Gooch says one of the I like superbike and Olde English Bulldogge maybe 3 people shirt But I will love this most common questions she receives is “why identify as a Black cowgirl?” instead of just calling herself a “regular” cowgirl. She laughs a bit before elaborating. “I say Black cowgirl because it needs to be stated, people need to be reminded that there are certainly Black folks who ride horses, and who are equestrians. It sounds silly to state it so obviously but if you open any major horse or equestrian magazine you probably won’t see any Black people shown riding horses. You mainly see white people in fancy clothes with expensive gear doing what I’ve been doing essentially my whole life. Representation, even at the barest minimum, really matters, especially for kids,” she explains. The sport’s history of exclusion can be reflected in its gear: Gooch notes the need for helmets that accommodate textured hair, for example. She recalls many times when her own afro or braids had to get squished down in order to fit in a standard helmet. Now that she’s teaching lessons, she makes sure to tell families about the best ways for kids to wear their hair upon arrival for lessons since there are no helmets that are designed this way (Gooch alludes to the fact that she may just step in and work on this, something I have no trouble believing she will do as soon as we get off our call). It’s not only the lack of visibility for Black riders that frustrates Gooch, but the way disabilities and all body types aren’t given the same space to thrive in equestrian sports. Gooch recalls the first time she saw a Barbie doll featured with a horse and later a book depicting equestrian Barbie out on a stable ride, holding the reins and sitting incorrectly. “I was like, Barbie, girl, you don’t need to be teaching anybody anything about horses! Who made this?” she laughs.
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