Back in the Saddle: Meet Shaq Blake

Shaq and her horse Bear
Shaq and her horse Bear

For Shaq Blake, an adult amateur rider in the Boston area, horses have not always been a part of her life. However, in recent years, Shaq has jumped into the New England equestrian scene with both feet: spending countless hours in the saddle and in the barn learning about horses and horsemanship, purchasing a young prospect, and starting The Black Equestrian blog. 

Originally from Barbados, Shaq’s dad was a horse racing enthusiast. He brought her to the track every Saturday so that they could watch the horses when she was a young girl. “I did not grow up in a horsey family, but I guess you could say that the bug bit me then,” she says with a laugh. “I knew then that I wanted to ride.” 

When her family moved to the United States, a new television show immediately caught her interest: The Saddle Club. Her family quickly worked to help Shaq begin her dream of riding horses. “We were living in Boston at the time, so the closest farm was about 30 minutes away from our home. I jumped into riding for about six months and loved every moment of it,” she explains. Unfortunately, the drive quickly became a limiting factor in the number of lessons she took each week and the cost became a prohibitive factor as Shaq began to enjoy martial arts as well. She hung up her proverbial spurs and took a break from riding.

Fast forward to her 25th birthday, Shaq’s husband Lance purchased a trail ride for the two of them as a birthday gift. “I truly don’t think that he knew what he was doing,” she says with a laugh. “I got off the horse after the ride and marched right to the office to sign up for lessons, I was ready!” 

Starting back in the saddle at this Western trail barn, Shaq quickly realized that she was the only person of color that rode at the farm. “This made me understand that my journey in the horse world was unique,” she explains. “I decided to start a blog so that I could tell the story of an adult beginner equestrian of color. As a kid, I don’t remember feelings of fear or nervousness about being around horses, as an adult, particularly a black adult, I face fear, anxiety, and apprehensiveness in pursuing a riding career.”

“I created [my] blog to be a space to explore and celebrate riders of all ethnicities and backgrounds and to share my riding journey through the eyes of a minority in a sport that I love.”

Her blog, The Black Equestrian, chronicles her journey as she navigates the equestrian world. “Being different in a world that does not promote diversity is not only uncomfortable, but it can also be scary and discouraging as well. I created theblackequestrian blog to be a space to explore and celebrate riders of all ethnicities and backgrounds and to share my riding journey through the eyes of a minority in a sport that I love.”

As her skills in the saddle improved and she felt comfortable with basic riding and horsemanship techniques, Shaq realized that it was time to move barns. “I started leasing a warmblood, Jackpot, and we just clicked!” she exclaimed. The older gelding helped her find confidence in the saddle; the lease also assisted her in finding a new trainer who would continue to help her improve. Shaq found her trainer through social media along with the recommendations from area equestrians. “As I became more comfortable with riding, I quickly realized that my aspirations were truly the jumper ring.” Working over fences had always been a dream of hers and once she began jumping the warmblood, she knew that it was going to be the aim of her riding career.

Shaq's OTTB Bear
Shaq’s OTTB Bear

Shaq and her trainer decided that in order to continue to pursue her goals of jumping competitively, purchasing a horse would be her best interest. After a few months of searching online, Shaq sent five potential options to her trainer, including a young off-the-track Thoroughbred (OTTB). “I just loved him, but I wanted to get my trainer’s opinion. He was really young, not exactly what I was looking for,” she explains. Her trainer confirmed Shaq’s feelings that despite his age, he was a great prospect for the adult equestrian. 

“It was truly meant to be,” Shaq says with a laugh. “Someone else was looking at the gelding, but their plans to travel out and meet him abruptly changed. I took a chance and had him vetted.” 

Her new gelding “Bear” arrived at the farm in February. “It was an exciting time for me,” Shaq says, “but, unfortunately, it didn’t go quite as planned. I had owned him for about three weeks and then our barn was shut down for the COVID-19 pandemic.” During the course of quarantine, Bear was kept in training, however, Shaq was unable to visit due to the restrictions which were placed by the Massachusetts Governor.  

“Being an equestrian isn’t solely about learning to ride, it is also a lifelong lesson in proper horsemanship.”

“It has been hard to get to get comfortable with him and bond with him after the lockdown,” Shaq admits. “But we are both back in a consistent program and getting back to work.” Shaq and Bear are currently working toward competing in the hunter arena, with aspirations of showing in the upper-level show jumpers. Shaq works hard to become a well-rounded equestrian, stating, “There is always more to learn, whether it be a better way to communicate with my horse, how to properly dress a wound, or the correct way to wrap a leg. Being an equestrian isn’t solely about learning to ride, it is also a lifelong lesson in proper horsemanship. I also love that my barn doesn’t put too much emphasis on winning ribbons, they drill the importance of riding because you love to ride and not riding just to win.”

Due to COVID restrictions, she has not yet shown Bear but is hoping to enter the arena with him later in the fall when they are both ready. Working with a green horse is never easy, but she laughs, “It is nearly impossible to improve when you are not allowed to go to the barn!”

“I think that as a beginner rider, I realized that I was really lucky to have a community that supported me and I can rely on. There is no shortage of people offering to help you out with something, offer advice, snap a photo or record your ride. I have had other boarders snap a cute photo of Bear and send it to me because they thought I would like it!” she comments. “I want my blog to be that ‘friend’ that people go to for advice and support. As an adult, there is a lot of fear and uncertainty as you start on your equestrian journey. It’s hard to reach out to a program and ask about the lessons, while still being treated with respect. I wanted to be a transparent voice for beginner equestrians and people of color.”

“To me your barn should feel like home. You should be comfortable and trust that you are in a safe environment when you are at the barn.”

“I am so lucky, from the very beginning my current barn has felt like home,” she continues. “But the biggest challenge has been to find a place that is comfortable and my place in the equestrian community as a woman of color. As a Black adult amateur rider, it is difficult to ignore the feelings of ‘I do not belong’ when I walk into a barn and there is no one else that looks like me.”

Shaq at the barn with Bear
Shaq at the barn with Bear

“The most important qualities of an inclusive barn are the trainers and the overall barn culture,” Shaq explains. “Taking a trial lesson with the trainer at a potential new barn is something I highly recommend. Sometimes trainers and students do not mix well – the teaching style or methods may not click with the way you learn – and it’s better to know that upfront. Being comfortable with your trainer is so important to improving your riding and enjoying your time at the barn. The barn culture is also very important. Are people friendly? Do you feel safe and supported? Do you feel comfortable and a part of the family or do you feel ostracized and excluded? Some barns have a lot of drama, gossip, cliques and those are red flags that it is not a very inclusive place. Spending some time at the barn and seeing how others interact with each other is very important. To me your barn should feel like home. You should be comfortable and trust that you are in a safe environment when you are at the barn. You should feel respected by your trainers, barn staff and peers.”

When Shaq isn’t spending time in the barn, she is a self-declared tech nerd who plays tennis and badminton and enjoys practicing Tae Kwon Do. She also works as the Lead Audio Visual Technician at the Federal Reserve in Boston where she coordinates events, performs IT tasks, and heads the team. 

With her infectious laughter and enthusiasm, Shaq’s love for horses is evident. As she continues on her horseback riding career, we are grateful for her work as an advocate for diversity in the horse world. “My equestrian journey has only just begun, I have learned so much in the last two years and I have so much more to learn. I am excited to be exploring a passion that I have had for as long as I remember and I hope my blog will take you along with me so that you can experience the joys, the setbacks, the jumps, the falls and every rear, buck and bolt in between.”

You can follow Shaq on her blog, The Black Equestrian, and on Instagram.

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