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Here's something a bit more interesting, but based on your idea :
You didn't take the horse/gear from your father, but from a wounded knight that collapsed in front of your door. You tried to heal and feed him while he was telling you about his noble cause but, in the morning, you find out he died during the night. You then decide to take his place and fulfil his destiny.
I'll let you chose what "cause" the knight had though...
Crazy concept here: Wayang Spider Mount Cavalier, dedicated to Shelyn and the pursuit of beauty. Which is difficult considering Golaron's views of both spiders and Wayangs as not beautiful things.
Less crazy, crazy concept: don quixote's squires. The master knight was a crazy man who forced his squire on many a crazy venture, and forced him to swear an oath to many ridiculous tasks (Some of which your character has done, like beat a teapot in a fisticuffs match). Now alone you strive to fullfill your promises while pursuing your own cause. Bonus points if you are a catfolk, or a full orc or similar tribal race with no tribe to return to.
Simple idea: You were an aide-de-camp with a knights order on campaign, when the camp was attacked. You were knocked unconscious and awoke days later buried below ash and timbers of your former lords pavilion. All that remained were charred bones, a few twisted scraps of steel, and a single banner miraculously un-destroyed by the flames (Though still lightly charred). You are a mere peasant boy (or girl) but you are literally the last of the order. You are no knight, but are technically head of an order, which complicates things a bit in recruiting knights to refill the ranks. So far only rookie adventurers will even listen to you, but you have to start gaining prestige and rank somehow.
Patol has my favorite suggestion so far.
Small Cavalier is going to offer you a lot more opportunities to use mounted combat. For a slight reduction to speed, you now fit into medium spaces instead of large spaces.
Agreed. Halflings get a lot of bonuses. (They're even better as paladins. The annoyance with paladins, however, is that they don't get their free horse until 5th level.) However, in keeping with the human cavalier theme....
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Concept: You are the wounded knight "nursed back to health" by the peasant's family...but your recuperation from grievous injuries is so protracted (no magical healing seems to speed it) that it's functionally similar to starting at 1st level and clawing your way back up. It does refocus your dedications, however....
Str+ 17
Dex: 14
Con: 14 (15,14,14,14,12,7 20pt array)
Int: 7
Wis: 14
Cha: 12
01 fighter1 [Dragoon(Mounted Combat, Skill Focus:Ride), Ride-by Attack, Indomitable Mount
02 cavalier1 [Gallant][Order of the Sword][Teamwork feat: Paired Opportunists]
03 cavalier2 [By My Honor: good, +2 will save], Spirited Charge
04 cavalier3 [Cavalier's Charge], Str>18
05 cavalier4 [Challenge 2/day], Power Attack
06 cavalier5 [Expert Trainer][Symbol of Inspiration]
Combat role: one-trick-pony specialized in lance-charging who prudently keeps a Challenge in reserve for dismounted situations. --Even though it hits like an atom bomb, GMs like this kind of character because it's simple to plan adventures around and won't pull some weird ability out the butt to wreck their story.
You have 2 skill points per level as an Int 7 Human at 1st, and 3/level thereafter; put points in Ride and Handle Animal at 1st, and then at 2nd, increase Ride (this will always be maxed) and bump Diplomacy and Sense Motive
Equipment. start with a heavy horse and train it for for war with Handle Animal; acquire a second mount at 2nd level via the cavalier class feature. Items granting bonuses to Ride and Challenge are your Nethys shopping list.
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Before choosing a background for a cavalier you should probably decide on his order. A cavaliers order is a huge part of the character and some orders strongly favor certain backgrounds. A cavalier of the order of the star is probably going to come from a religious background, where a cavalier of the order of the cockatrice is more likely to come from a mercenary background.
Also consider that being a cavalier is more than just fighting. They have a decent amount of skills and a lot of social skills as class skills. This suggests a more social background then growing up on an isolated farm.
