I Failed at Skijoring… Then Tried Again 🐎⛷️

Overcoming failure at my first ever skijoring event.

WELCOME TO THE WILD WORLD OF SkijorinG

Shannon’s January Update

This month, I tried skijoring for the very first time.

If you’re thinking, What in the Wild West Winter Olympics is skijoring? Don’t worry, I was right there with you a few months ago. In short, it’s skiing… behind a horse… at full speed… over jumps… through gates… while grabbing rings. Naturally.

Some friends-of-friends have horses and are finding their passion in the skijoring world. They decided that if I skied behind their daughter and her horse, we’d be a force to be reckoned with. And because I love anything on skis, thrive on new challenges, and could help their daughter shine in a sport she’s passionate about, I said YES.

Great idea in theory…

Friday was the seeding round for Saturday’s final. As a competitive skier, I’m used to inspecting the course and training on it before race day. Skijoring does none of that. No inspection. Zero training runs. No practice. And I had never, not once, skied behind a horse going that fast, over jumps, around tight gates, hanging on for dear life.

Standing in the start gate, I was almost as nervous as I’d been in an Olympic gate. The horses were lined up, jittery and amped, doing all the dramatic horse things only horse people know how to handle.

Then the countdown started.

3…
2…
1…
GO.

I made it through the first few gates and thought, Okay… we’ve got this. So I told my rider to let him go. And when that horse REALLY went? The rope zipped straight through my hands, and just like that, my run was over. I didn’t even make it a quarter of the way down the course.

The announcer heckled me, and I had to take off my skis and do the walk of shame down the course to exit. I was embarrassed. I was angry. I was crushed.

But the worst part? My kids were watching. I could barely look at them… until they started cheering me on as we made our way back to the car.

“Mom, it’s okay. Sometimes you have to fail and then get the courage to try again.”
“Mom, do you know how many fails it takes to have a success you’re really proud of?”
“Mom, use that fuel you made today for your fire tomorrow.”

SHEESH. Maybe they have been listening to me all these years. 😅

That night, I regrouped. I focused on what I could control. I made a plan for what I couldn’t. I grabbed gardening gloves for better grip. I watched video. I visualized myself skiing the course smoothly. I locked in a few strong “I AM” statements to repeat the next day.

Round Two

The next morning, I showed up still nervous, but grounded. Focused. Ready. And most importantly? I put on my all-pink, sparkly outfit. Because if I was going to do something terrifying and hard, I was at least going to do it as me.

When we stood in the gate for the big competition run and heard, “3… 2… 1…” we exploded out of the gate. We nailed the gates. Floated over the bumps. And I reached out and snagged the ring.

We did it.

And I was proud. Not because it was perfect, but because I failed hard, got back up, adjusted, and tried again.

My Three Biggest Takeaways

Never stop trying new and scary things. That’s where growth lives, confidence is built, and the best stories always begin.
Failure hurts. It’s messy and emotional, and that’s okay. What matters is what you do next.
Be YOU. I’m a pink-sparkly girl, and when I stand tall in who I fully am, I rise. And so can you!

So whatever hard thing you’re facing right now… grab the rope, hold on tight, and don’t forget what makes you shine. I believe in you. You’ve got this!!

Quote of the Month

"Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.”

P.S. January has a way of holding up a mirror. New year, fresh energy, and a chance to decide how you want to show up in the months ahead. If your team is ready to reset, refocus, and build momentum early, this is the moment to lock it in. Keynotes and winter ski days are nearly full, so let’s get something on the calendar HERE and start the year with intention!

My 5 Favorite Country Songs Right Now

Man! I Feel Like A Woman! by Shania Twain. **Last song I listened to before my 2002 Olympic run.
Friends in Low Places by Garth Brooks
Jolene by Dolly Parton
Take Me Home, Country Roads by John Denver
The Gambler by Kenny Rogers

See you in the next blog,