A sunrise ride before the girls wake up ensures I get at least one ride in for the day.
Training, Working, Homeschooling, and Life
On any given day when I tell someone I work as a nurse practitioner, homeschool my oldest (while my youngest is in two-day preschool), and am training for the Gaucho Derby—a 500km self-supported horse race in Patagonia—I get a lot of “Wow, how do you find time for that?!” Also a lot of “You’re crazy,” “How long will you be gone? I could never” and “I could never homeschool.”
I never saw myself as the type who would draw a lot of wows from people, and maybe these aren’t the kinds of wows people envy…but here we are.
The Comparison Trap
When I talk with other Gaucho Derby competitors, it’s humbling. Most are professional equestrians, riding multiple horses every day as their job. Many don’t have young kids—or kids at all. Meanwhile, for me, a day of work (to pay for the race) means a day of lost training. A “barn day” is often just feeding horses, cleaning stalls, and saying “maybe tomorrow” to a ride.
Fortunately my work as a nurse practitioner gives me a flexible schedule. My focus this year is working enough to cover race costs, while also keeping my first grader on track with homeschooling. It’s a constant balancing act between financial goals, training goals, and family priorities.
The Training Gap
Gaucho Derby riders will cover 35–50 miles a day in the saddle, 12+ hours at a time, for more than a week straight. Most local riders I know (and myself) are accustomed to training in 30–45 minute sessions—about 3 miles at best. That’s a huge gap to bridge.
So, I’m riding as many different horses as I can and slowly building distance on my own. I’m also working on strength, cardio, and core stability to prepare my body. On a good day, I get both a workout and a ride in. On an average day, I at least get one.
The Mom Factor
And then there’s life with kids. My two little besties are nearly always with me, which I love—but it makes “me time” tricky. Can’t just step outside for a long run, and Kentucky summers feel like training in the devil’s armpit so they don’t want to stay outside with me for the length of a ride. Homeschool takes up most mornings, not because it has to, but because snacks, play breaks, and distractions are part of the package.
Homeschooling has become one of my greatest passions and my most important job. The Derby matters to me, but my children’s education and well-being come first, so I plan around that.
A Day in the Life (on a Good Day)
- 5:30 am: Alarm. Question life choices. Convince myself it won’t be 100° with 90% humidity. Check weather. Cry.
- 6:30: Feed horses and chickens, sneak in a ride, check kids’ room monitor constantly.
- 7:30: Back inside. Girls are awake and PBS kids is doing the parenting.
- 8:00: Breakfast (Kodiak pancakes for the win). Coffee.
- 9:30–12:00: Homeschool blur of reading, math, science, Spanish, and snacks.
- 12:00: Lunch. Another ride and lots of outdoor play.
- 4:30: Husband home → family basement workout (chaos included).
- 5:30: Evening barn chores.
- 6:00: Dinner.
- 7:30–8:30: Kid bedtime marathon.
- 9:30: Blog writing, catching up, or let’s be honest….mindless scrolling.
Not every day looks like this, but most days I can check off: one ride, one workout, and one school day. That’s a win.
Why I Believe It’s Enough
I may not be a professional with a string of horses or endless hours to train. But I do have almost 30 years of riding experience (including plenty of tough horses), I’m getting stronger every week, and I’m working on the mental side too—reading, listening, and learning from endurance athletes about grit and mindset.
At the end of the day, I remind myself: I’m doing my best. And my best will have to be good enough.
If there’s anything I’ve learned in this process, it’s that chasing a big dream doesn’t mean having the perfect setup. It means making the most of what you’ve got, developing habits and consistently showing up, and remembering that your kids are learning from you every step of the way.
This Race is a Huge Physical, Mental, and Financial Endeavor
With everything going on the in the world and the prices of life I honestly feel a little silly posting this link. BUT if you feel inclined to support me on my journey I do have a Gofundme here. This helps with the entry fee and travel fund, as well as a portion going to two wonderful Thoroughbred racehorse aftercare programs: Second Stride and Pirate’s Promise.