“I don't have time to ride.”

REALLY???

Or have you gotten into the habit of spending your time doing something ELSE?

I'm not asking to make you feel guilty. I'm asking because I had to ask myself the same question. And the answer was embarrassing.

Recently, I realized I've been doing everything except riding.

When I looked at why, the reason was simple. I'm spending time on mindless things, that are not a priority and not riding.

It's not because I haven't been busy with horses. I've spent enormous amounts of time getting them healthy, planning their return to work, and caring for them. I've helped other riders. I've built my business.

But here's the funny part...

Apparently, I have time to play games on my phone. And scroll Facebook. And work on jigsaw puzzles!

And I LOVE those things!

So this isn't a confession that I'm wasting my life. Games, puzzles, and a little scrolling are all perfectly good ways to unwind. The real question is whether my choices match what I want most.

Why amI choosing those activities over something I love so much? RIDING.

We talk about finding time to ride as if it's a lost glove that will turn up behind the feed bins.

It won't.

Time rarely appears on its own. If we want to make time for horseback riding, we have to decide how we want to spend it.

If riding matters so much to me, why am I waiting for everything else to be finished before I do it?

Take a second with that one. When is everything ever finished?

Horse owners are some of the hardest-working people on the planet.

We feed. We clean. We groom. We manage health issues. We research, plan, and worry. These responsibilities are important and necessary!

But sometimes we spend so much time preparing to enjoy our horses that we never get around to enjoying them.

There's necessary preparation. And there's endless preparation.

One gets you ready to ride. The other keeps you permanently standing at the mounting block, adjusting the stirrups.

Our brains love what's familiar and convenient.

Opening a phone game takes almost no preparation. Neither does scrolling Facebook. You just reach for it, and suddenly it's been forty-five minutes.  (A really good ride......)

Riding takes more. More planning. More energy. More effort. Boots, helmet, tack, and a horse who may have opinions about the day.

And if you struggle with riding anxiety, riding can also stir up uncomfortable feelings. That makes the familiar, easy option, like playing scrolling, even more appealing.

But let's be fair. Not every skipped ride is about fear. Sometimes you're tired. Sometimes you're overwhelmed. Sometimes you genuinely need rest, and that's a good reason to rest.

So here's a question worth asking:

“Am I choosing what I want MOST, or what feels easiest RIGHT NOW?”

Sometimes the honest answer is “easiest.” That's okay. It's just good information.

You don't need a new schedule or a 5 a.m. alarm. You need a few small shifts.

1. Notice Where Your Time Is Going

For a few days, pay attention to how you spend your free time. The in-between moments. The evenings. The “I'll just check one thing” minutes.

No judgment! No scolding! Just awareness. You can't make different choices until you can see the ones you're already making.

2. Put Riding on the Calendar FIRST

Instead of waiting until everything else is done, choose a realistic riding opportunity and write it down. Maybe it's Saturday morning. Maybe it's Tuesday right after work.

Then protect that time when circumstances allow. You'd show up for a vet appointment or a farrier visit, right? Your ride deserves the same respect.  You can even think of yourself as your own trainer, and you wouldn't let your trainer sit there waiting for you.

3. Make the Next Step EASY

If scrolling is easy, make riding easy too.

• Set out your helmet and boots the night before.
• Keep your halter and lead rope where you can grab them.
• Choose a manageable plan, like a 20-minute ride instead of an epic production.
• Commit to just a little horse time and see what happens.

If you're getting back into horseback riding or rebuilding your confidence, your first step might not be a ride at all. It might be grooming. Groundwork. Or a few minutes of a calming technique before you even touch the saddle.

That still counts. Small steps are how horseback riding confidence gets built and new habits.

When did riding become the LAST thing on the list?

We work hard to care for our horses, our families, our businesses, and just about everyone else. Then we treat the thing we love most like dessert we'll get to once we've cleaned our plates.

But we deserve to enjoy the lives we're working so hard to create.

This isn't about neglecting responsibilities or ignoring legitimate safety concerns. It's about making intentional room for joy.

Next time that sentence pops out of your mouth, pause.

Then try a different question:

“How CAN I make time for riding this week?”

That one question opens the door. Maybe it's one ride on the calendar. Maybe it's one evening of puzzles traded for twenty minutes with your horse.

One small change can begin shifting a long-standing habit.

And your horse is waiting at the gate.