Meet the woman who protested in Oakland on a horse and learn why she did it

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Saturday, June 6, 2020
Meet the woman who protested in Oakland on a horse
Meet the woman who protested in Oakland on a horseHow and why did a woman take a horse to a protest in Oakland? We got the story behind the viral photo. Hear from her and learn how you can help give horseback riding lessons to underprivileged and marginalized communities.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Brianna Noble is her name and Dapper Dan is her horse.

Noble rode that horse at a protest in Oakland on May 29 and she has experienced a whirlwind since then. Photos went viral and she's using her newfound fame to spread her passion for horses to those who primarily can't afford it.

"Anytime a black woman is going to get on a very large horse and walk through Oakland, it's not something you see every day," she said.

Noble is a lifelong equestrian. She knows her race makes her stand out in the world of horse riding.

Brianna Noble rides her horse Dapper Dan through downtown Oakland, Calif., Friday, May 29, 2020, to protest the Memorial Day death of George Floyd who died while in police custody in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Brianna Noble rides her horse Dapper Dan through downtown Oakland, Calif., Friday, May 29, 2020, to protest the Memorial Day death of George Floyd.
AP Photo/Noah Berger

"Regardless of if it's a positive thing, or a negative racist thing, all eyes are always on me," she said.

Noble adds that finances play a major role and if you don't come from "money," then it's very hard to get into the equestrian world. Although, Noble wants to change that.

She offers beginner lessons and trail training for horses at Mulatto Meadows. She's also working on a project called Humble. She's hoping to get donations that would give horseback riding lessons to children for free.

VIDEO: In Their Own Voice: Young, black Bay Area residents react to the killing of George Floyd

ABC 7 reached out to several young black residents of the Bay Area to share their thoughts on being black in America today, and what they see as the path forward to overcoming the extensive and systematic racism embedded in our society.

"I will make horseback riding more accessible to my community, to people of color, to inner-city youth," Noble said.

As for taking a horse to a protest, Noble strongly advises against it. She says most horses should never be taken in public like this, but she has spent years of intensive training with Dapper Dan, and she made a calculated decision to show up hours before the protest officially started and leave before it began.

Take a look at the latest stories and videos about the investigation into George Floyd's death in Minneapolis and protests across the U.S.

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