Vanessa Ojeda

Vanessa is originally from Davie, FL. In 2021, she graduated from Columbia University in New York City with a B.A. in Anthropology. She now lives with her herd in Ocala, where she trains mules full-time while completing prerequisites for veterinary school at the University of Florida.

Growing up, Vanessa was raised and nurtured in the way of the horse. Her mother was born and raised on a working farm in the Andes Mountains of Socarte, Ecuador (near Cañar). On her father’s side, she is descended from Florida Crackers. Vanessa was first put on a pony when she was just a year old. From that point on, her fate was sealed.

Each year in the summer, Vanessa hand-tied rope halters and hackamores to help offset the cost of horseback riding lessons and day camp. The job of bringing in and saddling horses in the mornings and shoveling manure through the hot Florida afternoons never seemed to faze her, and she quickly began to gravitate toward colt-starting and studying natural horsemanship.

Her journey so far has led her across the United States, from restarting OTTBs and grooming Grand Prix horses in South Florida to wrangling for dude ranches and packing mules for elk hunting outfitters in the San Luis Valley of Colorado.

Through these experiences, Vanessa has developed a unique approach to mulemanship and horsemanship—one that prioritizes the equine-human relationship above all else, fostering willing partnerships.

Vanessa regularly volunteers as a veterinary technician with UF’s Operation Catnip, The Street Dog Coalition, and Equitarian Initiative.