About

Black In The Saddle aims to acknowledge the impact and influence of Black equestrians on the horse industry.

How many times have you heard “I didn’t know there were Black cowboys?” or “You’re into horses? I thought that was for white people…“? You may have even had assumptions yourself.

Today’s narrative has been largely dictated by the non-Black producers, photographers and creators who have “discovered” what is a lifestyle for many Black people across the globe.

Since 2019, Black In The Saddle (formerly known as Young Black Equestrians) has worked to reclaim that narrative by telling the stories of Black people in the horse industry.

From veterinarians to athletes to non-profit organizations, BITS is committed to supporting Black horse folks through community building, content curation, and monetary support.

Creator & Host

Abriana Johnson is a brand strategist, author, and coach with a passion for horses and an eye for design. She uses her love of technology and strategy to help horse industry professionals build impactful brands and digital experiences that build community, connect content to culture, and establish their digital hoofprint. Her horse obsession started at 7 years old and continued well into undergrad as she attended NC State University completing a Bachelor’s in Animal Science with an equine focus. Being a big picture thinker and wanting to make an impact on the world through holistic animal-inspired education, Abriana completed a Master’s in Health Sciences, concentrating on One Health, through the University of Florida.

A fervent student of life and experience, Abriana’s personal and professional experiences led her to carve her own path in entrepreneurship. Abriana is the creator of Cowgirl Camryn, an edutainment brand equipping kids with the tools and resources needed to improve their emotional and behavioral development, exposing them to equine experiential learning, and encouraging them to see the world through a more wholistic (One Health) lens. When she is not working on Cowgirl Camryn, she is coaching, consulting, and presenting to small businesses and equine entrepreneurs on brand development and design via her business, Black Unicorn Creative.

 
In her downtime, you can find Abriana sharing her latest industry insights and musings on her podcasts (Black In The Saddle and The Digital Hoofprint podcasts) and on social media. Her hobbies include gardening, creating art, and studying viticulture and the wine industry.

Production Assistant

Key is a amateur equestrian having ridden for 18 years. She currently owns a warmblood mare named Red White and Balou and they do jumping and dressage together. Key has lended her marketing and content creation skills to help companies promote DEI within various industries like aeronautics and space, equestrian, and education. She hopes to continue express the beauty of diversity through creative storytelling.

Key standing with her horse Maddie