about being isolated while wishing you had a group of fellow racists to splinter off into.
Nobody gives a shit about your skin colour but you. Its like its all you have so you have to remind everybody abou it.
I am a black a equestrian and I must say even now I’m just now getting started with this. When I first started off at one barn I got criticize bad simply because I was doing Dressage and Dressage is a very competitive sport and the first thing a lot of them asked me was where do I work or how do I afford this which literally is none of their business because of the fact that what I do is personal and private and why I work out has no concern of them and I got to the point where I ended up transferring to different barns simply because of the fact of my color. I definitely understand what you’re feeling because I do it they even still to this day but the one thing I always do is I focus on me I worry about me and my horses and I move on and I do me and don’t give two fucks about what nobody says or feels.
Shoutout to you FOR MAINTAINING AN OPEN EYE as you are surrounded by an industry fulla demons!!!
Most folks find ways to accommodate them & their feelings/rayzzizm (likely to make their own experience go smooth), only to wind up enduring the rinse&repeat of history -- but THAT's THAT KOLLONIZED PHUKKSHYT and I'm Team *NOyteSAVIORS* !!! I SWEAR I cringed every time she said "I'm not sure how much this had to do with race or not, but...." CHYYYYYYYLE, she's in so much danger & has NO IDEA (but I don't dare mention anything because theTrooth is widely vilified: ByDesign): But I will FOREVER CAPE FOR MyNEGUS WHO THRIVE THROUGH THESE ENTITIES EYES WIDE OPEN WITH OUR BLAQ CHINS *ALL THE WAY UP* !!!
IDK WHAT type of eyes she wants to open by anticipating "allLIE"ship, but again, I don't DARE have the conversation in spaces that ultimately accommodate them.
I am SO HAPPY FOR AND PROUD OF YOU!! The Ancestors smile upon you!!
So proud of you! Never knew this part of the story. What an eye opener...
Adding to what you said about being the only black person there, a lot of Black people are disenfranchised a lot of us can’t afford to get back into the sport if we were in it at some point in time whether that be because of unstable housing conditions not enough money to pay for lessons, not being able to pay for gear, and bc of facing regular discrimination or being put in spaces with racists. there are a lot of financial and really just systemic issues that keep a lot of Black people from being able to pursue equestrianism
I a black woman, 80, who has been riding horses for 60 years. Just found this channel because ... can you believe it ........ was debating how to handle my natural hair under my helmet as I go back to riding after my horse has been laid up!! I am used to having relaxed hair and so will probably stay with it because it is so frickin easy.............. take off helmet, hose horse, hose self!
For 60 years, I have always been the only black person in the barn and in the show ring. And after I played with hunters in my youth, I switched over to dressage. Next to polo, you can get more exclusive in the horse world, lol. Have to admit............. I never felt ostracized. One of my best buds that I met when I brought my first horse in 1968 is still my best bud. Maybe I was lucky because I didn't own a horse until I was 28 so I didn't have to deal with the mean girl syndrome. One of the show barn in NY asked me if I wanted to be their office mgr (I accepted and had a blast); another barn owner and her husband flew me to the Atlanta Olympics (sat there with the dgt of the owner of the Knicks and she and everyone else was charming). Took lessons with Karl Milkolka , a former Spanish Riding School Breiter and through him met Bill Steinkraus and his wife Sissy (who once recognized me at an airport and literally forced the airline to book me 1st class so we could "chat" on our trip). I actually have gotten more looks of surprise from African Americans and Latinos working around horses although they too have been friendly and welcoming. I would say that I've live a blessedly charmed life (both equestrian and non equestrian) because I know there is racism in the equestrian world .... just like most sectors of live. All I can do is encourage everyone to live their best dreams and ignore the idiots (of which there are many). This weekend I went to a low level one day trial event at the horse park. There was an African American woman competing on her standardbred (we waved to each other wildly) and I was happy to see a number of Asian out and about also. The sport requires a tremendous amount of money ( a lot more than competitive ice skating .... and I dabbled in that also.. Debi Thomas and Starr Andrews can tell you about that sport) and when something requires enormous funds, people from backgrounds that have not had access to funds are always going to be at abit of a disadvantage but........ people from those background have overcome more than some dummy giving you a hard time about your natural curls. Heck.... we have overcome over 200 years of slavery.... this is nothing. And not that I'm giving the dummies a break... but remember, we are lving racism. They don't teach real history in schools so a lot of people are just plan uneducated. Nicely educate them. Some will still be dummie (genetically dumb) but you can see the look of "OMG realization" on the face of others. That look is worth more than winning a blue ribbon!
Wishing everyone of every color and culture best wishes on their dreams. Now.... trot on!!! 🐎
Thank you so much for making this video! I feel a little less alone knowing that some body else is facing the challenges of being a black equestrian. Also I totally related to the problem of my helmet properly fitting my naturally curly hair!
I used to be the only Black person at the barn. My trainer would make it a point to inform me of when other Black people were coming. It felt weird initially, but she understood how I felt being the only one, especially since the other women my age grew up riding together and had their “The Saddle Club” trio established. It felt nice to see others who looked like me, even if it was a parent bringing their little girls to the barn to lesson. I had Black people telling me I didn’t belong there, but I was nothing but welcomed. There was an African American company they’d contract to do the shoes. They would tell me how proud they were to see a Black woman riding English and how brave I was to be different.
You could join YBE= YOUNG BLACK EQUESTRIANS it is exactly what it says no more alone time yeah
Thank you for making this video! This is something that needs to be talked about more!
Alisha L I hope this starts to open up the conversation for more riders 💗
Proud of you girl!👏🏾 Never give up your dreams and keep being you!!!
