3 Things You Absolutely Should Not Buy an Equestrian for Christmas
It has a horse on it, and I know you’re into horses, so…
In my house I have a ban on “horsey non-horse-related things.” No horse figurines, no clothing with horseshoes or prancing ponies. And absolutely no “equestrian style” boots. But useful things, like a saddle rack in the garage? Totally. Photos of horses I actually know? Sure.
Not everyone is as picky as I am…but there are definitely some things equestrians will exchange ASAP on December 26.
Things that would be cute for a 9-year old, but not so much for a grown adult.
Horse-crazy adults walk a fine line between seeming like sophisticated equestrians as opposed to crazy cat ladies with an adrenaline addiction. A pretty safe test for the hard-to-shop-for-equestrian in your life is to simply ask yourself two questions: “Would a 9 year old be as ecstatic about this gift as I think my potential giftee will be?” and “Is it a live pony?” If the answers are “Yes” and “No” respectively, probably pass on the pony onesie. (If both answers are “Yes”–kudos, you’re finally getting this horse-crazy thing.)
Creepy gifts.
Sure, haute-couture heels made of real horse hooves may be all the rage in the Lady Gaga circle of fashion…but chances are, if you give something like this to the horse lover in your life, they’ll have nightmares for months.
Gifts that you could actually find at a tack shop, but are completely wrong for your giftee’s riding discipline or style.
“Honey I bought your horse a bit! Look how cool this one is!”
Uh…I don’t think that’s dressage legal.
If you’re a well-meaning but not-terribly-experienced gifter and something catches your eye in the tack shop, it’s always a good idea to ask the store clerk what the heck it is before you buy. Or better yet, ask a trainer or trusted horsey friend beforehand what your giftee could really use! In the same vein, it’s always a good idea to figure out what the person’s stance on bling is before sending off a set of your rider’s favorite spurs or gloves to get the Swarovski treatment.
Remember–when in doubt, just get a gift card to your equestrian’s favorite tack shop (SmartPak makes it super easy to send via email!). If there’s one thing that every equestrian needs, it’s more money to fuel the addiction!
Go Riding.
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