Published 18th May 2024, 06:00 BST

This is a competitive sport which has always been popular on the continent, and is now seeing a huge surge in interest nationwide.

And as a Leeds' mother's venture - set up to fuel her own daughter's passion - is invited to Bramham International Horse Trials, she said it's only set to grow even more.

"There is an underground movement of hobby horsing in the UK," said Zoe Brown. "It's exploding. There are new groups every week, all over the place. And the more they pop up, the more people think of doing it themselves, and soon it will be everywhere."

Hobbyhorse Adventures Colton, Leeds. Annabel Hilton is pictured jumping with her Hobby Horse Picture taken by Yorkshire Post Photographer Simon Hulme

Ms Brown set up Hobby Horse Adventures after her daughter Elowen set her sights on competitions. The only option was Finland.

"All I knew was that my daughter wanted to go to a hobby horse competition and there didn't seem to be any," she said. "We have a pony, we do go to shows. I thought it didn't look all that difficult."

Rather than funding an international tour, Ms Brown set up an event in Selby for Elowen, now aged 10, and friends. She was stunned when 75 children signed up.

"We thought we'd put one on and see what happened," she said. "We had an incredible response."

Hobbyhorse Adventures Colton, Leeds. Annabel Hilton (right) Ava Sanders and Elowen Turner with their Hobby Horses Picture taken by Yorkshire Post Photographer Simon Hulme

Soon, it grew. With friend Lisa Callister, and her 17-year-old daughter Lucie, they set up a second competition in Selby, then Nottingham, Tamworth, Goole. Now they are reaching into new areas, with bookings in Blackpool and Sheffield. They are looking into franchise options, school trips and visits, or birthday parties.

Many of the children that attend are neurodivergent. Others just enjoy the innocence of imaginative play. Every child gets a rosette, for winning or taking part. Best turned out horse, freestyle dressage to music, star of the day. There are jumps, just as there are for real shows.

"Every hobby horse parent in the land will tell you, your garden becomes a wasteland of washing lines and chairs," said Ms Brown. "They love the jumps. They go hacking as well, walking to the local park. It's just more fun on a hobby horse."

The crafted horses can cost anything from £40 to £195. There's an incredible market for handmade ones, and then halters and lead ropes, bonnets and brushes.

Hobbyhorse Adventures Colton, Leeds. Pictured from the left are Ava Sanders, Annabel Hilton, Elowen Turner and Sophie Chamberlain with their Hobby Horses Picture taken by Yorkshire Post Photographer Simon Hulme

To the children, each horse has a personality. They have names like Accapella, or Arctic Light. Then Bear, Blackberry, and Merrylegs. To Elowen, they're family.

"For them, it's about mindfulness,” said Ms Brown. “They are living in the moment. It's the last moments of childhood to enjoy.

"Children might think they are alone in their hobby, or that it's embarrassing," she added. "Then they walk into a room where there's 50 kids doing exactly the same.”

Hobby Horse Adventures is to host children's activities at Bramham on June 6-9, with 'loan ponies'. Visit hobby-horses.co.uk for more information.

Hobby Horsing: Sudden boom in interest sees sport go from Yorkshire gardens to Bramham Horse Trials