The Farm Experience Scholarship Camp form.jotform.com/231155699047160We are thrilled to announce a new partnership between Red Horse Retirement, Rehab, & Rescue, Inc. and Ebony Stride Corp., which will launch with an exciting two-week summer camp for minority students at Sunny Brooks Stables. A full-tuition scholarship will be provided for the students who are selected to participate in the program. Historically, equestrian sport has been perceived as an exclusive and expensive activity reserved for the upper class. Unfortunately, this has resulted in limited access and representation for minority communities in the equine world, along with a lack of knowledge regarding the possibilities of engagement in this realm of hobby and sport. Our aim is to create an inclusive and diverse equestrian community by breaking down these barriers. Equitation, the art and skill of horse riding, offers numerous benefits, such as improved physical fitness, mental health, social skills, responsibility, discipline, and problem-solving skills. Our camp will provide a safe and supportive environment where participants will be able to interact with horses and engage in a wide range of activities such as horseback riding, grooming, feeding, and didactic instructions on horse care and behavior. Children will learn to improve their communication skills and develop a deeper understanding of nonverbal cues as they interact and work with our horses. These interactions will also teach them about empathy and emotional regulation, providing them with invaluable life lessons. Join us for this transformative experience and saddle up for a horse’s world of adventure! 
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Greetings, I am Dr. LaSonya Roberts-Lopez, the founder of Ebony Stride Corp. My journey with horses began when my family and I went on a horseback riding excursion during a short vacation. My youngest daughter, Jade, developed a strong affinity for horse riding and expressed a desire to take lessons when we returned home. My husband and I sought a safe and suitable stable for her, which led us to Sunny Brook Stables, where we have been ever since. When Jade had her first equestrian show, we faced a challenge regarding how she could style her hair in compliance with the strict presentation and attire rules of the show. This experience prompted me to research how other brown-skinned equestrians with braids tackled this issue. However, I discovered a lack of representation and role models for people who look like us. For that reason, I decided to create a campaign called H.O.R.S.E. (Helping Others Realize their Self-Excellence) with my daughter, to raise awareness of the transformative power of horse riding and to promote better representation of brown people in the sport. During a casual conversation with Dr. Grania, I discovered that she, too, has the same aspiration of enhancing the involvement of minority children and adults in the equestrian world. After several discussions, we made a joint commitment to address this issue and affect change. And here we are, embarking on this journey together
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I am Dr. Grania Gothard Holman, the owner of Sunny Brook Stables and Founder and Executive Director of Red Horse Retirement, Rehab, & Rescue, Inc. My love for all things horses and ponies started with my southern family's farming roots, I never outgrew the "pony" phase! While my family is from Alabama and Tennessee, I was born abroad and have lived, studied, and worked overseas and studied Vocal Arts & Music, German, French, and Spanish, all while immersing myself in culture and customs from all around the globe. My father worked for the State Department, and during our world travels, as well as at home while stateside, I was fortunate to experience the love of horses from so many perspectives and locations. During my career in academia, I have been blessed to create courses in special education, multiculturalism, diversity, and brain based learning, and uniting my love for education and diversity with my love for children and equine is a dream come true and a vision I have had for many years. Having lived in Atlanta for more than half of my life with my husband, Patrick, we are raising six wonderful children who have developed a profound love for equine, animals, and farm animals, and they also enjoy sharing the joy of our farm animals with our community. I am so fortunate to partner with Dr. LaSonya Lopez, and Ebony Strides, Corp. as we pursue our passion to provide scholarships for diverse groups and minority students to access and to discover their own love of horses, farm life, and equestrian sport.
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