With Christmas just a little over a week away, there is nowhere to hide from the festivities. If you can’t face donning a Christmas jumper yourself, how about inflicting the festive cheer on your horses instead?
Father Christmas hats are out in force, but this noble bunch are happy to tolerate anything from a Christmas pudding hat to antlers — all in the name of festive merriment.
Horses embrace festive fancy dress
Festive earwarmers
Andrea Hindson and Prince on their Christmas morning hack.
A Shetland… in disguise
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Michelle Jafrate’s six-year-old Shetland Jack (Oldvicarage The Monarch).
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Sue Reece’s rescue section A gelding Trydydd Tro Lwcus (Lucky), in his Christmas Heidi Hat.
An oversized parcel
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Natasha Burrow’s daughter Caitlyn and her pony Bobby at the yard Christmas party. Bobby is wrapped up in wrapping paper — complete with a gift tag and lots of bows.
A sceptical looking Christmas pudding — with a flashing jockey
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Mr Pudding and young Ben Bernard.
Bobble ears
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Jane Howard on her dressage horse, Oakey — who looks pleased with his bobble ears.
A very smart reindeer
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Holly Cattell’s New Forest pony Roy.
An elf gets in the spirit of things
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Demi Cloke’s Welsh D mare Rosie in her Christmas “my lil’ elf”, at home in Penzance, Cornwall.
And finally… some more ear warmers
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Claire Davenport’s Welsh cob-cross Bailey, with his ear warmers.
H&H recommends all equestrians wear appropriate headware when riding or driving
For all the latest equestrian news and reports, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine out every Thursday
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A graduate from Durham University, Madeleine joined H&H in 2011 and became Features Editor — producing content across the magazine and website, including the popular inside back cover article ‘The horse that made me’ and the weekly ‘The best of my fun…’ interview. She has written on topics as diverse as hay making and headcams, to hot totty in the horse world and circus horses. Madeleine now works as a freelance feature writer for Country Life, The Telegraph, Horse & Hound, cntraveller.com, The Spectator and The Field, as well as writing obituaries for The Times.
