WHEN Regina Mayer's parents refused to buy her horse, she refused to give up on her dream of showjumping.

The German teenager went straight out to the dairy paddock on her family's farm and saddled up one of the cows.

Regina, 15, spent months training Luna and can now ride her with ease.

Watch Regina and Luna in action below

Not only do the pair regularly go on long rides through the German countryside, they also hurdle over makeshift jumps created with beer crates and painted logs.

Regina, who lives in Laufen, southern Germany, said of Luna: "She thinks she's a horse."

media_camera Regina says Luna gets tons of treats and hours of loving attention / AP

They started off with gentle walks after the animal was born on the Mayers' farm two years ago.

Gradually Luna became more accustomed to human contact and riding equipment.

She now understands commands such as "go", "stand" and "gallop".

media_camera It took Regina six months to train Luna but the teen says her unusual ride is still quite headstrong / AP

"When she wants to do something, she does it, when she doesn't, she doesn't," said Regina. "And she's often very headstrong but can also be really adorable."

According to Anne Wiltafsky, who trains cows near Zurich, Switzerland, riding cows and using them as workhorses was quite common in the past.

"Younger ones can jump really well," she said.

Read more about Regina and her jumping cow at The Sun

Originally published as Luna, the cow who thinks she's a horse