Back In the Saddle

I started riding again just one month after my son was born, yes, after a C-section, and yes, my doctor cleared me. The early rides weren’t pretty. My core was sore, my energy was low, and most mornings started well before the sun came up. But getting back in the saddle was something I needed not just for my physical recovery, but for my mental health.

My husband, a real-life rockstar, would meet me at the barn before work, baby in tow, just so I could ride. Friends stepped in to babysit so I could grab a few moments of peace and purpose. They were, and still are, my heroes.

A New Set of Challenges

Returning to the arena wasn’t a straight line. My younger horse didn’t handle the time off well, and I felt like I had lost all my momentum. To make it worse, someone I once considered a friend hit me with a gut-punch of a comment: that my horse’s back was sore because I was “too heavy” after having my baby.

I was three months postpartum. Still healing. Still learning how to be a mom. That comment haunted me. It hit me where I was already hurting, my confidence.

And for a while, it worked. I second-guessed myself. I questioned my skills as a horseman. I almost let it steal my joy.

Rebuilding Confidence, One Ride at a Time

But here’s what I’ve learned: You can come back stronger. You can rebuild. It just takes time, patience, and a whole lot of grace.

It’s taken a whole year, and an entire village, to get back to feeling like “me” again. I’ve kicked the baby blues. I’ve shed the baby weight. I’ve trained harder, showed up even when I didn’t want to, and blocked the voices that didn’t serve me.

Yes, I used the block button. And let me tell you, mama: it’s okay to cut out people who try to bring you down just to make themselves feel taller.

If You’re in the Thick of It

I see you, mama.

I see you pulling on boots before dawn just to squeeze in a ride.
I see you hauling to a jackpot with a fussy toddler in tow.
I see you trying to work out while the baby naps.
I see you fighting for your fire, even when the spark feels small.

I see you. And I want you to know, your breakthrough is coming.

This Season Doesn’t Define You

I know the days feel long and sometimes pointless. I know what it’s like to question whether you’ll ever feel like “you” again —strong, confident, and capable.

But hear me loud and clear: it will get better.

Find a village that loves you, encourages you, and pushes you to be your best, and know that I’m here, cheering you on every step of the way.

You’ve got this, mama.