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Rider Insider: Equestrian Traditions


Traditions are a way for certain practices to live on from one generation to the next. Every culture has traditions and many families do, too. There are certainly traditions that live within equestrian cultures, and maybe your barn family has a few that persist year after year.



The idea of traditions is often affiliated with holidays. Some barns hold a costume party where riders come up with creative disguises for themselves and their horses (and if this describes your barn, maybe our annual online costume contest will interest you!) Other barns enjoy secret Santas or stall decorating around Christmas, or riding in the town’s annual Memorial Day parade.



Other traditions aren’t always affiliated with annual landmarks in the outside world. A barbecue to mark the last show of the season or a trip to a nearby horse-friendly beach every summer keep life at the barn interesting and fun.

Does your barn or equestrian family have any traditions—holiday or otherwise? Click “Submit a Comment” below and tell us about them. Some responses may be selected to be published in a future issue of Horse Illustrated!

Throughout 2013, Noble Equine will be sponsoring the Rider Insider column in Horse Illustrated with a prize for the selected featured response. This month’s prize is a Pinnacle Jacket, available in antique bronze or black. If you’d like to be considered for a prize, make sure to include your contact info in the email field of the contact form (emails will not be publicly displayed.)

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  • Tradition around my barn is pretty simple. I remember and celebrate days that mean something to us, for example birthdays of course. But also, the day I brought them home. I spend a few minutes reliving that special day. Sadly I also remember and celebrate my best friends that have passed over the rainbow bridge.

  • Every year at the annual farm tour we do skits and stuff. One that is always done no matter what is a simple but funny cowboys and Indians skit. It's always fun to participate in!

  • I am always sure to celebrate my horse's birthday, and especially our "anniversary" - the day I brought him home. He gets a stocking at Christmas, and we're always dressing up for Halloween. One of my favorite traditions that doesn't include my horse is when my two horsey-friends and I get together and have a "Triple Crown" party - each of us takes a turn hosting a party for one of the races.

  • Equestrian tradition? I never give my horse breakfast before giving him a kiss on the nose. He greets me every morning with a nicker and pokes his nose through the fence waiting for a kiss!

  • During the fall, I take at least one day out from schooling to take my horse(s) out on a long trail ride. The invigorating smell of freshly fallen leaves makes me want to praise God for the life I have with my horses!

  • Every year my trainer gets ALL of her lesson kids out to the barn on one weekend and we all.....paint! Every year we paint the jumps, the standards, the barn, everything! It's a great tradition, because you get to make friends, have fun, get dirty, and later in the evening we usually have a bon-fire with s'mores and all! I look forward to it every year!!!

  • My barn every year for Halloween and Christmas has barn fun days! We set up our usually professional Dressage/Jumper ring with decorations and horsey challenges such obstacle courses including themed items. Everyone from 5 to 75 has a great time!!

  • Our Pony Club chapter used to host a "Dirty Santa" every year for the Christmas holidays. All Pony Clubbers would bring a wrapped, unlabeled gift. Everyone would sit in a circle, pick a gift, then the next person in the circle had the option to steal the gift from the person to their right, or pick one of their own. It was fun, and occasionally a bit competitive!

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