Visions of sugar plums danced in their heads? I don’t think so. As a horse-crazy child, I had visions of horses dancing in my head every night before I went to sleep. I wished upon a star for a horse, and when my wish came true, I wished for horse books and horse brushes and tack for my horse. It was always easy for my parents to buy me horse-themed gifts. Today, I share 7 holiday gifts for horse lovers. These gift ideas are ideal for young and seasoned equestrians.
- Ruby’s Grand Adventure is one of the best gifts you could possibly give a horse lover. It’s a four day horseback riding vacation in Bryce Canyon, Utah with Ruby’s Horseback Adventures. I had the pleasure of riding with Brady Syrett of Ruby’s Horseback Adventures in the slot canyons of Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. If you haven’t ridden in red rock country, you are in for a treat. This four day ride is all inclusive. You’ll stay at Best Western Plus Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel, breakfast and dinner (with nightly entertainment) are included, as well as the horses, tack, guides and daily transportation to and from your ride. The price for this equestrian holiday is $1,300 per person and it sells out every year, so plan accordingly.
2. For those of us who collect books about horses, Bob Langrish’s World of Horses is a keeper. As Elizabeth Moyer, editor of Horse Illustrated states, “Bob Langrish’s gorgeous equine imagery has raised the standards for equine photography to new levels. This collection offers an amazing retrospective of his photo archives.” The horse book, with 40 years of photos captured by master photographer Bob Langrish and text by Olympic Equestrian Jane Holderness-Roddam, is available from Storey Publishing, and retails for $40.00.
3. This next book for horse lovers is for the travelers and the dreamers. Equestrian Life from Riding Houses to Country Estates is about high-style elegance and the horse-centric lifestyle in England, Scotland and Ireland. I’ve ridden horses all over Ireland and have written about where to go horseback riding in London It’s only a matter of time before I go horseback riding in Scotland. Until then, I have 240 pages and 172 gorgeous color photos of lavish country life on the British Isles to keep me dreaming about horses. Equestrian Life retails for $55.00 and is available from Rizzoli New York.
4. If you own horses, or go horseback riding when you travel, Red Oxx Air Boss is one of the best soft-sided bags I’ve had the pleasure to meet. The company is family-owned and based in Billings, Montana. I love horseback riding vacations in Montana, so this travel gear was not a hard sell for me. It’s lightweight, tough as nails, and made in the USA. Did I mention that it comes with a lifetime warranty? This travel bag is perfect for the equestrian adventure seeker (and it comes in several colors) so it might just match your horse blanket or your riding jacket. The Air Boss has a suggested retail price of $285, and they make plenty of other sizes, from laptop bags to duffel bags.
5. Sometimes I get to dress up like a cowboy for my job. I know what you’re thinking, cowgirls can wear boots and chaps and a cowboy hat, too. In my youth, I showed Quarter Horses and wore custom made suede chaps with big silver conchos on the back. Sometimes I go on cattle drives and wear chinks to protect my legs from cactus and sage brush. I’m always jealous of the hand-tooled leather Western chaps that the cowgirls and cowboys wear. This year I’m gifting myself a pair of handmade chaps for Kevin Magee. Kevin is a horse manager and wrangler that I met in Utah. He makes custom saddles and Western leather chaps and chinks. The chaps I ordered retail for $300. You’ll need to contact Kevin by e-mail to see if he has time to make you a pair. roancolt@msn.com
6. The Western Foam Tush Cushion by Cashel Company is something I wish I’d purchased many years ago. I no longer own a saddle, so I have to adapt to different tack when I go on horseback riding vacations. If it’s a multi-day trail ride, I like bringing along the tush cushion. I purchased the 3/4 inch standard for $32.99. It’s lightweight and fits in my carryon luggage.
7. Need a stocking stuffer gift idea? Compression socks by Vim & Vigr compression legwear will keep your legs happy and you’ll look cute, too. You can wear these snazzy socks under your riding boots or with your tennis shoes when you’re away from the barn. They retail for $24.95 and up and will keep the cowgirl or cowboy in your life happy.
7 Holiday Gifts for Horse Lovers review by Travel Writer Nancy D. Brown. Some travel gear and apparel are received for review purposes, while others are purchased. All holiday gifts for horse lovers have been tested and are recommended and approved by me. Top photo and Quarter Horse colt photo © by Bob Langrish and used with permission from Storey Publishing.