For a cavalier of the order of the cockatrice you are the son of a mercenary who came from a lower class background who was successful enough to support his family, but never enough to become wealthy. You grew up around nobles, but never had a lot of money and your father was looked down upon form being a commoner. You are determined to prove that you are as good if not better than the sons of the nobles you grew up with.
If you are a member of the order of the dragon maybe your father belonged to an organization that you seek to join. This would be the classic background of d’Artagan from the three musketeers. If you take the daring champion archetype you are basically playing d’Artagan . The archetype makes you more of a swashbuckler than a cavalier so may not fit, but the background could be similar.
The order of the lion would make sense if your character was born into nobility. Maybe you are the youngest son of a minor noble. Your oldest brother will inherit the title and most of the money. You received good training and were given a horse and equipped but that was about all they had left. Your natural ability drew the attention of the king and he took you on as one of his knights.
If you want to go the commoner who becomes a knight the order of the shield seem a natural fit. Your family apprenticed you to a wandering knight who taught you to fight and how to act properly in society. You have seen how the nobility treats the commoners and decided to become their champion.
The order of the star serves a religion so if you belong to it, you probably come from a religious background. You could be an orphan who was raised by the church. You believe in the teachings of the church, but don’t have the calling to be a cleric, or a paladin. You realize that your deity needs warriors as well as spell casters and are content to serve him in this way.
Ok so I'm currently in the process of deciding on a pc in which I can take into my first pathfinder game ever. I am fairly confident with rules and mechanics, having played a few one shots in the last few months and having read a great deal on here. I have decided on a class - the cavalier - but can't decide on a character to go with it. My only idea so far has been a human peasant that took his fathers work horse and pitchfork in order to seek riches and escape life on their farm. However i don't actually like this concept that much, and am trying to think up something a bit more interesting and exciting! If anyone could give me a couple concepts that would be fantastic! Thanks for your time!
Mechanical advice: go small sized or just ditch the mounted class entirely and go for ranger or something. It is more of a pain in the ass dealing with where and where not you can bring a large mount. Not to mention worrying about finding security for it before you go cave crawling. As an newer player, the idea of mounts and companions were really cool to me. As an experienced player, I wan't nothing to do with them lol.. too much work.
Story Suggestion: I love your openness, and loose concept approach. I've found that it's much better to only give a very light concept in a backstory. Let the GM twist and shape the rest of it as your character grows.
How about this for a starter. You are a simple halfling farmer. Loving husband and father of two. One day you kiss your family goodbye as you head out for a fairly routine 2 day journey into the city castle to sell your carrots. Maybe you're riding on a pig or a dog that's pulling a cart of carrots or beets or whatever.
Once you've sold your harvest to the city, the local (corrupt) financial officer asks you to have a seat at a bar/table while he goes to get you an official document for receipt of sale (because of course you always get a receipt ahaha). Little do you know that he is part of this elaborate evil scheme (that somehow ties into the main plot as per your GM) and in in charge of exchanging ransom letters to some sort of heroic paladin like figure who is also sitting down nearby you.
The Kicker: He accidentally swaps your receipt with the hero's ransom note. "If you ever want to see your loved ones again, you'll bring the crystal/money to this (sketchy location) at some time.. yadda yadda". So without needing to check the letter right there in broad daylight, you head off and so does the paladin. Only to open the letter a couple hours later. Now you think your family has been kidnapped while you've been gone. You are too overcome with a sense of duty and love for your wifey and kiddies to even question... "wait, who would want to kidnap, the family of a carrot farmer".
You ride back into town, but you can't find the financial officer, so you open the letter again, and a look of determination crosses your face. You trade in or sharpen your carrot paring knife, purchase a pot lid for a shield and a pony saddle for the pig, and off you ride to the ominous location.
It'll be up to your GM on how humorous or dark he wants to take this plot line. But it demonstrates motivation, even if totally misguided.
Dire Corgi mount, or bust.