While it’s known as the season to be jolly for the majority, equestrians are still battling foul weather and dark nights while trying to prepare for the next competitive season. However, just because you have a horse in your life doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the festivities, even if you are fitting it all in between the chaos of caring for your number one.
Here are a few things all horse owners can relate to at Christmas time…
1. Finances are tighter than usual
And they’re already pretty tight if you own a horse. While ‘normal’ people might have put some cash aside throughout the year to compensate for an expectedly expensive December, equestrians already spend the majority of their hard earned money each month to pay for their animals. But fear not, over the years we’ve become increasingly resourceful. The reusing and recycling of old presents gifted last year is commonplace, and we’re not against buying someone a ticket to one of the championship biggies such as Badminton or Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) so we have a friend to go with next year.
2. Christmas Day is chaos
No matter how much you plan and prepare, you usually spend the big day running around at 100 miles per hour fitting in as much as you can while trying to enjoy yourself. Caring for your horse (who doesn’t have a clue what day it is), ferrying gifts and food to various locations, cooking, cleaning and trying to showcase your best self in front of the in-laws is exhausting. Even if you are lucky enough to find someone to do your horse on Christmas Day, you can’t really relax for long as your shift at the yard will be coming up, or you’re likely to be out hunting on Boxing Day. No rest for the wicked!
3. Something usually goes wrong
Your horse decides to lose a shoe on Christmas Eve. The power on the yard goes out mid full-body clip. Your lorry won’t start when you try to leave your local area’s Christmas show. Your feed merchant has decided to shut a day early for the festivities, unknowingly to you. You get the picture…
4. Riding becomes an extreme sport
We’ve all seen our lives flash before us when riding a freshly clipped horse for the first time in minus conditions. Trying to fit in a 10 minute jog in the school before we’re submerged into darkness or need to set off on the Christmas present round before the big day also requires athlete like speed, and we become the ultimate multi-taskers, successful at mucking out while online shopping from our phones for those last-minute gifts we totally forget about.
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Former H&H showing editor and deputy features editor
Born and raised in the Lake District, Alex has grown up on the showing scene. She has qualified and competed ponies at the Royal International, Horse of the Year Show and Olympia and has first-hand knowledge of the current issues in the showing world as well as the horses, ponies and riders who compete in the sport. Alex joined H&H in January 2018 as showing editor, cementing its place as the leading equestrian publication for both showing reports and current showing news in the UK. She moved on in October 2024 to pursue other opportunities, but continues to write for us on a freelance basis.
