Between pursuing an associate's degree, taking care of horses and looking for land to buy in Union, Missouri, 16-year-old Jenna Koch is going at a full gallop. Koch dreams of having her own barn to train horses and riders, but she considers becoming a veterinarian to be a safer path. "Career-wise, my heart is telling me to do one thing, and my brain is telling me to do another," she said.
Riding her own two horses and grooming others' horses in barns across Franklin County are both steps towards Koch's goals and sources of joy within long days of work and study.
Photographed for the 77th Missouri Photo Workshop
Jenna Koch, 16, reacts to her horse Wild Turkey nuzzling her ear after a ride at Diamond Farms in Gray Summit, Missouri on September 24, 2025.
Jenna Koch opens a curtain in her bedroom at her family's house in Union, Missouri on September 25, 2025. Koch has competed in three horse shows this year, fewer than normal because she had to help take care of her mother and recover from breaking her ankle in mid-July.
Jamie Koch, 45, speaks to her daughter Jenna as Jenna leaves their house in Union, Missouri on September 25, 2025. Jenna has helped out around the house more since Jamie had a stroke in April, because the medication that's helping Jamie recover limits her physical activity. Jenna's brothers work out of state, and her father is on a weeks-long bear hunting trip in Idaho.
Jenna Koch opens the garage door before leaving her family's house in Union, Missouri on September 25, 2025.
Jenna Koch attends a chemistry lecture at East Central College in Union, Missouri on September 24, 2025. Koch graduated high school early and began studying agricultural science with a focus on animals full-time at East Central College in August. She hopes to earn her associate's degree before she turns 18.
Jenna Koch prepares to take notes before her chemistry lecture at East Central College in Union, Missouri on September 24, 2025.
Jenna Koch walks through a field to bring her horse, Wild Turkey, into a barn for grooming and a ride at Diamond Farms in Gray Summit, Missouri on September 24, 2025. Koch tries to ride both Wild Turkey and her other horse, who lives at a barn in Washington, Missouri, nearly every day.
Jenna Koch carries a bridle for her horse Wild Turkey before riding him in a barn at Diamond Farms in Gray Summit, Missouri on September 24, 2025.
Jenna Koch rides Wild Turkey at Diamond Farms in Gray Summit, Missouri on September 24, 2025. Koch received the horse when she was 11 years old as a gift from her dressage trainer, who thought Koch and the horse got along well. Wild Turkey hospitalized a previous owner by trapping her against the side of a trailer and breaking several of her ribs. Koch said she's never been injured by Wild Turkey because she doesn't act nervous around him and doesn't react when he acts up.
Jenna Koch smiles at her boyfriend Kayden Black, 18, after riding her horse Wild Turkey at Diamond Farms in Gray Summit, Missouri on September 25, 2025. Koch said she's known Black all her life, and they've been dating since 2024. Koch and Black are looking for plots of land to buy in Union and build a house on. "Most kids at 16 wouldn't be looking for property to buy," Koch said.
Jenna Koch and her boyfriend Kayden Black walk Koch's horse Wild Turkey toward a barn at Diamond Farms in Gray Summit, Missouri on September 25, 2025. "We're done before nine o'clock tonight?" Black said after he and Koch finished feeding horses at another barn in Union. "I know," Koch said. "Holy crap," Black said.