An inside look at saddles and sisterhood

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Founded just over a year ago, Lady Saddlers Club is more than a horseback riding group. It is a growing collective of women finding confidence and building sisterhood through individual and shared riding experiences. Members like Dajia Collins, who joined in May 2025, describe the club as a place where she finds excitement and encouragement. “From the first lesson, I knew this was something I wanted to stick with,” she says. “I’ve been here ever since.”

Horseback riding, of course, comes with its own ups and downs. Shannan Poole, the Atlanta Chapter President of Lady Saddlers Club, says that the biggest hurdle is often yourself. “It takes confidence, and when that confidence gets shaken, it takes courage to get back on,” Shannan explains. Dajia adds that learning to give herself grace has been key. “I’m a perfectionist. I’ve had to remind myself that it’s okay to mess up because I’m still learning.”

At Lady Saddlers Club, it is evident that consistency is the key to progress, but progress itself looks different for everyone. For Dajia, encouragement from fellow members and positive affirmations make the experience worthwhile. For Shannan, simply showing up again and again is how she feels fulfillment. “Consistency is success,” she says. “Eventually, it gets better.”

At the heart of Lady Saddlers is Raven Rankine, the club’s founder, whose vision continues to shape the club’s growth. Inspired by a desire for inclusive, female-driven spaces and her love of equestrian culture and fashion, Raven started the club after moving to Atlanta and not finding a community that felt exactly like home. After taking a leap of faith and making a simple Instagram post, her idea of a club quickly turned into something much bigger. “I was surprised ladies were so interested. They were like, ‘I’ve been looking for something like this,’” she says.

Now, with new chapters expanding across the country, impressive partnerships, and impactful events, including their first anniversary celebration that members flew across the country for, Lady Saddlers Club is building a community and a legacy. “What inspires me most,” Raven shares, “is seeing genuine sisterhood. When women walk into our space and feel welcomed, like it’s a home away from home, that’s really everything to me.” Lady Saddlers Club offers something unique and unforgettable. This is an experience where every type of woman at any skill level is welcomed and encouraged to try something new, build genuine connections, and join the herd.