Hallmark's Alison Sweeney Passed On Her Greatest Passion To Her Daughter

Alison Sweeney is definitely not short on talent. The actor is easily recognizable as Samantha "Sami" Brady from her time spent on "Days of Our Lives" and as the dazzling host of "The Biggest Loser." More recently, though, she has taken the feel-good film world by storm and become a Hallmark fan favorite, signing a multi-picture deal with the network in 2022.

Despite her chaotic acting schedule, Sweeney still finds time for another one of her true passions: equestrianism. As the daughter of a professional equestrian, the "Carrot Cake Murder" star has the sport in her blood. When she was a child, her mom indulged her equine interests, and Sweeney also became quite the rider.

She was likely over the moon then when she learned that one of her children, daughter Megan Sanov, was also keen on riding horses. The mom of two revealed in a chat with Smashing Interviews that one of her favorite ways to spend time with Megan is in the company of these four-legged gentle giants, explaining, "Sometimes we like to go away on the weekends or Megan and I ride our horses together." However, it's clear the duo can do much more than just canter.

In a sweet Instagram post, Alison Sweeney shared a photo of herself and her mother flanking her daughter Megan on a horse, captioning the shot, "Three generations of horse lovers." The trio, decked out in equestrian wear, looked ready for competition instead of a simple ride around Sweeney's Hollywood Hills property. Indeed, in a reel uploaded by the proud mom, we can see Megan effortlessly riding her horse, Abracadabra, through vertical jumps. Sweeney explained that the pair had "been magic together" before announcing they were "Champions of 1.10 Ch Jumpers," which occurred at Canada's Thunderbird Show Park in August 2023.

Sweeney has shared images of herself riding horses, as well, and may compete when she isn't filming movies for Hallmark. In a snap of her cozying up to her mare, Molly, she notes that the cute moment occurred just before a competition. However, the actor does appear apt to sneak in a ride whenever she can, sharing a pic of herself astride a horse with the caption, "Grateful for our equestrian family in the north," around the same time she was in Vancouver, Canada on set for another Hallmark Hannah Swensen mystery.

In 2015, the "Open by Christmas" actor even participated in the rose parade atop a Pure Spanish horse while dressed like a princess. And it wasn't even for a film; Sweeney was invited to perform with the Medieval Times equestrian team during the event as their first-ever celebrity guest.

Aside from a passion for horses, Alison Sweeney and her daughter Megan Sanov share a few other qualities. The actor regularly offers fans a glimpse into what she and Megan do when they're not riding, such as enjoying the outdoors, on her Instagram page. For instance, in July 2023, she gushed that they went on a mother-daughter hiking trip while discussing none other than the mega-celebrity Taylor Swift.

A future in Hollywood is another topic of discussion, as Sweeney told Closer Weekly, "My daughter certainly talks about it [acting] all the time." She added, "I don't know what their plans are, but they're not beating down my door for auditions so we'll see." Talent in front of the camera could be yet another quality passed down from Sweeney to the next generation. Megan, who fans note looks very much like Sweeney, has yet to make any formal moves into the industry, unlike her brother Ben Sanov, who joined his mom onset as an intern "A Zest for Death," and made it truly a family affair.

It remains to be seen how many of the similarities between the mother-daughter-duo carry on past Megan's teenage years, but the "Christmas at Holly Lodge" actor is just happy to be enjoying them while they last. She admitted to Closer Weekly, "The most rewarding part is, you know, watching your kids flourish and find the things that they're good at," be it the same or different things than their talented mother.