Taking Opportunity Anyway

There are a few moments in life that look small from the outside but end up changing everything.

For me, one of those moments was asking for the ride on Alejandro, a PRE stallion who became my first real professional ride.

At the time, I needed a horse to ride. His breeders needed a rider. On paper, it made sense. In my body, however, it felt like I was about to walk directly into traffic.

I was scared to death to ask.

But I had grown up hearing one sentence over and over:

“The worst they can say is no.”

That stuck with me. And as it turns out, it is true.

I have been told no plenty of times in my life. Plenty. Not once did I die from it. Not even a little.

But that one time I found the courage to ask, the answer was yes. And that yes helped launch my career.

That is the thing about opportunity. It does not always arrive wrapped up neatly with a perfect plan, a comfortable bank account, and a guarantee that everything will work out. Usually, it shows up at an inconvenient time, asks more of you than you feel ready for, and then stands there waiting to see what kind of person you are going to be.

Over the years, I have had plenty of horses to ride. I have been lucky, and I have worked hard. Both things can be true. But even as my career has grown, I have tried to stay open to opportunity.

Recently, the De Steffen family approached me about partnering with them on one of their horses, Teagan Van’t Jordenshof.

And honestly, the little horse girl in me had stars in her eyes.

He is an extremely good-looking horse. The kind that makes you pause for a second and think, “Well. That is inconvenient.” Because once a horse like that catches your attention, it is hard to pretend you are being entirely practical.

When they asked me, my first thought was…

Immediate yes.

It was only after that initial gut reaction that the doubt started to creep in. Could I financially take on another horse? Did I have the time? Did it make sense? Was I being smart, or was I just letting the horse-crazy part of my brain take over the steering wheel again?

A fair question, honestly. She has made some bold choices.

But I also know myself well enough now to pay attention when I cannot stop thinking about something.

That first feeling mattered. The yes came before the fear. The doubt was secondary. And sometimes that tells you quite a bit.

I have learned that not every opportunity comes with a clean answer right away. Sometimes the practical concerns are real, and they deserve respect. But fear can dress itself up as practicality if you are not careful. It can sound very responsible while quietly talking you out of the very thing that might move you forward.

So I had to have a little meeting with myself.

How am I supposed to move forward if I turn away from an opportunity that is standing right in front of me?

That does not mean saying yes to everything. It does not mean being reckless. It does not mean ignoring reality and hoping everything magically sorts itself out while you post inspirational quotes on the internet.

It means recognizing when something has potential. It means being honest about the risk without letting fear make the decision for you. It means trusting that initial pull when it is still there days later, tapping you on the shoulder like, “Are we really going to pretend we are not interested?”

Because I was interested.

I could not stop thinking about him.

And that is usually my sign that there is something there worth following.

Looking back, I cannot think of one opportunity I truly regret taking. Not every horse took me to FEI. Not every path turned into the thing I thought it would. Some opportunities taught me what I wanted. Some taught me what I did not want. Some taught me patience, humility, timing, and how to sit with uncertainty without making it everyone else’s problem.

That is still growth.

That is still education.

That is still worth something.

Teagan and I are having a blast. We are taking it one day at a time, learning each other, and seeing what we can build. There is no need to force the whole story to reveal itself at once. Horses are good at reminding us that today’s work is usually enough.

And honestly, it is exciting to think about how many opportunities are still out there.

Some will be obvious. Some will be uncomfortable. Some will require me to ask the question even when my stomach is doing unnecessary gymnastics.

But I want to stay open.

Because that is how I got here.

That is how I keep growing.

And that is what makes this life so exciting. Not predictable. Not easy. Occasionally financially ridiculous. But exciting.

So ask the question.

Take the chance.

Be willing to hear no.

You will probably survive it.

And every now and then, the answer will be yes. ( My speech to myself) 

Teagan Van’t Jordenshof 📸 Avery Fletcher