If your child is a horse girl, you can't change that. It's an unstoppable passion, whether inherited or not. One of our guest bloggers shares how her daughter's love for horses blossomed.
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I can no longer deny it: my daughter is a horse girl. Not a purebred one—both my husband and I come from non-horsey backgrounds. That is, until recently. Now, I'm enthusiastically mucking out stables at the riding school every week.
And honestly, it's surprisingly enjoyable. I'm not itching to ride myself—no way. My husband, bow-legged as he is, has no such ambitions either. But we love seeing it. Our daughter's beaming face under her riding helmet, her endless stories after lessons, and her play with toy horses big and small—it all confirms she's thriving. Nothing beats that joy.
Our horse girl started with hockey in 2020. A great team with talented girls and a dedicated coach (me). She was excited for her first matches against other clubs after a year of practice. But by October, things shifted. No flower-picking on artificial turf, but her enthusiasm waned. After the autumn holidays, unsurprisingly, she said she no longer loved hockey—the competition was too much. She craved horseback riding instead.
I was raised to see things through, a lesson I want for my kids. We compromised: she'd finish the season (sports for kids typically run a full year in teams) and then start riding.
It worked until the Christmas break. I'd remind her of our deal amid grumbles. The cold winter canceled many sessions, easing things temporarily. But post-winter, motivation plummeted.
As the season dragged, frustration built—for her and me. Coaching from the sidelines, I felt helpless watching her sulk between fields or cry in anger. My own enjoyment faded. Still, a deal's a deal—finishing isn't quitting halfway.
Then, a fellow mom confronted me: who was this charade for? She urged stopping if riding made her happy. We quit hockey, and I stepped down as coach. It felt like relief, not failure. She'd stuck it out six more months—impressive for a seven-year-old.
For her birthday, she got riding lessons, a Penny magazine subscription, and full gear—helmet, breeches, gloves. Now she rides weekly, complaining only that lessons are too short and infrequent. It's transformative for our shy girl, building confidence. We just picked her up from her first pony camp—a whole weekend away! Her horse passion outweighed her fears. I'm proud and thrilled she's found her passion.
