Horse Illustrated Magazine

As a kid, you probably received the occasional “practical” present for Christmas. “Practical” might have been a pair of winter boots, or maybe some gloves. As nice as practical presents are, and as much as they help us learn to appreciate necessitates, most kids still gravitate towards the toys and games. Even today at the barn, practical presents like muck bucket carts and heated water buckets can make great gifts—but somewhere deep inside most of us lurks a little kid yelling “I WANT SOME FUN STUFF, TOO!!” Here are a couple of ideas for some unpractical stable accessories that people on your list would probably like to have, but don’t necessarily need.

Stall Name Plates

I like stall name plates. I like both the inexpensive colorful plastic plates, and the elegant brass ones. I like plates that grandly display the horse or pony’s proud lineage (“Sweety Pie:” Sweet Northern Sky X Mom’s Apple Pie), and I also like plates that announce show ring accomplishments (“2015 Champion—Northwest Region”). However, fancy nameplates definitely aren’t essential. We all know our horses without identification on the stall, and even if we need to label our stalls so that other people can feed the horses, there are cheaper and easier ways to do it than with a fancy stall plate (enter 3×5” card and Sharpie). But that’s being too practical—stall plates are fun! Give in to the kid inside you and order one for yourself—or someone on your list—immediately.

Monogrammed Stuff

You can store your horsey gear in bags or covers that aren’t monogrammed. Your boots won’t care if their boot bag has three flashy letters and a cool triangle stitched on the side. Neither will your helmet or your saddle pad. But it’s fun! Not only does monogramming make it easy to keep track of everyone’s gear at the barn, it’s a great way to show how serious you are about your sport. And monogrammed blankets or saddle pads are another fun way to subtly brag about show winnings! If you can’t think of a gift for the horseperson who has everything, then personalizing an object can be a great gift solution.

Stable Décor

Sure, our barns and tack rooms function just fine without any frills, but they might lack some warmth and character. So go ahead—swap out those plain white light switchplates for decorative ones with a fancy fox hunting scene or some roping cowboy silhouettes. Put up a few framed photos of your favorite equine pal next to the saddle racks. Replace stale hooks on the wall with a bridle rack. Just a few details like this can quickly spruce up your tack area—or a friend’s.

What fun—but non-essential—horse items would you like to find under the tree? Add your ideas in the comments and have fun! Merry Christmas!

Liked this article? Here’s more horse holiday fun:
A Horse Owner’s Holiday Season Struggles
Over the Fence: Holiday Treasures

Daniel Johnson is a freelance writer and professional photographer. He’s the author of several books, including How to Raise Horses: Everything You Need to Know, (Voyageur Press, 2014). Dan’s barn is home to Summer, a Welsh/TB cross, Orion, a Welsh Cob, and Mati and Amos, two Welsh Mountain Ponies.Follow him at www.facebook.com/foxhillphoto.