episode 4: brianna noble
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA
brianna noble
Brianna grew up in the Bay Area of California and fell in love with horses at a young age. As a little girl, she would go hungry saving up every last coin she could in order to feed her very first horse. She would push the bale of hay from the pet store to the bus stop. The bus drivers knew her as quote “the crazy horse girl” and they would lower their wheelchair lift so she could roll her single bale of hay onto the bus.
She dropped out of high school after her sophomore year to get her GED. After working her way through veterinary technician school as a veterinary assistant, she quit at 19 and started her own business riding and doing non-profit community work in her free time.
Frustrated by how closed off barn life is to the general public, Brianna has taken the initiative to open up the doors to Urban Cowgirl Ranch in an effort to give horses a new mainstream purpose. She notes that this is the first time in United States history that horses haven’t been used for war, transportation, or agriculture. The industry is dying unless it finds a way to get people interested, outside of just wealthy individuals and western sports.
Seeing so many nonprofit organizations come and go with the mission to support intercity kids, Brianna wanted to create something more sustainable. She realized that her for-profit riding summer camps were primarily attracting rich white kids. In response, after hosting a few for-profit camps each year, she’d give back by welcoming an organization that allowed the intercity youth to have that same experience.
“Whether it be right or wrong, like what the mainstream industry shows us, it’s not wrong. That is what the industry shows us is mainstream. I’m not saying that’s all that is out there, but what all the companies choose to show what the Western image is…is a white one. It is a blonde haired, blue eyed [girl] in tight little bell bottom jeans and a cowgirl hat.”
- Brianna Noble, Equestrian
In summer of 2020, Brianna gained international attention when she rode her horse Dapper Dan onto the streets of Oakland during the George Floyd protest. Flooded by interviews, she quickly realized it was an opportunity to focus the attention away from herself and towards the things she felt were important. Brianna has used that attention to bring pioneering sustainable livestock management practices to intercity spaces and expand her nonprofit efforts to grow Urban Cowgirl Ranch into what it is today.
There’s no denying that the western and equestrian industries have a long way to go when it comes to representation. Brianna admits that even as a black woman in the industry herself, she didn’t realize there were other black people in the industry as well, although they’ve always been here.
Today, Brianna is as dedicated as ever to spreading her love of horses. Urban Cowgirl Ranch Foundation partners directly with local nonprofits to enrich and enhance their programing through animal husbandry, ranch maintenance, agriculture and more.
The BACKROAD COWGIRLS
loved spending time with Brianna, getting to meet the many animals on the ranch, and experiencing the breathtaking views of the city skyline off in the distance.
Connect with Brianna and see what’s happening on the ranch on her social media.
Photography by Shelby Caitlin Photography