Happy Christmas Eve! Enjoy this throwback post about one of my favorite horsey holiday traditions. Christmas, my much loved first horse Amy, my sister Leslie on her pony, Pokey... Tears are sliding down my cheeks as I write, but they are tears of happiness and gratitude for such cherished memories.
On Christmas Eve Day when Leslie and I were young and had horses of our own, we would deck the horses out in red and green and go for a ride together. We'd take the trail up the moraine and through the woods and come out on flatter ground which was much easier for riding - we could ride side by side and chat whereas in the woods and on the moraine we had to go single file. We were teen-age girls and we wanted to gab!
Me on Sweet Amy and Leslie on Pokey, ready to (literally) head for the hills. This is 1971. (Over 50 years ago!)
Some years my friend, Bobbie Sue, and her gelding, Starbuck, would join us.
We'd ride through neighborhoods and sometimes little kiddos would come out with carrots or sugar cubes and ask if they could pet our horses. (See my old Kodak Instamatic camera hanging from my saddle horn?)
A close up of one of Pokey's "bridle rosettes" made of satin ribbon and tied to his headstall.
Back then, the roads were a lot quieter as there were no neighborhoods or towns out that way.
Taking that ride together was a good way for us to pass the time on one of the absolute longest days of the year. (As a mom and grandmother, it is now one of the shortest!) And, it gave our parents a chance to do some last minute wrapping, assembling, or preparation without worrying about one of us popping in on them by mistake.
December 24 Advent Calendar Reveal
The last piece in this year's advent calendar is...
A very nice unicorn - look at its detail.
There were ten horses behind those calendar doors and I am pleased with each and every day's offering. I hope, hope, hope that Breyer does a new one next year. If not, then I may just have to buy the unicorn advent calendar and do that one!
