Saddle Up Anyway: Getting Through the Days You Don’t Feel Like It
- afenner
- Jul 14
- 2 min read
Let’s be honest — there are days when the last thing you want to do is saddle a horse.
You’re tired. It’s cold. The laundry pile is winning. The arena is muddy. Someone’s sick, someone’s whining, and you’re already behind.
But the horses still need ridden. The kids still need coached. And you? You still show up.
Because at Rad Rodeo, we’ve learned that on the days you don’t feel like it — that’s when it matters most.
Discipline > Motivation
Motivation is fickle. It comes and goes with the weather, the wins, the season. But discipline? That’s different.
Discipline:
Gets the saddle out when you’d rather stay in.
Walks to the barn with tired legs.
Loads the trailer even when the odds look stacked.
Our kids learn early: feelings are valid — but they don’t always get to be in charge.
The Ride Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect
Not every ride needs to be a breakthrough. Sometimes it’s just about:
Moving the horse.
Moving your body.
Moving the day forward.
We remind our kids — and ourselves — that showing up is a win. Especially on the days when the couch is calling.
Let the Horse Be the Reset
Some of our best days started as our worst ones. Horses have a way of:
Centering your mind.
Releasing the tension.
Reminding you why you started.
That rhythm of hoofbeats, that quiet moment in the barn? It’s better than any therapy.
So we saddle up, not because it’s easy — but because it helps.
Modeling Matters
When your kids see you show up even when you’re tired… When they see you smile after a long day because that colt took a deep breath… When they see you dust yourself off and saddle up again…
They learn that quitting isn’t an option. They learn that commitment isn’t seasonal.
That’s a lesson they’ll carry far beyond the arena.
Final Thoughts
At Rad Rodeo, we don’t wait for the perfect mood to ride — we ride because it brings us back to who we are.
So when the barn calls, and you don’t feel like it? Saddle up anyway.
That ride might be the one that reminds you what you’re made of.
--
Ann-Marie Fenner
Ranch Manager, Breeder, Rodeo Mom
Comments