My name is Anisa Joseph, I am fifteen years old and I live in Marina, California. I have been with Riata Ranch for three years and it has become a large part of my life. Over the past three years I have learned so much about horses, performance, life, and myself. Before coming to Riata I was not very focused. From the very first day I came to the Ranch I have been taught to have a goal and follow it until you achieve it. One of the best examples of this is learning how to rope. I had an extremely hard time roping, and I really had to work at it. If it was anything else, I probably would have put it down and walked away from it, because I did not like doing anything I was bad at, and I did not like people knowing that I could not do something. Riata enthralled me though, so I knew that I had to get roping down before I could advance in the program. For hours everyday I worked at the roping until I started to excel and to really enjoy it. Not only did this experience teach me focus, but it also taught me to ....search out things I am not good at and work at them until I can do them, instead of walking away and trying to avoid them. I was also horrible at controlling my emotions. If I was mad or sad, everyone would know. Performing has taught me to handle my emotions by dealing with stress and having to adapt to different atmospheres. When you are around horses, you cannot get flustered or angry because it makes your horse nervous. I have learned to be composed no matter what is happening, because it always better to be able to think and concentrate during a stressful situation than to be flustered. My favorite thing about Riata is that it gives you lots of responsibility and independence. You are responsible for everything you do. I love that because no one can blame anyone else for her
mistakes. We learn to rise up and accept our mistakes and to learn how to correct them quickly. To prevent these mistakes we have to learn to pay attention to detail and to think fast. I am so blessed to be involved in this
program and whenever I am with Riata I imbibe everything around me. I love everything about Riata Ranch, and everything that I learn at Riata helps me with my everyday life.

Spencer Litwack

Hello I'm Spencer Litwack, I'm 15 years old and I'm from Exeter, California. I have been with Riata Ranch for 3 years and have enjoyed every minute of it. About a year ago I was assigned to a horse named Eddy. He was apart of the equine-theatre show, Cavalia. Eddy has taught me so much about how to handle my emotions and take control of my actions that it has allowed me to create a special bond with him. Not only do I have to trust him but he has to trust me. We work together as a team to get the job done. Riata has taught me many things, like how to be confident, and to strive to be better through developing my confidence through leadership and mentorship. Riata is who I am. It isn't my hobby. Riata is my way of life, it gives me a purpose, a reason to wake up in the morning, to help me know that I'm different and special. I will be a Riata girl for the rest of my life no matter where I go or what I do.
Spencer

Brandi Phillips

Hello everyone! My name is Brandi Phillips, I’m sixteen years old and I’ve been with Riata Ranch for three years. I am currently on the performance team. I am also glad to say that I am under the direction of Jennifer Welch-Nicholson who also taught my mother Theresa Machado who was in the program from 1984 till 1990. I have learned many useful things at Riata, and not just about horses, but how to be a great person and “take life by the horns.” You’re always expected to be the best you can be, and it gives you a sense of accomplishment because were constantly achieving and exceeding our own expectations. This summer has been so different compared to all the others. It’s still a lot of fun, but was not on the road as much. I like to look at it in a positive way though because it’s giving our team a chance to bond. We’ve all learned new things about each other. It truly has been an experience because you see we're not friends, were FAMILY. We recently accepted Lori McWilliams back into our family. Lori is one of the four original trick riders along with Jennifer. Lori fit in immediately because she understands the bonds, the trust, and the friendships. You see, it’s not some dumb trick riding school that everyone can do; you really have to be committed and not mind jumping on and off horses sweaty and tired out in the dirt. You have to be able to carry on a show in pouring rain. It’s not a place it’s a state of mind. I truly love Riata; I’ll be here for a long time.