Flooded Out, But Not Stopped

Within 24 hours, our arena went from dry and dusty to standing water—four inches deep on one side. Not soggy, not damp. Flooded.

This outdoor arena has been a godsend all summer. We finally got it expanded, tilled, raked, and we’ve been using it every night for months. Now, you can’t even walk through the gate without sinking in mud. With another rodeo coming up this weekend, losing the big space felt like a gut punch.

So what do you do when the plan falls apart?

You pivot. You adjust.

We moved into the indoor. It’s much smaller. Could we make full runs? No. Could we get our exact timing between barrels and poles? No.

Were we stuck? Not at all.

We shifted to slow work—saddle work, position work, mechanics. We polished seat positions, shoulders, backs, feet, and hands. We worked on the fundamentals at a walk and jog. And when we pushed into a few full runs, they were solid.

Meanwhile, Bonnie had her own adventure—helping haul poles and cones out of the outdoor “lake.” Let’s just say she didn’t make it back to the house clean or dry.

Losing the big arena forced us to focus on the little things—the habits and awareness that add up to winning runs later. Confidence grows in those small details.

We pivoted. We adjusted. We made the most of it.

Because that’s the job—whether it’s in the arena, the rodeo, or life.

Your turn: When’s the last time you had to pivot? What did you do when your big plan fell apart?