April 7, 2019
Amberley was waiting in the tunnel nervously with her mom, ready to take on the arena full of fans. Her mom gave her a little pep talk, telling her there was no turning back now and how proud she was of her to see her where she is today, and to have seen all the obstacles Amberley had overcome. Amberley was ready to take the arena, as she kissed her mom for good luck. She waved nervously but excited as she entered the arena with the American Flag waving behind her. She was all saddled up in her contraption and felt better than ever. Her fans were screaming with excitement as Power pranced, hooves hitting the ground creating dust in the air, with Amberley on the saddle. Her friends and family were standing in the arena cheering her on, and the announcer introducing her, as the girl that has beaten incredible odds to get here, and a heart as big as Texas, Amberley Snyder. This only created more confidence in herself and in her horse. Power stomped around the arena one time, then approached the barrel, and it was their time to shine. Right before they took off, Amberley whispered to Power “this is the same thing we always do, you and me, today is our day.”10 Power then dashes off full force, leaving Amberley Snyder in the top of the board with some of the top riders in the world, with a time of 15.3 seconds.
“We are capable of overcoming whatever those challenges are,” confidently quoted by Amberley Snyder the first teenage girl to be paralyzed waist down and come back and place in rodeo.11 She is now an inspiration to the people in the rodeo world, that have undergone a medical disability. Amberley is now currently telling her inspirational story on all platforms of social media, and “works as a rodeo coach at Mount Pleasants Wasatch Academy.”12 She also still continues to compete in rodeos across the western United States. She never let her crash create a barrier for her and for her passion for rodeo. She never gave up on the dream that she had since she was seven. “Her strength has come from the things she thought she couldn’t do, and the fire inside of her now is brighter now than the fire around her,” said her friend Jolene Farnsworth.13 This only continues to show us that no matter what obstacles we are faced with, we always have support from friends and family. With the platform she has reached by placing with some of the top barrel racers from across the world, she has been able to use it to share her inspirational story. She stresses how important it is to not use your phone while driving, and to always put on your seatbelt when you get in the car. She “answers every question and e-mail, tweets and has her own YouTube channel. She has posted a ‘Wheelchair Wednesday’ video on her Facebook page weekly for the past two years.”14 The video ranges from what she uses to keep her mounted to her horse and saddle to getting on her horse, teaching people that they do have a purpose in life, and that they are more than capable of doing anything a normal person can do. Although there are restraints to discourage people from going back to what they love, they have to find their true passion and never give that up. Amberley Snyder says, “I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason….no matter what, only you get to choose your attitude every single day, and I choose to have a good one.”15Amberley Snyder
rodeo
Amanda Shoemaker
I personally don’t know anything about the rodeo but I do know that riding a horse takes a lot of upper body and lower body strength. This is a very inspiring article. She had very supportive parents for them to make her a new saddle and figure out how she could still compete. For her to figure out a way to still do what she loved ever though everyone told her she never would again is definitely an inspiring tale!
15/03/2020
1:00 pm
Kennedy Arcos
This was such a great and inspirational article. It’s amazing how she did not let her injuries keep her from doing what she loved. I really do believe that her survival was a miracle, and it really shows how one thing can really change someone’s life. This article really presents the lesson of never giving up, and the story as a whole is so inspiring. It’s important to push yourself, especially when you feel like you can’t.
29/03/2020
1:00 pm
aubrey
I love it I am 12 and I love horses and I want one but my mom and dad will not get me one. 🙁
10/09/2020
1:00 pm
aubrey
I want to barrel race when I am older I love your story. 🙂
10/09/2020
1:00 pm
Bailey Godwin
This article is very inspiring. I can imagine that being disabled from doing the thing you love is heartbreaking. It is inspiring to see that even after her huge setback, she made way to get back to riding horses and competing. It is also cool that she had very supportive parents that didn’t let her just give up. They made her a new saddle and found ways that she could do the one thing she loved most. She got back on the horse and did very good which is the best part.
22/09/2020
1:00 pm
Adrianna Hernandez
Amazing article! She sure has given an inspirational view in life. Growing up my grandpa would teach me how to ride horses and I’ve always been fascinated by horses. It’s amazing how she didn’t let her disability get in her way to go back into rodeo after her family created a new saddle so she could be encouraged to get better after the accident.
27/10/2020
1:00 pm
Edgardo Llosa
I really liked this article it was really inspirational. My mother and grandmother always talked me to ride their horses and it was not easy at all and reading about Amberley Sinder and how she was able to go back to ride a horse after such a terrible incident made me realize the power of perseverance people have. I also liked the message she sends the younger generations to never use the phone while driving because they could get in a terrible accident.
28/04/2021
1:00 pm
Madeline Bloom
I always knew that riding was difficult and as an athlete it truly is amazing learning about other types of sports. Not only that, but hearing about inspiring athletes overcoming challenges that change the path of someones life but not giving up is amazing. Her parents were also so supportive, they would not just let her give up and stop living her dream of being a barrel racer. They built her a new saddle and encouraged her to get back on the horse.
11/10/2022
1:00 pm
Christopher Morales
I personally team rope and have grown up around rodeo. Riding horses, I have heard of Amberley’s story. This article did a great job storytelling the events that happened to Amberley. I empathized with Amberley’s time she spent away from the stables. This added information really stuck with me and expressed the mental instability her car accident and the threat to never ride again held on her. This article did an amazing job showing all the different aspects of this story. This story could be used for awareness of car accidents, Inspiration to those paralyzed, finding hope in depression, and for fighting for what you love. The article shows all these components equally throughout the story that allowed me and many others I would presume to be hooked.
14/01/2023
1:00 pm
Stella
Hey this is really good just not all the information is correct but is pretty much close to the real information.
05/12/2019
1:00 pm