10 THINGS

photos by Janet Howard Studio

…you might not know about …

Jamillah Scott of Equestrian Noire

The visionary behind Equestrian Noire, Jamillah Scott is a novice rider who fell in love with equestrian culture overnight! The proud owner of an Arabian mare, Jamillah launched Equestrian Noire as a creative outlet to celebrate horses and horsemanship of all disciplines. As the Creative Director and primary model, she orchestrates each Equestrian Noire shoot with lavish costumes, vivid landscapes, and a variety of horse breeds, resulting in images bursting with grace, elegance, and beauty.

1. I was born and raised in Milwaukee, WI. I am the second child and only girl of three siblings. Growing up with brothers was always an adventure; I felt the need to be as rough and tumble as they were, and to compete as strongly and fiercely as they did. In that, I learned to use my imagination, be courageous, have tenacity and to lose gracefully. To my mother’s chagrin, I also quickly learned to wrestle, race and double dog dare. However, I was still very much a girly girl: I loved dresses, lip gloss, and became cultured in the art of carrying a purse while climbing a tree.

2. I despise cold weather. Temperatures below 40° propel me into hibernation. When I graduated from high school, I left the Wisconsin winters and moved to New Orleans, where I attended undergrad and graduate school. Once I moved south, the notion of returning home wasn’t an option. Coincidentally, all my immediate family and most of my extended family, have relocated to my current hometown, Atlanta, GA.

3. I was a latecomer to the equestrian world; as a matter of fact, I didn’t begin riding until two years ago when I turned 40. Unlike many couples who enjoy horses, it was my husband who exposed me to the sport when we began dating. He gifted me my first horse, a chestnut Arabian mare, as a birthday gift. My husband’s mother is an equestrian who competed in western

pleasure and saddle seat as a child in the 70s. He began riding as a child and has been a horseman for much of his life. My husband’s family are Arabian horse loyalists – his mom currently owns one and my husband and I currently have three (one mare and two geldings: Camille, Junior and Zee).

4. I believe there is power in a cute outfit! The first time I fell off a horse (I’ve fallen three times now), I was riding my mother-in-law’s horse Hope. Although Hope is older, she is my husband’s former polo pony and still has a lot of pep. On this day, my mother-in-law gave me a cute riding outfit, including her fancy tall boots. I’d just learned to post the trot and was feeling good about my riding and my new look. As I began picking up speed, I could hear my husband yelling, advising me to slow down. I lost my balance and fell off just shy of a small pond. Hope galloped back to the barn while I was immediately encircled by other boarders. My ego was as bruised as my backside. The moral of the story is to remain acutely aware of your skill levels and to avoid letting a cute outfit confuse your sense and sensibility!

5. Halloween is my favorite holiday. I believe this was strongly influenced by the years I spent living in New Orleans. Each year for Halloween, Bourbon Street would overflow with daring costumes and the spectators who came to see them! Although I don’t formally consider myself a costumer, I do enjoy being the Creative Director and Stylist for each Equestrian Noire shoot. It provides me with an opportunity to bring a theme to life by selecting the right horse, location and “look” (clothing and accessories) needed to make the final image pop!

6. I have spent most of my career working in corporate America. Although I love my work, I found myself needing a creative outlet. I decided to merge my love for art and photography with my newfound love of horses to create Equestrian Noire. I wanted to spotlight diversity in equestrianism, and the fact that black women ride horses, while celebrating the multitude of horse breeds and riding disciplines. I wanted to create art with other artists who were as starved for a creative outlet as I was. I gathered a small band of very talented and creative women and challenged them to create in a way they’ve never done before: try something new, cross a boundary, explore an idea. I am fortunate to work very closely with these ladies on each of my shoots. This includes my photographer Janet Howard (@janethowardstudio), hairstylist Recon Nicole (@reconbeauty_) and makeup artist Candice Johnson (@ sweetgloss). Given we’ve only been in existence for a year, I am very proud of the art we’ve created.

7. I was pensive about starting Equestrian Noire. I doubted that other creatives would be willing to offer their time and talents to the project. Given my age and race, I had no faith that I could build an Instagram following. I was extremely insecure in my lack of horse knowledge and riding experience. My husband PUSHED me into my first shoot and I haven’t looked back! I share this because as women, we often let our insecurities and lack of confidence prevent us from trying new things. Be bold, be fearless; even if things don’t turn out as you planned, at least you tried!

8. I love cheese pizza and homemade soup! I do not eat them together, but I could eat either one almost every day of the week!

9. I am a health and wellness nut. I love trying new healthy recipes and working out. As a matter of fact, I have trained and competed in several fitness competitions in the bikini division. I am motivated by the discipline, dedication, and hard work it requires to transform one’s body!

10. As I advance my riding skills, I want to begin jumping. It is a skill that I am afraid of (I’ve watched too many bloopers on Instagram), but I feel compelled to try. If I succeed, I’d like to join a hunt club – what’s better than racing through a forest on horseback wearing a very stylish outfit?