Holiday Shopping

I don't know about you, but with the holidays getting closer, I seem to find less time with the horses. Tomorrow, our stables or "the barn" is having their annual Christmas party. We all bring food and exchange gifts and the horses get to go outside and do the same thing they do every day. We're going to try to get out early (me and the friends) and get a quick ride in, but first thing in the morning on a Saturday.....I'm not sure I'll get there with time to spare.



You would think that it would be easy to come up with ideas for holiday gifts for horse lovers, because I iz one, but I think we buy most of what we want and need throughout the year. I think one of the best "little" gifts around are those $1 cotton gloves that you wear until they wear out. For my birthday, my friend got me 6 pairs of them. Plus a couple of boxes of those salty and sweet granola bars, plus a very pink sweatshirt to wear under my vest or just on its own for those not so cold days. I'm still looking for a good pair of "barn shoes"; something that is waterproof, manure proof or at least washable and is good for the arches of the "mature woman" whose feet will be killing her if she doesn't wear something with support.

See, it isn't about buying stuff for the horse or for riding. The tack we use every day is very personal but the stuff we wear or use is pretty universal. It's as if there is a uniform for barn wear. Most people who see me outside the barn, don't even recognize me. Because I keep my hair up in a ball cap (in case I don't have time to shower that day or don't bother to because I'm just going to smell bad after 4 to 5 hours around horses. What am I saying? My girls don't smell bad-it's one of my favorite odors), they've never seen my hair down and can't place me when I say hello. I actually have a real job that involves dressing nicely and professional, but I can't wait to get out to the barn wearing comfortable warm riding breeches and soft, cotton shirts and hoodies or denim.

I think this year I'm going to give the gift of time. Since I have been trimming for almost 3 years, I can offer my services for free to those who are finding it difficult to come up with the funds for their "hobby". And because I have experience working with horses, I can take the time to help someone who is having difficulty with their horse, or spend time with a horse whose owner doesn't have the time for her-maybe I'll exercise her, or clean her stall so she isn't standing there daily for hours. Helping out is something I can do for those around me. Yes, there are lots of horses who need adopting or who need donations of money for feed and health care, but I find that all I have to do is look around me, right in my area and there's plenty of need right here.

Yeah, the holidays can be stressful and finding the right gift can be challenging, but I usually find that more than anything, I want to spend time with the people who share my passion for the beautiful creature the horse. It makes me feel alive and it keeps me sane. Then I can go out and start shopping for the other loved ones in my life. I hope they need gloves....