Johanna Voorman was born on January 4, 1824, as the daughter of an equestrian. As was tradition within the family, she was gifted a small newborn horse named Rosa. Her parents intended to train Rosa so that Johanna could ride her when she was old enough. Johanna developed a love for horses at a very young age. Even as an infant, she did not fear approaching the largest horses, sometimes even untamed ones. She developed a keen eye for their behaviour and could train even in the most difficult cases. At around 18 years old, she started giving lectures on horse training, where she met fellow equestrian Sjoerd Walda, who would soon become the owner of the Walden estate, a neighbourhood located in the Vöhren district. Due to their mutual love and interests, they started a romantic relationship. The couple married on May 24, 1845, and Johanna moved in with Sjoerd, bringing three of her favourite horses with her. The combination of Johanna’s knowledge and Sjoerd’s means proved to be very fruitful as the business grew exponentially.

On August 11, 1853, Sjoerd and Johanna welcomed their daughter Claire Walda. When Claire was born, she received a young horse named Polly, just like her mother’s. The two became great friends, and Claire learned horseback riding on Polly.

Johanna has a small, round face with big blue eyes, brown, curly hair, and dark, arched eyebrows. She is generally reserved and serious but can unexpectedly come up with a joke. Johanna takes good care of her appearance and is known for her progressive fashion style.