What’s Your Favorite Horse-Related Christmas Gift You Received as a Child?
“Strings of street lights,
Even stop lights,
Blink a bright red and green
As the shoppers rush,
home with their treasures.”
-Silver Bells
By: Brittany Bevis
Do you remember the anticipation and excitement you felt as a child, sneaking down the stairs on Christmas Day, waiting [im]patiently for your parents to wake up so you could open the gleaming packages waiting under the tree? You likely have fond memories of the favorite Christmas gifts you received over the years, perhaps a wooden rocking horse, a Breyer horse toy, or even a real pony!
While out scouring the shelves this holiday season, looking for the perfect gifts for our loved ones, we couldn’t help but notice the variety of horse-themed toys unveiled in time for Christmas this year. Check out what we found!
The Melissa & Doug Take-Along Show-Horse Play Stable hearkens back to a simpler time with its simple wooden construction and eight toy horses, including Quarter Horses, Paints, Appaloosas, and Palominos. $24.99 at Walmart.
The Radio Flyer Spring Ride On Horse is just like the Radio Flyer you received as a child, but this one received an update with electronic sounds triggered by the riding action of a walk, trot, and gallop. $99 at Walmart.
Playmobil has several horse-themed sets including a Take-Along Stable, Horse Grooming Carry Case, Country Horseback Ride, Horse Paddock Super Set, Pony Farm, and more.
Little Tikes has a few ride-along rocking horses for boys and girls. Little Tikes- $29.99
Barbie Dream Horse. Photo courtesy of Delores Kuhlwein
The Breyer Paint-Your-Own Horse Activity Kit is a great choice for creative equestrians.- Target- $24.19
The Barbie Dream Horse and Doll is the first-ever touch and voice activated Barbie horse. This pretty white horse features more than 30 actions and can walk forward, turn a 360, and neigh. It answers yes or no with a nod or shake if its head, when asked a question. Press the saddle and it will play three songs and dance three dances. Target- $75.99
The Zoomer Show Pony is another electronic marvel that can learn tricks. Her eyes light up and she nuzzles and responds by shaking her head and neighing, “I Love You.” She dances, sings, and performs figure eights. She has an apple, carrot, and sugar cube that she eats. Target- $59.99
The PonyCycle is a simulation horse toy that requires no batteries, but allows kids to “ride” by bouncing up and down in the saddle. Available in brown, black, white, and even unicorns. PonyCycle- $219
Zoomer Show Pony. Photo courtesy of Delores Kuhlwein.
We reached out to our The Equine Chronicle fans on Facebook to find out what their favorite horse toys were, when they were children. We also asked if they could pick any toy to receive this Christmas, what would it be?
Brittany Russell– “My favorite horse-related Christmas gift [not as a child] was, by far, a Cimarron Living Quarters Horse trailer! If I could pick a horse toy to receive now, it would be the NFR Bouncy Bucking Horse Chute set!”
Mallory Beinborn– “I used to get Breyer horses every year! That’s all I ever wanted. I’d take a Slick By Design Breyer this year! Especially since my photo is on his box!”
Dan Prouhet– “I guess my favorite gift that I can distinctly remember was getting sized for my first pair of boots. Pointy toe and the louder, the better! If I could pick any gift, it would be a pretty, 9-year-old, bay, Warmblood that measures 16 hands and jumps four feet pretty.”
Marylyn Caliendo– “My first horse gift was a rocking pony. She was a Paint, and I rode her almost every day from five to seven years old. If I could pick any gift, it would be a bronze of my horse, Bentley. I love him so much and I am pretty obsessed.”
Natasha Blanchard– “My favorite Christmas gift was my pony, when I was a child. Now, it would probably be a Harley D Zip Breyer.”
iRock N Ride saddle speaker
Leah Lane– “Breyer horses were so fun to open! They were definitely my favorite as a child. Now, I would love to open an iRock N Ride saddle speaker!”
Laurel Walker Denton– “Growing up on a ranch, Christmas day always meant all the chores fell to my mother, father, and I. So, it was early to rise and feed everyone first. I’d heard the story about animals being able to talk at the stroke of 12:01 on Christmas morning. I always knew reindeer couldn’t fly, but talking horses was something I wanted to get in on. But, I never quite made it there at 12:01. My parents always said, ‘Well, we missed it again!’ But, during feeding time in the morning, they said all the horses asked for extra treats. So, every horse, cat, cow, and goat got something special on Christmas morning. Then, we would head back to the house for our Christmas. This was the best gift of all for me. It taught me that the animals came first, no matter if it was Christmas and there were gifts waiting under the tree.”
“The gift I would choose now is something Breyer. I have all the ones from when I was a child and most of the newer ones too.”
Tracy Cowin– “My favorite horse toy I received was my first Grand Champion model horse. They were like Breyers, except the manes and tails were actually brushable, braidable, and bandable. I love the new Christmas 2017 Breyer model horse. I would love to get that as a gift, or a new show horse for Christmas is always exciting for any horse crazy person.”
What’s your favorite horse-related Christmas gift you received as a child?
