Santa came early!

Published on by Amanda C

The blogger Secret Santa gift exchange has become one of my favorite things every year since I started all this craziness. The equestrian blogging community is very diverse, but we all have one thing in common: our love for our ponies. Tracy is kind enough to coordinate this little shindig every year (which, I can only imagine that trying to coordinate bloggers is much like herding cats) and it’s fun to try to pick out stuff for someone else that you probably have never met, yet it still feels like you know them on some level from reading their blog.

I was kind of behind the eight ball this year and didn’t get my package shipped out to my SS until Monday (and forgot to write in the card explaining a couple of the items – fail) so I doubt it has arrived yet, but Olivia was clearly much more organized than I was. Which would surprise precisely no one that reads both of our blogs.

Poor Olivia, her first year participating and she got ME. I feel bad for anyone who gets me, I know I’m hard to shop for. She nailed it though, with a cute tote from One Horse Designs (I love cuss words, so this is super apropos), treats for Henny, and a toy for the dogs (or cat). The treats went into Henry’s trailer stash – yes he has treats in my truck, in the barn, and in the trailer, is that weird? – and Stewie has already started tearing the dog toy apart. The tote was put into service to carry my riding clothes to work, and it has gotten more than one chuckle. So, many thanks to Olivia, everything is awesome!

it’s a little too big for Grem

Presto’s Christmas presents also arrived from Europe. Yeah, I went back and ordered the bridle too. They got a brown cob in stock right after the sale ended, but said they would toss it in my shipment and honor the sale price, so who can say no to that? He may only be 9 months old, but he’s got some fancy strapgoods waiting for him. The halter might actually fit him pretty soon, it was quite adjustable so I put it down to all the smallest holes and it seems pretty close to yearling size. The bridle will just sit in the closet and wait for him to get older. Oh – and Riding Warehouse just started stocking this bridle, so for everyone who was asking me where to get it, now you don’t have to order from overseas!

Can we talk about this gorgeous glass that Michelle (Presto’s other mom) painted for me? HOW FRIGGIN CUTE IS THIS? She even managed to capture the crazy in Henny’s eyes! I’m a little obsessed with it.

Usandrocollage

And last but not least, some of you may have guessed that last week’s post about adults riding ponies/honies was actually going somewhere. If you did, you are correct! Tomorrow the pint-sized jumper phenom Usandro (Sandro Boy x Welcome Sympatico) enters a breeding facility in France to begin the process of producing frozen semen for USA export. There will be a limited number of doses available for sale here in the US for the 2018 season, and we’re excited to see how he crosses on the American mare base. I’m working on getting a facebook page up for him in English, and will keep y’all updated on when the semen arrives. If you’re interested in breeding to him, let me know and I can get some info to you ASAP! Merry Christmas, America, have some French pony jumper semen!

Horse people are weird.

21 thoughts on “Santa came early!”

  1. That glass is AMAZING!!! Really all your stuff is awesome. I have seen that bag and had to stop myself on multiple occasions from buying it for myself. I really need a new show bridle so cute bags have to wait. And it does not surprise me that Olivia is organized. That can be a machine. A kooky machine but I think that is why we all love to follow her blog. Lol.

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  2. Oh man, I’ll take some of that semen. But first, I just need to win the lottery in order to afford a 4th horse and the subsequent competition dreams lol

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  5. Love the glass! That is so beautifully done. And that’s super exciting that Usandro is exporting semen to the US! Hopefully that will encourage even more good, well-bred ponies! And that sounds just like Olivia lol Always on top of everything lol.

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  7. I love all your gifts! šŸ™‚ And yay on the pony semen (how weird to type that). Iwant to be in on the secret santa blogger for next year. how do we get added? Contact Tracy?? And that glass Michelle did is GORGEOUS!! (If Presto outgrows his bridle let me have it, thanks :))

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  8. Ummm…..I didn’t ship until Tuesday. I have almost all of my stuff together for a while, but needed more wrapping paper and a Christmas card. I think it should still arrive today though. I received my SS gift on the 12th, but have not opened it yet.

    I love all of your gifts, but that glass is to die for. šŸ™‚

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  9. The glass is gorgeous. And totes are always needed. You can never have too many. There will always be something to stuff in them.

    I’m super interested in following along with the honie/pony breeding. I can’t wait to see what is produced.

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  11. Yeah, well I shipped my SS out on Tuesday so… you’re not the latest. Sorry to my recipient… Olivia did great with those selections, LOVE the tote! And what?! Michelle painted that glass?! That’s ridiculous. She’s so talented!

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  14. What do you think of the bridle quality in comparison to say a ps or eponia? I was just looking at it on RW and was trying to remember who had posted about it before. I need a nice jump bridle for the little red horse but hate to dish out the dough for another ps

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  17. Pingback: 2017 Secret Santa! – hellomylivia

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