United States Eventing Association

Eventing Advent Calendar: Day 20 . . . through Christmas

Here are the last few additions to this year’s Eventing Advent Calendar…hope everyone has a safe, restful, and joyous holiday!

Leslie Threlkeld shares her holiday gifts with us:

I've always been a collector of sorts, and Christmas is a great time to have loved ones beef up my stash, which more often than not, has something to do with horses. I know you're not surprised, but I want to tell you about my two favorites.

When I was a kid, I was especially interested in Breyer horses. I owned all the usual suspects, but the Holiday Horse was special, and for some reason, a Little-Leslie-Must-Have. These limited models are elegant and colorful and often sport elaborate accessories for the season. The 2010 edition, Jewel, is the fourteenth Breyer horse in the Holiday series. The powerful buckskin, decorated in green and gold tack and draped in shimmering stones, would make a beautiful addition to any horse-lover's collection.

My Breyer collection hit mass capacity when I moved out and Mum declared she wasn't going to store any more of them. Instead she bought a cute figure of a brown horse with a big nose and equally big attitude to decorate my small apartment. His name was Elmer. Thus dawned my new collection item, and I am proud to say it has continued to this day; I look forward to a new Elmer every Christmas. You never know what he and his shy girlfriend, Ellie, might be up to: chasing butterflies, sharing photographs, escaping the pasture, napping in the sunshine...Elmer greets me with a grin all over the apartment, and guests love him too! Elmers make great gifts, and you can collect them all!

Happy Holidays everyone. See you next year!

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News & Entertainment

British eventer Zara Phillips engaged to rugby boyfriend.

Another gift guide from Three Days Three Ways…it’s not too late!

Another humor column from Jim Wofford

Zenyatta enjoying a well-earned retirement, frolicking in the snow.

If you can watch this with a straight face…well…bah humbug!

One more!

A Horseman's Christmas

by Doris Eraldi

It's the night before Christmas, we're out in the barn
Blanketing horses to keep them all warm
They're eating their dinners, tucked in cozy stalls
Not aware that it's Christmas or any special day at all

They can dream of spring pastures from their pine-scented beds
No visions of sugarplums dance in their heads
But we people are thinking of merry parties and such
Maybe feeling a little sad at missing so much

This season is special but the horses don't know
We've got work to do before we can go
We finish the chores and head on inside
To get ready for dinner and our own yuletide

It's nearly midnight, the carols are sung
I remember a story I was told when I was young
How at midnight on Christmas Eve
The creatures of the barnyard can speak to us with ease

I am called to the barn, I wade through the rain
I know I must go, I can't really explain
I slide open the door, pause for a while
Then slowly walk down that dimly lit aisle

A nicker from Casey, a wink from JD
Sleepy old Alibi waking to see
Tucker rustling his bedding, a snort soft and light
Each horse gave a greeting as I walked through the night

I thought about parties bright lit and warm
The ones we don't go to 'cause we have the barn
And vacations and holidays that we don't get
When we're working long hours for bills to be met

Walking all the way to the end of the aisle
I stop to stroke Bonnie, it brings me a smile
She snuffles my face, hot breath on my skin
It starts me to thinking about my horses, my kin

I could be at parties with laughter and mirth
But where I am right now is the best place on Earth.