Performance Pony Company

As the rodeo season comes to a close for me this summer here are a few of the lessons I learned (re-learned). 1) If you can feel it in your soul, your gut, your heart, listen! Sometimes this means keep pushing forward. Keeping chasing the goal. Keep fighting! Other times, this can mean regrouping, getting help, being more selective. Often, it's a combination of both. Listen to your gut! 2) If it goes wrong more than two times in a row, ask for help. I missed 5 or 6 calves in

I started this year with a bang! Every weekend I went to Pro Rodeos in the breakaway during the first half of the season, I won some money. I was pumped for the season and had my sights set on Circuit Finals. It’s only my second year breakaway roping at the Pro rodeos and my first year doing it with two kids! Being successful at all in this new level felt great! As the year went on, lots of life happened at home, in business, with vehicles, with horses, and my name started mo

Every season a theme emerges in the emails and conversations we have with our customers and friends at the Performance Pony Company. Many of us at this point in the year have been riding, competing and showing consistently enough to recognize patterns that we aren't sure how to fix on our own. Before we continue, I want to remind everyone, there is no finish line to horsemanship! Keep it fun by staying curious and finding joy in the process. Too much focus on the outcome, y

Help to get through your summer slumps as a rider and coach!

The Voices on Your Shoulders Have you ever noticed that it feels like there are two people standing on your shoulders or in your mind arguing back and forth constantly? I like to sum that up to the devil and Angel on our shoulder. Camarie Roorda (author & PPC Owner) and her daughter Wylie at the ProRodeo in Buffalo, MN. In rodeo, horses, life, sometimes it is just hard. Period. But here’s the thing, we all experience hard times. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US! If you’re thinking ri

We weren't there when this happened to Pony Pro Elaina Forrester, but nobody got her. She got back on and placed in two classes after this. AND at least Elaina and her pony looked good in their PPC tack set, saddle pad and other gear when it happened! We all have rough days. Sometimes its literally getting bucked off a rank one, falling off for a silly reason or face planting in the goat tying. Other times, it's outside the arena in our head or with other area of our life not