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| once upon a time |
And that's the point: how does your horse factor in to your holiday celebration? Do you buy presents for the pony? Have a horse wishlist for your family? Ignore the horse completely? Get oddly-shaped home-decor things with a vague horsey theme from clueless relatives?
I'll go first. My family thinks I'm an addict and gets me no pony things. I think the horse gets all the pretty things anyways, so unless there's a killer sale, he gets no Christmas presents and little to no time off.
The horses just get carrots, and I've used the holidays to buy them a new halter or something. Otherwise, they generally don't factor in to the holidays. Unless I do the 12 Haffie days of Christmas or something...
ReplyDeleteWe do family Christmas photos including the pony and the dog each year, which generally involves Dino being festooned in lots of tinsel and silly things. He doesn't really get presents, since he can't even have normal treats. I spend a crap-ton of money on him during the year, and it's not like he can open presents with us on Christmas morning like the dog can! He gets the day off since I'm visiting family all day, and my husband and brothers usually buy me something awesomely horsey! Mom refuses to buy me anything "for the pony" and gets me normal-people things.
ReplyDeletePongo has been know to ask his "grandparents" for something under the tree, he didn't this year though. I used to hang a stocking on his stall but since he's in an outdoor paddock now, that's not an option. Bah humbug.
ReplyDeletehttp://blog.smartpakequine.com/2015/12/stuff-riders-say-on-christmas/
DeleteThe horses get bran mashes on Christmas. And all I ever ask for from anyone ever is horse stuff or money, Christmas or otherwise. Since my Mom passed away we seem to not be doing family Christmas stuff this year (I don't think any of us are ready to face that) so it's going to be a very low key, 'stay at home and do nothing out of the ordinary' kind of holiday for me this year.
ReplyDeleteha. my horse gets tortured via ridiculous photo shoots with santa hats and other such nonsense. but otherwise? no, no real 'presents' for the pony (esp not from the family - they've at least figured out to just give me cash that will happily get spent on said creature)
ReplyDeleteI do photo shoots with them every year and try to squeeze a ride in on Christmas Eve (Christmas day is always way too busy because I have a huge family and many houses to go to) and I give them treats on Christmas day when I feed. No real presents, but 80% of my gifts are horse themed or for my horses. I think my gelding gets more gifts than I do (saddle pads, boots, the works, he's a family favorite) Perks of being in a really, really, really horsey family!
ReplyDeleteThe family frequently sends me vaguely horse related stuff for the house. Especially the in laws since my birth family actually experienced my horse crazy childhood and knows what to not get a rider. As for Theo, he got new open front boots and a saddle pad for Christmas. I usually use the holidays as an excuse to buy my horse something. I'll be out there riding him as usual, though if the rain stops, he'll get a trail ride as a nice relaxing break.
ReplyDeleteThis year for Christmas Murray is getting... A DRESSAGE CLINIC WITH MY GERMAN MOTHER IN LAW. If that isn't about to make him weep pony tears, I don't know what will.
ReplyDeleteIn other years he gets nothing but time off if I'm out of town, riding if I'm in town, and perhaps an extra mushy bucket of grain with some candy canes hidden inside. I've never done holiday pics with him because I find the semi-grown-out coat a little grody looking, and I'm really bad at pics because I have no cute picture-appropriate clothes. I want to, I just haven't got it together to do them yet.
I ALWAYS end up with at least one cheesy horse calendar from someone. Uh, thanks, but pass.
ReplyDeleteCheers and Riva have stockings with their names on them hanging on their stalls. We did a photo Christmas card for the first time this year - turned out nice! Just the two horses, standing in one of the run out paddocks, with a wreath hanging from the fence. Husband always gets me something nice - horse related :)
ReplyDeleteLast year Bridget got a dressage whip. It's broken in half (and no, not from me using it on her! lol) so she'll be getting a new one. It's maybe our new tradition :)
ReplyDeleteI once did actually broke a crop on my pony's butt. If I got him a new one as a "gift" he'd be PISSED!
DeleteNo, I don't buy Suzie or Spud anything and I don't really ask for any horse related things. We've dressed up the horses and posed for photos once or twice, but other than some carrots and extra grain, we keep it pretty simple.
ReplyDeleteI drop enough hints throughout the year (folding back pages of catalogs, casually mentioning a piece of tack I'll die without, wildly gesturing at website pages) that my husband has more than enough material for birthdays(mine & P's), Christmas, V-Day, anniversary, etc. He's learned the hard way that if he gets me non-horse stuff, I blow our disposable income on what he DIDN'T buy for me. My family joins in somewhat, but aren't really sure where to start. I'm usually in Chicago visiting family for Christmas, so no specialness for P until I bring home the loot we got from husband (and possibly family!).
ReplyDeleteSame here. My family does not buy horse things, and even if they did I have a feeling that I would really have to spell things out to get the right stuff. Pony does get some time off as Christmas is when I usually make my trip to see my Grandmother, and then I am pretty swamped with the SO's family Christmas activities until about New Years.
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