Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave Shares How Her Daughter Slate Is Pursuing "Her Dreams”

As she heads into a new year, Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave took some time to celebrate her daughter Slate and all the success she’s achieved as a competitive equestrian. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum posted an Instagram carousel that showed her and her 11-year-old child at a recent competition while fully decked out in riding gear. Teddi not only applauded Slate’s athletic achievements but also highlighted the various life skills she has learned from the sport.

“It teaches growth,” Teddi wrote in the December 10 post. “Sure, my mini-me could ride circles around me when I was her age. But outside of her skills, Slate has developed a grit, a tenacity, an endurance that mix with a kindness and lasting friendships she wouldn’t have found anywhere else.”

Teddi also underscored the lesson of good sportsmanship, and how her daughter has learned to handle defeat in a healthy way.

Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave reveals how horseback riding has helped Slate

“Maybe most importantly, she’s found the ability to laugh, to find the positive when things don’t go her way,” she continued in the post, which also featured a photo of Slate next to her horse and her second-place ribbon. “Because while Slate is beyond talented, she’s not beyond a loss. We aren’t always winners; that’s a fact. I’ve found that developing a fight and resilience at a young age will carry you through life, allowing you to pick yourself up and continue to push for your goals. I love seeing my Angel adopt this life-lesson.”

The podcast host also made sure to thank her daughter’s trainers, Archibald Cox III and Stirling Kincannon, for helping her “instill some of life’s most valuable lessons.” She also gave a shout-out to her husband of 12 years, Edwin Arroyave, for all his support throughout Slate's riding journey. 

“Thank you to my husband [Edwin] for holding down the fort with our other kiddos while Slate pursues her dreams,” she wrote. “Who else parents like me, helping your child accept their losses and not expecting a participation trophy just for showing up?”

Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave's Blended Family

In addition to Slate, the former Beverly Hills ’Wife shares two other children with Edwin: a son Cruz, and a daughter Dove. She’s also a proud stepmom to Bella Arroyave, Edwin’s teenage daughter from a previous relationship. The RHOBH alum opened up about her blended family back in July, admitting that co-parenting wasn't always easy but the bond she developed with Bella “transcend[ed] bloodlines.”

“From the moment I met Bella, I was changed in so many ways,” Teddi wrote in a birthday message to her stepdaughter. “The instant love I had for her helped shape me into the mother and stepmother I am today. And while the growing pains of co-parenting had its tough moments, nothing would break the love in my heart for her.”