Check Out Chanel Rhodes’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chanel Rhodes

Hi Chanel , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I am a first-generation equestrian, business owner, resort barn manager, and most recently, a nonprofit owner. I am a dreamer with a goal to open a ranch that will bring together people from different walks of life to enjoy a unique agricultural experience. I have loved horses, Disney, and creating art ever since I was a little girl. I’m pretty sure my first word was “horse,” and my first favorite song was “Once Upon a Dream.” Personally, I am a big dreamer, which is why I have always been drawn to the Disney brand. I was a loner who drew pictures of Disney characters and horses during lunch.
I can’t talk about myself without mentioning some wonderful people who have inspired my journey. My mother, Valerie Griffin has supported all of my passions and nurtured my artistic abilities since I was a little girl. She has always taught me to live a passion filled life while supporting my dreams. My sweet, passionate, intelligent, and creative husband, Andrew Garces, is a talented magician, showman, physical trainer, and videographer who has inspired so much of my business ambition and health, and he tells me that I am beautiful every day since the start of our relationship in 2014. We are excited to create wonderful, creative ways to entertain audiences together with our joint passions.
Cliff Salter, a horse trainer, introduced me to the equestrian world by making me his working student. He taught me, in his own way, how to spot well-formed horses, how to exercise them, Western training techniques, and much more. Jasmine Wheatley, my dear friend and a trusted, multi-talented horse trainer, took me under her wing. She introduced me to the English riding and training world while supporting my Western riding foundation and encouraging all of my endeavors.
My job is a huge part of my identity. I mean, come on—Disney and horses? That’s so me! Erin Simon, my wonderful boss and supportive mentor, gave me the opportunity of a lifetime to work with draft horse superstars. I am also grateful to work with a fantastic management team and a department full of passionate cast members. I am so thankful for all the wonderful opportunities in my life and blessed to have all the people I love and care for.
I have been blessed with two amazing, talented and hilarious horses. My Tobiano paint “Lady” has been featured alongside me on television shows, news segments, magazine spreads, photoshoots, and commercials. Lady also tested each and every one of my prototypes. They had a great time running around the arena, playing and rolling in her wigs. She likes to relax during the install and sometimes fall asleep. She is definitely my sweet princess. She continues to model my pieces and work alongside me on camera. “Gabriel,” my off the track thoroughbred, has also worn my pieces. He is a bit on the sassy side and loves to stick his tongue to anyone passing by. Both of my horses have each competed in both English and Western competitions. They are my versatile herd.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My mother noticed my passion for animals early on and managed to squeeze in some goldfish, rabbits, guinea pigs, and later, dogs & cats. But there was one animal I couldn’t stop talking about: horses. Around the age of 5, I asked her if Black people rode horses, given the lack of representation in the equestrian world. I had not seen any black cowboys on TV or in magazines. She reassured me that we did and that I could, too. Despite being a single parent with limited income, she worked hard to help me pursue my passion for horses. I enjoyed sporadic horseback riding lessons throughout my childhood and trail rides during vacations. I even fell off my first horse during a trail ride at the age of 7, my mother said that I was eager to get back on. When I turned 20, I was determined to not let any more time pass without horses in my life. I then sought out a working student role with the guidance of a random ranch owner I called from Craigslist. I accidentally stumbled upon a small barn in Long Beach California and met Western Trainer Cliff Salter. There I stayed for 7 years and now I am 17 years into the equestrian lifestyle. My mother purchased my first horse, she could have easily told me it wasn’t achievable, but her support helped me carve out a place for myself in the equestrian world. She has inspired so much in my life!

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am thankful to be the owner and creator of a one of a kind business. I make wigs for horses, yes you read that right. During Black History Month in February of 2019 I decided to do an art project. I had been experimenting with different hairstyles and thought “What if I put a wig on my horse, what type of response would I get?” The prototype I created failed on the day of the shoot of course, but my encouraging husband said “Just install some loose pieces of hair and I’ll film it.” After its release on social media I received a lot of feedback. I was featured in the LA Times by Los Angelenos and was interviewed by the Young Black Equestrian’s podcast by Abriana Johnson and Caitlin Ann Gooch. They encouraged me to use this idea to start a business. I began to realize that my business could actually address some needs in the horse show and entertainment world.In the beginning of my developmental stages I was also featured on NBC’s Access Daily, ABC’s To Tell the Truth and made a 60 Second Docs documentary. I launched my business Mane Tresses in 2021. I continue to ship my products worldwide and create pieces for horse production companies. Mane Tresses and the details of my lifestyle have been featured on several prominent platforms. I am so grateful for what God has done in my life an look forward to future endeavors. The ultimate goal is to share horses with the world and inspire people to think outside of the box.

Mane Tresses is a line of cruelty- and chemical-free hairpieces for horses. Inspired by my own experiences and creativity, I developed this business to provide premium quality, affordable hairpieces that withstand the demands of riding and does not restrict the horse’s mobility.

My product’s developmental stage was quite challenging, I had to think about creating a lightweight, easy to install, flexible pieces that would not impede the horses’ movements and are versatile between different horses. During Covid lockdown, I was able to laser focus on the concept for my products. I managed to create several prototypes before my launch date. This was frustrating because my horse does not live at my apartment, I had to travel 20 minutes away, watch my product fail and then return home defeated in tears. I learned a great lesson about perseverance. My new and repeat customers have reviewed my products as something creative that they have never experienced before and FUN! My products drastically differ from traditional extensions for horses, they take far less time to install, are more affordable, come in more colors, come in manes, no-braid-in or tying-in tails and forelock pieces. This is a serious market niche.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
If anyone is interested in collaborating please reach out to me via social media.
Instagram- @cowgirl_chanel and @manetresscc

I would love to work with photographers, producers, fashion companies, influencers, equestrians, horse rescues, schools, after school programs, celebrities etc. I want to use my pieces to help rescue horses to find homes. This is an idea that I have been wanting spread.

Also NBC, I would have loved to be in the room for that Meg the Stallion Olympics commercial. Mane Tresses could have definitely been a great fit for the horse that was used. Much love though!

I started a non-profit called The V & H Griffin Foundation. This was named after my wonderful grandparents Virgil and Helen Griffin. My grandfather was a hard worker that also loved horses, he took care of his family and created a strong foundation. My kind grandmother was a loving caring soul that carried herself with elegance. My next venture is to build a ranch with this non profit in my area that will bring people together, rescue animals, address food insecurity and provide unique entertainment. This will bring people from all walks of life together so they can receive an unforgettable ranch experience that will make a positive impact on their lives and communities.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.manetresses.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cowgirlchannel_/ https://www.instagram.com/manetressescc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manetressescc/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@cowgirlchanelmt?lang=en

Image Credits
Disney horse- Tony DeLuca
Yellow Shirt Clinic with Olaf- Amber Lynne Espinoza
The rest- Andrew Garces