With Christmas now fast-approaching there will be plenty of opportunities and shows for riders to get festive with their horses. If you’re struggling for inspiration, check out these fun ideas from the H&H readers. From donning the tinsel to expressing your inner snowman, we loved these photos...
“Here is my daughter, Martha Dobson aged five and her pony Jack, dressed as a Wise Man and a camel at our local Pony Club show recently. They won first prize and Martha was delighted, possibly more than poor Jack who is very tolerant of the annual Christmas humiliation! They are both members of Ledbury Hunt branch of the Pony Club” — Louise Calverley
“This is Taryn Tinker and Webster dressed as Santa stuck up the chimney!” — Cathryn Tinker
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“On Saturday my horse, Newbridge Lady (aka Sprite), and I rode around our local community giving sweet presents out to children. Everyone (parents included) absolutely loved it and was so lovely to see everyone’s happy, smiley faces. Thank you to my helpers too, who walked around with me all afternoon; Tina, Caz and my mum Mary” — Emily Dunstan
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“This is two-year-old Iris Williams and her 16-year-old pony Yaverlander Charmer enjoying the winter sunshine dressed as a cheeky elf and Rudolph” — Becky Mundy
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“This is Maddie Squire, who is three, riding Alfredo as a Princess on her magical Christmas unicorn” — Beccy Squire
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“My daughter, Sophie, loves dressing up at Christmas — every year she delivers Christmas cards to our local friends and family by pony, either on horseback or more recently by cart. This is Sophie on her standard Shetland pony Tara, who has completed four Pony Club camps to-date has hunted, competed in showing, showjumping and mounted games. She is a great all rounder and my daughter’s best friend. They love getting dressed up for fancy dress too!” — Jane Richardson
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“This photo is from our yard’s Christmas show last week. On the left is four-year-old Eliza Duffy dressed up as a rainbow unicorn fairy and her lovely unicorn Charlie. On the right is me riding Alonso the very patient Spanish reindeer! We all had a wonderful day and just love this photo” — Iona Schmeinck
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“This is my daughter, Nia, with her pony, Breeze, braving the cold and rain at the weekend for fancy dress dressage” — Kara Ona
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“This is my sister Suzy Rothwell competing in some unaffiliated dressage at Ledston Equine Centre in West Yorkshire with her Irish Draught gelding Balinmore Sea Skipper — The Snowman and The Snowhorse!” — Sarah Lawton
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“We recently completed a ‘santa dash’ in aid of our local hospice, Saint Catherine’s. ‘Nobby’ is the black hanoverian with me, who says “dressage horses don’t love dressing up!” with his ‘girlfriend’, Cassandra a Shire/thoroughbred and her owner Denise Palmer-Jenkinson. We rode eight miles in the freezing cold but there were lots of smiles” — Suzi Millward
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“Here are my seven-year-old twin daughters, Jess and Emma, on their ponies Crumpet and Bluey undertaking a virtual Christmas fun ride to raise money for Mount Pleasant RDA group” — Sarah Harris
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This is my daughter, Levi Dennett, who is 12, riding her 14.1hh pony, Tilly, competing for the Cotswold Hunt branch of the Pony Club at the Ledbury Hunt Pony Club show at Hartpury on 6 December” — Tom Dennett
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“This picture was taken this year at Dallas Burston Polo Club for the Lands Eventing festive arena cross-country pairs competition. I am Santa and my horse, Marvellous Millicent, is a reindeer!” — Liffie Fowler
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Former web features editor, point-to-point editor and digital racing editor
Gemma is an experienced journalist, who was a member of H&H staff from 2014 to September 2025. She is passionate about all equestrian sports, including racing and point-to-pointing. She has enjoyed riding out for top trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took part in a charity Flat race at Epsom in August 2018. Gemma’s has reported from numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.
