My name is Rachel Brown, and I am 15 years old. I have been riding horses since I was 7 or 8 years old. I
have loved horses since I was even younger. I really fell in love with horses during my first parade with a
journey through a Bethlehem float. A horse that usually was not social loved on me and I loved on him.
From then on, it became my dream to ride. Then, when watching walk-ride rodeo, I saw Amberly
Snyder. Amberly Snyder was a competitive barrel racer and pole bender. She was paralyzed from the
waist down in a car accident in 2010. She and her family adapted her gear, and she continued to
compete in barrel racing successfully. I felt that if Amberly could ride with her disability, I could ride too.
I started riding at a therapy barn in 2018 and was slated to show horses with the barn owner’s daughter.
But the 2020 pandemic happened and ruined those plans. Then I moved to Zoe Woodland’s show barn,
and my dreams started coming true. Then Sheri invited me to ride in parades, and after watching me,
asked me if I wanted to ride on drill team. I did and I had fun. My horse Buddy is an 18-year-old bay
Morgan type pony, and he is beautiful. We have been together since May 2023. My favorite thing to do
with Buddy is to free ride him in fields and on trails. I love to ride him bareback. I also like to jump him
and compete with him in a lot of different classes. Buddy is his barn name. He is not registered but we
gave him a “registered” name of “Hezaluckyrocstar.” My favorite Renegade event so far was the June
30, 2023, Ashville July 4 Festival Beginning of Festival Parade.