I started age 5, both brothers ride, sister did for a little while then discovered boys!! Mum and Dad both rode. That was 43 years ago! Dont know where that time went.   Oldest brother runs a TB stud in the Adelaide hills, Next one is a race horse trainer (or should I say chase horse trainer, they are always chasing the one in front) I coach for a living. My sister had 5 kids, so no time to ride, I did manage to get one of her kids to ride, she's now a jockey in Adelaide.
I married a horse rider from a polo background and got her jumping. We have two kids 9 and 6, boy and girl, both ride, Nick rode at his first Royal this year. So the dynasty continues.

I started when I was three years old being led around on summer camp ponies.

I rode every summer at camp, being terrified the whole time, but showing up at the stable day after day nevertheless.

Obviously there was something stronger than fear that was driving be to those horses!!

Here I am a million years later, completely addicted. :)

Got bucked off for the first time at the age of 6, first riding experience as well. Started riding regularly when I was 9, and got my first horse at 13. My Mother wasn't really supportive of the whole riding ordeal (in and out of my life for a long time), but it was my Grandmother that always made sure that I made it to the barn on time. She is still my hero for always being the one steady person in my life, as well as being the one to listen to all my horse related nonsense even though she only has minimal knowledge of equines.

Started at 9 years old. Have been riding for 7 years now :)

I was eight when I started. Have been going for eight years now! My mother is very supportive of my career - though we do not have the money to purchase the horse I need in my career right now. I don't remember what got me interested though...

Oooh so many lucky people here who grew up with horses around them!

And so many lucky children who get to continue the legacy! i hope they know how good theyve got it :)

Good on you!

Awwwwww that's very cute.
My 'little sister' who is in actual fact a close family friend practically grew up on the back of a horse...whenever I was in charge of baby sitting her, I just put her in front of me on the saddle and rode away.

My mom always  said I was riding before I was born.  I was 2 weeks late and the day I was born my mom went to a horse show and rode in it.  She won the High Point Trophy for the Pleasure riding.  After the show, she went home put the horses away and went to the hospital to have me.  She told me she was bond and determined to have me and it worked. I have been riding an showing ever since I am now 48 yrs old.  My mom and I did a lot of riding and showing together.

I began riding one year ago...at age 16. Right now I can comfortably trot, go over the smallest jumps you can think of and at least manage a walk bareback. My canter...is getting there. Gotta love nervous riders!

My parents are the worst people ever. My parents do NOT support me at all. My mother is decent with it, I can't say she supports it, but she doesn't vocalize it, and she has watched me ride. Dad, tells me when ever he can to give it up so I can have money. He also told me not to go to vet school and to work in a trade. He has never watched me ride, doesn't think it's a sport, doesn't see the beauty, strength, stress and work that goes with it. He thinks it's easy and a waste of money. He refuses to watch me ride. or even enter a stable.

Alhoss- Good for you! I love your picture, too. What kind of horses do you have?
Emiry- I'm sorry that's the case. Good for you to stick with it. Your parents may come around, but even if they don't, this isn't for them- it's for you. And dont' worry about the canter, it will come! Keep us posted...

My mom grew up in the city but she loved horses, she took lessons and went to camp as a teen. After getting married she moved to the country and got her first horse. So we had horse before I was born, and have always had horses, I've never lived without owning atleast one horse. I started getting ponied around on horses when I was about 2 or 3, I showed in leadline classes from age 4-8. When I was 10 I started riding seriously, and have been riding ever since(I'm 16). My horse I ride the most is a 13 year old appaloosa gelding, I've had him since he was born, he was born when I was 3. He is out of my moms first horse.
We now have 11 horses. After a few years of lots of riding and showing I've fallen in love with miniature horses. I now own 9 and have started breeding them and I show them ALOT in the summer. I do still ride, I have 2 riding horses, my appy who I ride western and english, he's my all around horse, he's taught me alot, and our bond grows more everyday. He's amazing. I also have a thoroughbred, she's my english & jumper horse. She previously showed on trillium, and I hope to do that with her again.
My mom is so supportive since she loves them to. It's sort of a mother daughter hobby now, my other 2 sisters aren't as interested. My moms really great though, she drags me around to all the shows, holds horses at the shows, gets them ready, and she'll even be showing next year. She helps me look after the horses, since it's difficult with school. She pays for all the feed, vet, farrier, tack, buying the horses, stud fees, everything. My moms supported me with the rescue cases I've done. I honestly can't thank her enough, she's amazing, and I'd have to same I'm extremely lucky to have her and be living this life.

Everybody who started so young are so lucky. I'm 22 and only started riding at age 21. I wish I had my whole childhood to be riding and spending time around horses. But I guess it doesn't matter how old you are, as long as you enjoy it :)

I started at 9, but it was very basic my instructor and I didn't didn't get into much, it was a class of like 10. when I turned 10 I went to Skyline Farm which was amazing. Suddenly we were doing more then trying not to fall off, we actually had to learn postion and balance. At my first barn basically it was a good day if you didn't slip off.

And then at Skyline we started going to shows and doing so much more!!! Its really cool!

I have no idea when I actually began riding. I got my first horse at age 9. A 20 something year old Appaloosa brood mare who had been stuck in a 12x12 outdoor stall with no cover for the past zillion years having babies annually with no attention. She was definitely quite the learning experience for me ;) We had are arguments but she was a good ol' girl. Started regularly riding shortly after the Appy when I got another 20 something year old Arab mare (as seen in picture to the left). To this day she has taught me more about the world than any book, person, video, clinic, teacher, etc ever has. Sadly we lost her in 2005 due to extreme arthritis. I'm nearly 19 now, and currently horseless, but I plan 150% to ride through my entire life. We'll see how well my already arthritic knees are doing in 60 years, LOL.

:) Thanks for sharing the stories guys. It's uplifting to read a lot of these.

I probably had my first ride on a horse around 2 or 3 years old. My grandmother and aunt shared a farm, so I had been visiting since birth. I started lessons when I was 9 (this is all guesswork here) although I had been doing little informal lessons on my grandmother's horses for years, but they had been more of the pony ride variety. When I switched barns about 3 years ago (or is it 4 now?) I realized that my last instructor hadn't been teaching me the correct methods of riding, what a waste! She would point us at a jump and tell us to go over it, without teaching us proper position, how to lengthen and shorten, etc. I am still very surprised that someone so unqualified allowed to keep teaching.

My parents are supportive, although they discourage it as much as possible, if that makes sense. They don't want me to be trapped down by horses the way my aunt and grandma are basically trapped on their farms with no help. They only want  me to make good, educated decisions, which I wholly respect.

I started when I was 6, my aunt and uncle have a Morgan breeding farm and she started teaching me then. It's been 22 years now and it is something I will have with me always and hope that my children will want to do as well.