Ariat Ambassador Brianna Noble

Horses are a symbol of strength and power. Their sheer size is humbling, even intimidating to some, yet horses inspire calm with their intuitive and gentle demeanors. Amidst a tumultuous year, a local Bay Area horsewoman made the brave decision to ride her Appaloosa gelding through the streets of Downtown Oakland to draw attention to the peaceful demonstrations taking place in her hometown. Dapper Dan, who stands at a towering 17 hands, was an unexpected sight and, with Brianna Noble mounted on his back, drew national attention and widespread viral recognition on social media.

Brianna hadn’t intended for the moment to skyrocket as it did. Simply, she wanted to add her voice to the chorus of community members in her city and across the country advocating against prejudice, inequality and injustice. It is Brianna’s passion for giving back, her commitment to her community and her advocacy for a better future that resonates so deeply with Ariat’s brand values. We’re honored to welcome her as the newest member of the Ariat family.

“As a lifelong equestrian, it is an honor to partner with Ariat, a company with a storied history in this industry and one that stands in support of its diversified community. Ariat understands the positive impact that horse riding can have and its partnership will be instrumental as we continue to carry out our mission at Humble and make the horse world more accessible.”

Humble Beginnings

Brianna grew up riding as a child in the Oakland hills. During her summer breaks, she would spend her days at the barn with her older sister, learning the ins and outs of horsemanship and experiencing firsthand the positive effects that come from being in the presence of horses.

She rescued her first horse when she was 15, an abused tripping horse she named Midnight Affair. It was this horse that set Brianna on her current path as a trainer dedicated to rehabilitating abused horses and finding them loving homes where they can experience the positive life they so often bring to others.

“I will always choose to take the negative and turn it into positivity.”

Turning her passion into purpose, Brianna opened Mulatto Meadows, a ranch and equestrian business in Briones, California “dedicated to expanding the accessibility of riding and horsemanship to communities that have historically been excluded from the equestrian world.” She offers a variety of classes for both children and adults including “Intro to Horses,” which teaches new riders the basics of grooming and safety and gets them comfortable being around the animal, to more advanced riding lessons.

Changing the Face of Equine Culture

As one of the very few Black equestrians in her area growing up, it became clear to Brianna that despite horseback riding’s many benefits, there was limited accessibility to the sport due to the high costs associated with it. Brianna always knew that her life’s mission was to bring the magic of horsemanship to the local community and break down the barriers to access. The wake of her viral fame propelled this work, accelerating her efforts to increase access to the horse world and shining a light on her work as an activist both within her local community and on a national stage.

“Horses put up mirrors to our souls, allowing us to view and evaluate ourselves in an ever forgiving, non-judgmental way.”

Brianna founded Humble as the non-profit arm of Mulatto Meadows. Humble leverages equine experiential learning to foster respect, confidence, and accountability for urban youth. With the mission of exposing underprivileged and marginalized communities to the horse world, Humble removes the barriers of entry and offers a curriculum that teaches students “valuable leadership skills, provides a therapeutic experience, builds positive attitudes, and exposes them to the vast number of professions tied to the equine industry.”

“Since the moment we first spoke, I could tell there was something special about Brianna. When you see her interact with her horses and her students, you can feel it. She embodies the spirit of Ariat – her grit and determination to keep pushing even when things get tough, and her continual commitment to supporting her community. We feel incredibly lucky to have her join the Ariat family and look forward to working together for many years to come.” – Susan Alcala, Vice President, Partnership Marketing, Ariat

A Commitment to Growth

In addition to running Mulatto Meadows and Humble, Brianna is an accomplished equestrian. She has experience and aspirations in both jumping and Western disciplines and has aspirations to hone her skills and grow her horsemanship in both. When she isn’t training, teaching, or helping to bring new riders into the horse community, she’s working towards one of her own riding goals: to first and foremost do right by the horse, and in doing so, to become the best horsewoman she can be.

This is just the beginning of our partnership with Brianna and we can’t wait to share more of her journey and incredible work with you all. Stay tuned!