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4 Important Life Lessons Ali Armstrong Has Learned Traveling the Prairie Rodeo Circuit

Published by Faith Hanan on November 18, 2024
smiling-woman-on-black-horse-running-toward-the-camera-for-a-blog-about-lessons-from-the-rodeo-circuit

Last updated on November 12, 2024

4 Important Life Lessons Ali Armstrong Has Learned Traveling the Prairie Rodeo Circuit

Ali Armstrong is no stranger to the rodeo circuit. She’s been barrel racing at the professional and 1D level for years, many of those with her trusted and beloved gelding, Panama. With that many years under her belt (and at a young age no less), Ali has learned a few lessons from her time on the rodeo road, beyond just racing techniques. She sat down with us to talk about how she’s applied some of those lessons to improve the well-being of her horses, and herself!

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Lessons from the Rodeo Circuit

1. Put Your Horse First

  • Ali’s top rule for competing is not to enter a race if her horse is not feeling 100% themselves. She doesn’t compete on that horse if they are dealing with a little bit of a health issue, recovering from an injury, or just not acting themselves. 
  • She attributes this set-in-stone rule as one of the reasons her barrel horse, Panama, is still competing at a high level at almost 18 years old! “I don’t let my ‘want-tos’ come above him, or any of them really,” she explains.
  • Remember, our horses can’t use words to tell us something is wrong. So it’s up to us to pay attention to how they act and move so we know right away when there is an issue. Your horse’s well-being comes above any buckle or trophy you could earn.

2. Get Out of Your Own Way, Especially on the Rodeo Circuit

  • Ali knows that being successful in rodeo (and life) is just as much about the mental game as it is the physical game. She makes sure to speak kindly to herself, even when mistakes are made, and uses phrases like “I will” instead of “I might”.
  • Last summer, Ali and Panama entered the professional rodeo in Springdale, Arkansas. They hadn’t had a very good run the last time they were there, so Ali was not optimistic that it would go well this time around. The footing was weird there, and a lot of people were struggling, so she says she “got that doubt in my head.” But once she got Panama out, she realized he felt GOOD and they might have a chance. 
  • She focused on enjoying the run instead of competing, ran hard from the start, snapped around all three barrels, and flew out of the arena. Happy with her run, they were halfway back to the trailer when a friend found her and told her they were winning the whole thing!
  • Because Ali was just in the moment and enjoying her horse, she quieted the doubt and ended up winning at Springdale.
  • For more advice on how to maintain some mental toughness, check out this blog.

3. High-Quality Supplements are Worth Their Weight in Gold

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  • If you’ve been here awhile, you’ve probably heard Ali’s name, and seen her photos, a lot. And that’s because she is a huge supporter, promoter, and believer in Animal Element supplements!
  • She knows that to keep a horse competing in the rodeo circuit (or any high-demanding competition), they have to be healthy from the inside out. All systems have to be firing on all cylinders to keep up with the demands of a performance horse. And that’s where Animal Element comes in.
  • She feeds all her horses Foundation Daily Detox and NuTrack Digestive Support every day, regardless of activity and competition status. These two supplements not only help with physical health, but also mental health like cognitive function, focus, and mood.
  • In The Zone calming paste helps reduce stress during travel and stressful experiences, without reducing their energy or messing with adrenaline levels. Because it contains electrolytes, ITZ also promotes water intake which can be an issue with some horses while traveling. Learn more about ITZ here.
  • Panama is also regularly given Cissus Quadrangularis for joint health and Product X Performance Enhancer starting 5 days before a competition for that (legal) extra boost. 

4. If There’s a Will, There’s a Way

  • Despite being in nursing school and having a crazy tight schedule, Ali refuses to put riding and competing on the back burner. She knows first hand if you want something bad enough, you’ll find a way to get it.
  • This may look like letting go of other hobbies/obligations, asking for help (even if it’s against your nature), and letting go of perfection. Figuring out a time management system that works for you is KEY. 
  • One of the things Ali does to help manage it all is to find a travel buddy who can share in the driving (and gas money). This allows her to either sleep or study when it’s not her turn to drive.
  • “If you want it bad enough you’ll make it work,” is Ali’s motto. This blog has more tips from her on merging horses with a busy schedule.

Lessons for Life, Not Just the Rodeo Circuit

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After years of competing on the professional and 1D rodeo circuit, Ali knows that the lessons she’s learned on the back of a horse can also be applied to life in general. Hard work, empathy for other living creatures, a positive attitude, high-quality supplements, and determination go a long way for horses and humans alike! We are honored to be part of Ali’s journey, and can’t wait to see what she accomplishes!

To order some of Ali’s tried-and-true Animal Element supplements, contact your local dealer or visit our website.

Proudly written for Animal Element by the team at FaithHanan.com

Published in Testimonials