There needs to be more info on this subject in general. Some of the darkest racism is so alive and well in the equestrian industry and it’s scary to see. Nobody likes to or wants to talk about it…but we need to when I feel like I can’t tell the difference between now and segregation era when specifically watching certain horse show types. It was a very rude awakening for me of the industry. I could only imagine if I was not white.
the thing that'll forever scare me is learning how to ride *simply because* of my race. I know this sport is very white-dom, but damn... I just want to ride a horse...
Would a 'black barn' allow white folks to board there or take part in a black equestrian group? Just curious is all.
I really want to be an equestrian but i'm scared because of my color could you give me advice?
Make sure you always tip the barn staff at Christmas for taking care of your horse. 😊 And THAT applies to everyone that boards a horse.
Im starting horse riding lessons and im mixed but i have black girl hair and i wear box braids and things and im worried about being talked about for it and for being part black because i never see black equestrians so glad i came across this because it is a lot of help
Everything about your story is so relatable! I ride as well and curious what type of helmet do you use?
Thank you so much for this courageous conversation! Keep being brave and speaking your truth. Powerful story. #youRenough.
Of course! a light needs to be shed ✨
I'd like to take this opportunity to apologize for ANY of the unintentional racism I may have thrown your way. I desperately hope I never made you feel left out or unwanted at our barn. I love you( i love Mufasa, always have) and I am incredibly proud of the strong, talented, boss ass babe you have grown to be. I miss you and I am so proud of the outatanding young woman you are.
Thank you so much I really appreciate it! I know how much you care for me and you have been such a great barn friend 💕
You meant well, but there’s nothing unintentional about racism. Any racism she may have experienced was intended by the actor. Let’s call a spade a spade.
I’m really glad I found this, I’ve been riding jumpers for 15 years and I have only ever been the single black woman in every single barn I’ve ever been in. I’m in college right now to get my degree to become a horse trainer and I am still the only black woman in that entire program and I find it very hard to connect with other equestrians and it’s definitely hard to find other black or other person of color equestrians because this is a very white washed industry
Such an interesting video, I too struggled with natural hair, disapproving hat fitters and hideous Pony Club members. We're in this together!
Omgggg i totally forgot about the hairnets. I used to straighten my hair knowing that it would get puffy under the helmet at shows but usually it was winter so not so bad. Lol i forgot what i did when i had my hair just curly 🤔
Great video!
I don't think you can compare the USA and your culture of racism to the rest of the world, though. Not saying there's not racism everywhere, but your country is extreme. I've never heard of incidences like you have anywhere else, people don't get shot in the back for walking down the street in other countries.
I think your hair is beautiful! I can't believe all the stupid rules you have in those "hunter and equitation" sports... in my country we don't have those disciplines, and if they entailed having to put my hair in a hairnet and inside my helmet, I wouldn't do them, as it looks stupid and makes your helmet less safe.
We had black, and different Asian people at my riding school, when I attended one, and later when I worked there, a black girl was one of the most popular girls, that the younger girls looked up to, because she got to compete on the riding school ponies and horses, and only the good riders got to do that.
I think it is so important to be aware of discrimination and bullying, and racism. I just wrote these things to show you that things are different other places... not perfect, or without racism, but just different. I wish people could stop putting so much stock in how people look! And I'm glad you feel confident now and that you've stopped caring so much what other people think. I think it's great that you can have success, even beat the stereotypes in your sport.
MB Equestrian I definitely agree with your statements, although present, there are countries with far less racism than America. Every barn is different but, over all the discrimination is the sport is VERY prevalent especially in America! It is something that we as riders need to join together and combat despite our differences 🥰.
@@macadoenzie I agree! I'm just glad I don't have to be in your shoes in a country with such systemic racism. I hope it changes, and soon!
Instant subscribe! I was specifically looking for black equestrians to follow and your video came up. I grew up doing a little horse back riding and now that I think back on it, I was lucky to not really experience any discrimination, but I think the fact my hair was permed & I was doing Western not English was the difference. It’s very unfortunate you can’t enjoy something you love quite as much because others have to single you out for being different hasn’t hem.
What's up cuzzo!!! I didnt know you had a youtube!! New subscriber alert!! Great topic and content!
thanks cuz!!!
I remember when I was younger I would try to find black equestrians never really knowing why, turns out I just wanted people who looked like me doing the things I love
I'm not finding you on IG
I just recently changed my name back to macadoenzie as an attempt to rebrand and get back in the swing of things 🥰
YOU! Stay Gritty! I love you and your goals! Im an instructor and have other AA girls I teach. Keep up your mission and together we can change the attitudes. I see you. I hear you. I have seen the micro aggressions. They exist. With more strong young ladies like you they will fade. ❤❤❤
I have always been the only black person in my barns as well. When I told people a wanted to train and work with horses for a living the assume I am going to be a vet or something and it is hard to find black aspiring role models, especially those if the same race. Glad I found this vid.
You are the reason we continue to fight for justice! Powerful story young lady! Keep on keeping on !! 💯✊🏿
Thank you 😌
Where have you gone to
Im a black eq and im a beginner being trained by other black eqs. I just wanna say... i hate that videos like these showed up... it’s really sad :/
Bless you very proud of you being a black horse women and looking at racisim in the riding works massive well done ✨🙏🏽✨
Are you part of the group Young Black Equestrians?
Ima mixtrace horse rider
Courageous video. Thanks for sharing your personal story. I hope it’s encouraging to many. Continue to do what you can to make the equestrian environment loving and open to all.
I hope so too! Thank you 💕
More like this please
Great video, babe!
Summer D'on Thanks loveeee 💕
U don’t look black?!
I'm always the only black person. I've been through the ringer. I don't trust no one. Always watch your back and your horse. They will harm your horse and you. It's really sad actually how we can't have peace anywhere.