A Pony For Christmas

My husband used to ask what I wanted for my birthday or Christmas and my first and fast answer was always "A PONY!"...then I got one...but when the question came up PAC (Post Acquiring Coconut) my answer was still "a pony..."  with just a tad less pleading and a smidgen of slyness in hopes I might be able to sneak in a second one...and then I got that one too. Be careful what you wish for....you just might get it!

These days I'm down to one and actually pretty thankful for that as well as the experience of having helped Basil as well as (we'll call them) *joys* of bringing up a young horse from a weanling. My current position is that I am glad that is over with so that I no longer have to wonder what it's like. I've done it, no one was seriously injured in the process, a reasonably calm gelding has been brought into the equestrian community, I've moved on and so has he...but to the best outcome I can think of :)

So that takes me back to what I wanted for Christmas...strangely I did not ask for a pony this year...and when I gave my family suggestions for gifts I might like to have, they apparently listened and went to some pretty specific lengths to acquire certain items for I had not picked out things that one can readily run down to Walmart and buy. They added a few pieces to my slightly rare china service when I announced I thought we should move from service for eight to service for twelve in the event that all four kids couple up some day and take our core family to 10. As it is, with just one Grandson & only one extra significant other we're already right at eight. So that was awesome...they also added a piece of luggage in the hard-to-find design that I like & now I can travel in style on my adventures.

I did get a pony...actually I got several Equine themed gifts this year...even without asking (ok, almost without asking!)...Les gave me a VIP Day at Emerald Downs in the Widmer Club complete with a named race! This is becoming a happy gift tradition for me...for both of us actually! I am already getting exciting for the 2011 race meet.

AND...he gave me a Pink Leather Halter for Coconut. It was a bit of a last minute decision & had to be custom ordered but it should be here shortly. Several months ago Bonnie sent me a link to Quilin Leather & Tack in Kentucky. From their website:

"It all started a week and a half before the 2010 Kentucky Derby - we were asked to make Presentation Halters for the Derby and Oaks entries. The only catch was that the Oaks Fillies’ Halters were to be Pink! We’re very traditional at Quillins and we were taken a little aback by the request ... but never shying away from a challenge we accepted and delivered this special order in less than a weeks time. The Pink Halters have caused quite a stir and one was recently presented to Kentucky First Lady Jane Beshear at The Center for Women in Racing’s - Horses and the Hearts of Women Gala."

This is one thing I did "hint" for...in fact when I got it I sent the link to Les with the particulars: size, throat snap, name plate, etc...and a week ago he claimed I hadn't told him what I wanted for Christmas, I indicated that I had, in deed, given him a very specific hint PLUS he was sitting right next to Santa when I told him that I wanted a pink leather halter for Coconut! These are the same fancy halters used on Thoroughbreds...only PINK! Even though she's not a Thoroughbred she's in good company with the Oaks Fillies!!! I can hardly wait til it gets here!


Maeve also got me an equine themed gift....an adorable necklace with a vintage cowgirl photo. The day after I put it on, my Magnabilities chain broke. I think the cowgirl was claiming her territory. Yee Haw!!


I met up with Lynn & Kim for lunch a few weeks ago and got a little pre-holiday gift of a Laurel Burch mug in my favorite design: Moroccan Mares.

 

Moroccan Mares by Laurel Burch

Then Lynn surprised me on Christmas Eve with a drawing she made of Coconut...I am so deeply touched! Lynn's known in our SAFE Supporter circle as an amazing quilter, but there are a few of us who were introduced to her talent for drawing early as she captured the spirit of SAFE horses like Hope & Biscotti who were the horses that first drew her into the organization. It's been my understanding that she hasn't been doing much drawing lately so that she chose to draw Coconut is nothing short of an incredible honor...

Thank you Lynn Mazer!!

...and then there's one gift that some of you might have to read this line twice when you learn that I have a collection of Holiday Budweiser Beer Steins...no, I don't drink beer...but it's a long standing tradition in my family that dates back to about 1981. I was shopping with my Mom for pieces to a Jim Beam train my Stepdad Larry collected & saw a stein at a local liquor store and I liked it because it had Clydesdales on it so that became my gift to him...something we both liked: Me~Horses, Him~Budweiser. I gave him one nearly every year after that...

When Larry passed away in 2005, we kids were put in charge of clearing his home and picking things we'd like to keep. I basically only wanted the Budweiser Stein collection and since then my son, Corey, has kept the tradition going by now gifting me with the yearly edition. He's been with me since the beginning of return to horses and coincidentally had decided the Clydesdales are his favorite breed so it makes a lot of sense that he would keep the tradition going with these Steins....it's a connection to the past that has come full circle to our present & reminds me of those special times with Larry. I think he'd be very proud to know that the tradition lives on.

So those are my Christmas Ponies....I wonder what everyone else got?? What ever your traditions are, I hope you all have good friends & family as well. Even without the gifts, I am truly blessed to be surrounded by people to love & inspire me. Happy Holidays everyone!!!!