In recent years, riding schools have opened their activities for younger children. The activities consist of riding, but also chores in the stable (Thorell, 2017; Hedenborg et al, 2021). Equestrian sport is not alone in offering activities for this age group. Other sports have also opened the doors for the younger children (Lindroth, 1991; Hedenborg, et al, 2020). Activities for this age group are also offered by commercial actors (Karlsson, 2022). Although more and more activities are offered, research on what goes on in these activities and how they are experienced by both parents and children is scarce (Hedenborg & Fransson, 2011; Calero, Beesley & Fraser-Thomas, 2018; & Safari, 2018; Harlow et al., 2018). In this article, the aim is to deepen the understanding of riding school activities for preschool children in Sweden and Norway by analyzing riding instructors’ and accompanying adults’ the perceptions of the activities. To deepen the understanding of the challenges that riding instructors and accompanying adults face in riding school activities for the younger children, we use the interpretive framework ‘dilemmatic spaces’ (Fransson & Grannäs, 2013). In previous research, ‘dilemmatic spaces’ have been used to increase understanding of the complexity of teachers’ work. But the interpretive framework has also been used in other fields. Childhood researcher Magnus Kilgers uses ‘dilemmatic spaces’ in a study that shows how fathers juggle between what is expected of fatherhood and coaching in sports (Kilger 2020). Based on a source material consisting of 21 semi-structured interviews with representatives from riding schools and parents, and ten observations from six different riding schools, we have identified the following ‘dilemmatic spaces’: ‘Accompanying adults are both a requirement and a challenge’ and ‘Knowledgeable mothers are an asset but mustn’t be pushy’.

To improve the experiences of children and parents and prepare those who arrange the activities for parental needs the aim of this article is to describe and analyse parental roles in a horse-riding activities for younger children in Sweden and Norway. Horse-riding for younger children is an individual sport but conducted in interplay with others such as parents and horses. To understand these interactions, Goffman’s dramaturgical approach and insights from research on sport and gender have been used. The main result is that during the activity, the child and the parent interact and perform as a team. In addition, the team performance is influenced by gender constructions. The gender construction is, however, different from what former has been shown in research on sport and gender.

In recent years, riding schools have opened their activities for younger children. Previous research has described the learning environment of the stable as strongly inspired by a traditional military discourse (Thorell 2017) and in strong contrast to other socialization arenas. The aim of this article is to increase the understanding of riding school activities for preschool children. Research questions concern why and how activities for young children are organized and handled, norms guiding these activities and how children and others participating are perceived. Sources consist of 452 riding schools’ websites and interviews with nine representatives from riding schools. The analytical framework derives from the sociology of childhood. The study shows that a majority of the Swedish riding schools offer activities for preschool children. The activities are framed by contrasting ideas about the competent child, the child’s biological and vulnerable body, incompetent parents, competent youth leaders, and horses.

Up until the end of the nineteenth century, horse-riding in Sweden was primarily practiced by army men and members of the upper class. Today, horse-riding is one of the most popular sports for children and young people. A majority of riders are girls and women, many of whom learn how to ride at horse-riding schools. An explaining factor behind this development, through which a sport practiced by adults in the army became a grassroot sport for girls, is the public support for the emerging new horse-riding schools for leisure riding from the second half of the twentieth century until today. Public support and its consequences distinguish Swedish equestrian sports and the activities of the riding schools from horse-riding activities in many other countries. Childification and feminization are linked to changes in the status of the horses, who was responsible for the activities, ideas on formal and informal education and learning, and what the activities comprised.