Horse Nation Shares: The Weirdest Holiday Gifts of All Time

In mid-November, we asked Horse Nation readers to share the weirdest horsey holiday gits they had ever received from well-meaning friends and family. The responses are… truly something.

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Ah, the holidays — this is our chance as horse people to blend in with the normal world for a day, and sit down with friends and family around the tree to exchange gifts and enjoy each other’s company.

Except that those loving friends and family, for once, remember that you’re a horse person… and surprise you with some truly unique horsey gifts. As we said in mid-November, it’s the thought that counts…

“Now we don’t want to embarrass anyone — after all, it is truly the thought that counts when it comes to gift-giving, and we’re all grateful for having people in our lives who really do care about us. We don’t really expect anyone to remember that we ride western when they give us yet another tree ornament of a hunter/jumper; we don’t hold it against anyone that Bobby is a solid bay OTTB when they give us a print of a bunch of pintos at the water trough because you ‘thought they looked just like Bobby!'”

As always, if we’re thinking about it here at Horse Nation headquarters, our readers have certainly experienced it as well. Here are your responses to that request for comment:

Susan: “That one time a boyfriend got me a size 86 winter blanket for my Haflinger, since I once said in passing she was a draft pony... I don’t even blanket my Haflinger.”

Melissa: “ I got a shirt once with a horse on it. It’s mane was string. It was a kids’ shirt — I was like 13 at the time.
Everyone in my extended family would see a thing with a horse in it and go ‘horse: I bet Melissa would love that.’ Nope. I would not.”

Hanna: “Mane and tail shampoo. For myself. Mom thought it would be a joke but you bet your @$$ I used it and my hair was so soft!”

Heidi: “A mud remover to get mud off cleats (think soccer cleats)… I asked for a hoof pick.”

Nina: “An English saddle treat pouch… I’m western.”

Stephanie: “A western Hank Williams-Gene Autry style shirt. I ride dressage.”

Jenna: “The knickknacks. Aaaaallllllllll the strange, oddly conformed knickknacks. Like you said, it IS the thought that matters, but as both a horse owner and an artist, most of them never see the light of day once the holiday is over.”

Ann: “A saddle purse and a cowgirl skirt and vest… awful.”

Genta: “That time my mother-in-law gave me a life sized wooden pony head complete with carved halter to be hung on the wall. Literally looked like someone beheaded a pony and put it on the wall like a stuffed deer head just without the hair coat. We had fun for a couple of years using it like in the Godfather movie for good friend guests, but eventually gave it away. Really creeped me out!!!”

Lynn: “My darling husband has learned…. he just gives money now… PERFECT.”

And a bonus shout-out to this gift-giver:

Carson: “Not weird, but I got my new saddle literally wrapped up under the tree. It didn’t take long to guess what that was!”

Enjoy the holiday season, Horse Nation. Go riding!