At 11:14:52 on 06.01.10, Flicka wrote:
I come from a non-horsey family but it was my mum who took me for my first lesson at a local riding school and from then on ferried me around in her beaten up mini until I was asked to ride some ponies closer to home! She then had to put up with me trotting or cantering wherever I went, tossing my head , neighing and snorting. She was also often tricked into thinking I was too sick to go to school only to see my little jodhpur'd butt cycling off to the stables! And she didn't get too wound up about the fact that I was(and still am LOL) a complete slattern at home but worked liked a slave for the woman whose ponies I rode!! However I have a couple of friends, and of course my husband, whose horsey mothers have been an invaluable support and inspiration to them especially when it comes to competing. I've also noticed a lot of members on this site who used to ride a lot but now put a lot more time into their daughter's riding career and just thought it would be great to hear from mothers and daughters about this special although often difficult relationship-now, no arguing!!

At 20:43:21 on 06.01.10, Em28 wrote:
Hi Flicka, I can relate to you in that I too am from a non-horsey background. Although, doing some ancestry research my gt. grandad was a blacksmith and this trade went back 3 generations so I guess that's where it comes from! I was very lucky to be able to have lessons from the age of 4 and my love of horses was encouraged. I then started helping at a riding school when I was about 12, which gave me lots of experience through my teenage years. It did mean that I was never at home to help out, but got away with it! Now being a mother, if my son takes an interest in horses I think I would be prepared to sacrifice just about anything should he want a horse!!

At 04:22:19 on 07.01.10, Sue862 wrote:
I too am from a non horsey background, My first experience were with friends of my mother's at the age of 5 who watched me while she flew back to Norway to attend to her mom and dad. It was my older sister though who brought me to the 4H club who I owe the most thanks,RIP Joan I still miss her she passed in 89, My mother was the one who took the brunt of responsibility driving me back and forth at 4 in the morning for shows and competitions,RIP Ingrid,lost her in 2001, I have now got to give my gratitude to Ashleigh my husbands child who we have raised together from age three, for getting me involved again. My intentions where to provide her with the same foundation of basics that I had, and let her make a choice with where she wanted to take it. Well this ended up opening the flood gates of new horse people in my life as well as has created a bridge with Ash, as we don't seem eye to eye on most things(her maternal mother has played a big part in that). At just about two years in now we have managed to take in two horses give back to our companions by volunteering at a rescue as well as Ash got the opportunity to attend her first show this past summer! I admit the road has been rocky at times(she's 15) but things are definitely looking bright for the future. Hope to be posting about that as well~

At 15:17:30 on 08.01.10, Angelalain wrote:
I too came from a non horsey family, but my maternal grandfather was a blacksmith and my grandad was an army stable lad in the desert during WW1. Sadly I never really asked him much about it (as you don't when a teenager) and by the time I wanted to know , he'd gone!. My mother had never ridden but found the 2s 6d (half a crown, now 12.5p!) for my first real rides at the age of 9. I was totally hooked and found a pony to exercise at 14. Mum, of course, took me back and forth. At 18 a new stables opened about 4 miles from town, and I worked every college holiday, 8 till 8 some days, for next to nothing. My mum, then 40, asked if she could have a ride round the paddock, as it was something she'd always wanted to do as a child. From then on she rode nearly every week for the next 15 or so years!She only gave up when she fractured a vertebra in a fall. Sadly I lost mum at 84 in 2008. My daughter has been riding since she was 18months, and one of her most loyal supporters at her various shows (age 4 onwards!) was my mum. I now do far more grooming than competing, my own daughter is a better rider than I ever was, but I hope I will be able to get back to RC competitions one day, I'm not ready to hang up my boots yet!

At 19:08:28 on 08.01.10, Fernley wrote:

wow its lovely to read everyones stories and obvious fond memories, and of building bridges aswell! My background is non horsey but my grandfather came from a long line of farming folk in the lake district and when in bradford looked after and drove the dray horses for a brewery, so theres another family trait,! I started riding at 10 and helped out every spare moment, have worked in various yards since leaving school and eventually, two years after having my daughter, decided i should have a horse of my own, hence my first horse Jasmine.

(Click here for larger view)

At 19:26:22 on 08.01.10, Dizzy_Wispa wrote:
i am from a non horsey background (as well lol) i started riding at 9 when i went on holiday to a cottage and the woman that owned it had a horse, i begged my mum to get a horse and she suggestd lessons.so i started at my local riding school, it was 2-3 years later when my mum started. now a year later we loan a horse (a very cheeky 1) which we share, i walk she rides and vice versa. although it does cause lots of arguments it has in ways brought us closer together. here is a picture of me and wispa at our first show where we got a second and a fourth

At 19:28:40 on 08.01.10, Dizzy_Wispa wrote:
hes the piebald next to the skewbald, looking very bored

At 02:38:39 on 13.01.10, kibby wrote:
My mum gave up her own riding so that i could take up my competing.. i love her and i dont know how she did it.. she is amazing..

At 00:52:23 on 15.01.10, BobbyJoe wrote:
My family have been horsey for generations now. However, my mum was not a horsey person as she is terrified of them. :-( Time passes and I am now a mother, with a daughter of my own. With her, the pattern has changed. I am glad to say that my daughter has taken up the learning of the craft of horsemanship! It is sooooo beautiful to watch her as she learns and grows. It's incredible to see her as she learns the language of the horse. I am grateful, yes I am very grateful that my daughter has understood the vast beauty that is the horse.

At 11:20:01 on 06.02.10, DansMum wrote:
I am from a horsey backround. Mum crazed her father from the age of 10 for her first pony Teddy who she shared with a friend. Her Mum and Dad were not horsey but soon turned into ferrying her around to shows although she cycled (and later on a moped) from one side of the town to the other every day for her pony. She hasnt looked back since. Subsequently I was having lessons at 3 onwards had my first pony at 10. Mum had a lay off for about 10 years riding (but always had a horse) after back surgery but is back again with her last (so she says) youngster....