You mom reminds me of my mama. She taught in high school in some small towns in Texas. The grade-school kids got out earlier than the high-school kids and after school they would ride their horses over to the high school and let the horses stick their heads in the classroom window. I loved those stories and wished i went to school in Texas and had a horse to ride to school.
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Hereās my mom on my then 4 year old appendix mare. My mom said she did 4H or something similar as a kid, but didnāt ride much and mostly enjoyed cleaning tack 
She rode a little bit when I was a kid but had a bad fall and broke her collarbone, so that was the end of that for years. It wasnāt until I got really serious about horses after college that she showed more interest again. We now jointly own a small horse property, and my parents share a saintly foxtrotter gelding that you can see my dad on in the background of this picture. I donāt think my mom will ever ride competitively, but she seems to enjoy riding in our arena at home and wants to go out on some trail rides soon. I donāt think she totally understand the horse obsession, but sheās been very supportive of my passion for years.
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My mom grew up with horses through her teen years. You can see how relaxed she is.
This was with Phoenix, who was an amazing horse. She was feeding him treats. He was very cuddly. When he was older and semi-retired, he was a perfect therapy horse I took to the VA for veterans in wheelchairs to visit with. He gently put his head right in their laps where they could pet and hug him.
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in more recent times my older daughter at times was needed to pick up her younger brother and sister from elementary school, She was in middle school which got out earlier so she would come home to saddle up her horse and get another that she ponied to elementary school to pick them up.
Her horse had been to the middle school so often that when she graduated the principal wanted to give her horse a diploma also
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Iāve got a whole family of horsie people. Although, they never encouraged me! I had to beg for a horse for the first 8 years LOL. Although I donāt have a picture, even my great grandfather was into horses. He was a harness maker.
Grandpa about 1932:
Gramma 1939:
Mom just last year at 76 years old:
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How did I miss this thread??? Love it!
We did a Motherās Day Leadline class at our farm horse show last month.
Always my favorite riding buddy
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Wish I had one! She sat on my first horse once while I led her around the arena and loved to give him treats . I also remember my mule peeling the sweater right off of her and wished I had a camera.
At least I have a couple of memories.
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Since my dad and ancestors made an appearance in the Fatherās Day thread I have one of the last time my mom rode, lots of back issues now so she wonāt again but DH and I took all the horse crazy non horse ladies in the family on a pack trip years ago. We had so much fun despite the absolute worst weather weāve ever ever had 
on a pack trip, I was so mad about the weather! Mom on the Sainted Spotted One that still lives on in well-earned retirement hereā¦
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My momās dementia has really progressed, but she still enjoys tottering down to the barn. Her dad raised Appaloosas way back when, and she started as a barrel racer (I still have her saddle when she was queen of the Caldwell Night Rodeoā¦I think in 1967.)
When we were kids, she did all the PC parent things, and stayed involved in the local clubs after we grew up and moved away.
She loved eventing. Spotty (Exploding Poptart) was her favorite horse and she competed him all around the NW.
She had others after he retired, but I donāt think anyone came close in her heart. She was always tiny (5ā nothing) and, except for Spotty (15.2), she seemed to always be perched on giant horses. When I was a kid, I was amazed by her ability to leap onto a horse bareback .
When she first developed signs of Parkinsonās, and couldnāt ride the tall, spicy ones, she got a charming pinto dressage hony named Nigel:
Nigel learned to drive last year; I think my mom would approve, since she was often my navigator at CDEs.
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