Nia is the Fall 2022 OYES Travel Fund recipient.
“In riding a horse, we borrow freedom.” In one short quote, Cambridge University professor Helen Thompson best captures the feeling of every rider. My name is Nia Walters, I am a 26-year-old aspiring equestrian living in Berwyn, IL and I am tapping back into my love for horses. I graduated from Stetson University in 2018 with a major in French language and a minor in Chemistry. But my love for riding started long before then.
As a child, I knew I wanted to become a veterinarian. Once I learned the word for an animal doctor, I made it my life’s purpose to fiercely pursue the career path. The very first time I rode a horse was for a trail ride on a Girl Scout trip. I was always fascinated with the connections that we have with animals, especially with horses being so integral to the history of humanity. Lessons were not feasible for me at that point, and once I was finally able to start learning, I was in high school joining the Equestrian club. From there, I started taking lessons once a week at a local barn, but the highlight of my experience was spending Friday afternoons volunteering with hippotherapy lessons.
This portion of my riding journey, however, was short-lived, as I could not afford lessons. This financial hurdle continued through college, as I couldn’t afford to join my college equestrian team. As disappointing as it was, I knew this wasn’t the end, just a detour. Although my career pursuits pivoted away from veterinary medicine, I knew I still had a heart for helping both animals and people.
I am a first-generation U.S. born citizen in my family. My parents emigrated from Jamaica in their youth. In learning my family’s history, my great-grandma Ruby Wilson grew up riding horses and caring for animals. Her father managed a plantation called Braco Stables in Jamaica where she first learned to ride. She had a giving heart and always ensured that whoever was around her, person or animal, had their needs met. Later in life, she became a single mother and had to set aside her passions to take care of her five children. Truly, she was a hard-working woman and when life handed her lemons, she made lemonade.
On February 5, 2022, she passed away. With the pandemic occurring and her passing, I decided that I shouldn’t forgo my passions, as life was too short to not do what you truly love. My current riding goals include taking group lessons to quickly improve my abilities and to enter my very first competition in Spring 2023. Outside of the saddle, I would like to work part-time at an English barn to learn barn management as well as understanding the behind-the-scenes work that goes into maintaining the business.
In terms of my future dreams and plans, I will own a teaching barn that provides the opportunity for Chicago minority children and teens to learn how to ride horses and care for animals. Experiences like this aren’t easily accessible both financially and physically to many Chicagoans, which limits the number of minority farmers and future equestrians that will pursue the career path. Bridging the equity gap in the horse industry brings about a greater diversity of riders and a development of equestrian sports for the better. Making more progress with this dream is one of my top priorities so that it can be brought to life. Currently, I’m seeking mentors with experience in business, especially farm management, to provide their expertise in supporting this mission.
The financial cost of equestrian sports has prevented me from participation as well as staying involved. Currently, I work full time, but don’t make enough to support my basic needs and take riding lessons. As a black woman, it can be incredibly discouraging to pursue a field in which others may feel that you are unworthy of participation. From both a racial and socioeconomic front, I stand out at a barn. I will help change the face of what an equestrian looks like and to properly level the playing field, we must first get to the playing field.