Christmas Tributes To Horses And Those Who Love Them

Two plus years ago when I started this blog, there was really only a small handful of active equestrian bloggers. Quite a few others started around the same time I did – and like Mrs Mom from OhHorseFeathers and OnTheBit – have become great friends. And our little corner of the world has since exploded with horsey writers of all backgrounds, locations, disciplines, philosophies, and personalities. No matter what we write about, though, we are all bonded together by our love of horses.

This week has been a particularly poignant one for our horse blogger community, as many write tributes to their horses and our industry in celebration of the Christmas holiday.

One of my favorite Christmas posts so far has come from Arlene over at Grey Horse Matters. It’s a Christmas wish list her horses left for Santa; equal parts funny and charming. Each list captures the personality of the horses we have come to know and love through Arlene’s blog. The last item on the list is the most touching – a selfless request from a little Arabian mare named Sweetie who they rescued. I won’t give it away, so go over and check out A Christmas Wish List From Our Herd.

Sweetie’s story brings me to the other great Christmas tribute over at one of the best horse blogs on the internet: Saving Argus.

Argus’s Rescue Story

For 16 years, the gray thoroughbred gelding lived in a small pen on the farm where he was born. He was rarely cleaned up after, barely fed (except left-over bread and lettuce), and never touched. He stood in his own filth staring into the distance and weaving back and forth. Then, in December of 2007 he was rescued by Kate of Watermark farm and taken home, where he has spent the last two years learning to be a horse. He’s had to learn to trust people, to have horsey friends, and of all things – to eat grass. His body and mind were very broken, and both are recovering amazingly under the excellent care he’s received.

Not only did Kate work her magic with Argus, she’s chronicled the entire journey on her blog, From Hell to Heaven: Saving Argus. She’s a wonderful writer (I’m really hoping she turns this into a book someday!) with a real talent for capturing the feelings with every little triumph and set-back in Argus’s life. You’ll weep with her and celebrate with her during his journey. Sometime when you have some time to kill, go and read Argus’s story from start to finish (well, to present day because it’s not over yet!).

And then, go over and subscribe to the NorCal Equine Rescue Blog - a day-to-day chronicle of the goings-on at this fantastic horse rescue.

‘Twas The Night Before Christmas – Argus Style

I never cease to be amazed by the creativity of my fellow horse bloggers. This Christmas season, I leave you with an adaptation of this classic poem written by Kate (and used with her permission of course!):

‘TWAS the night before Christmas
And all through the barn
Not a creature was stirring
Anywhere on the farm

The stockings were hung
On the stall doors with care
In hopes that Saint Nicholas
Soon would be there

The horses were all snuggled
Into straw-banked beds
While visions of sweet feed
Danced in their heads

And Argus was in his blanket
Chubby Half Pint going bare
Both hoping and wishing
Santa soon would be there

When out in the arena
There arose such a clatter!
They leapt into their paddocks
To see what was the matter!

The moon on the puddles
In the wet winter pasture
Made the night light so blinding
They breathed faster and faster!

When what to their
Brown horsey eyes should appear
But a jolly red sleigh
And eight hungry reindeer

In the driver’s seat sat Santa
All dressed up in red
And he winked at the horses
As they spied from their beds

Then something odd happened
The horses grew brave
And Santa addressed them
Which made them quite grave:

“Now Argus! Now Half Pint!
Now Odie and Angel!
Now Ginger and Caleb!
And Ridge in the stable!”

“To your herd mates be kind
And don’t waste your hay!
Take care of your riders
And love each new day!”

As dry shavings that before
The wild hurricane fly
When they meet with the winds
Mount to the sky

And suddenly the horses
Who before felt quite shy
Felt themselves flying around
With Santa in the sky!

So around the farm
The horses they flew
They looked down on the home
They loved and they knew

And then, on the house top
They thumped on the roof
And the family inside
Heard the pounding of hooves

“What’s that?” they shouted
As they woke from their beds
“We thought we heard horses
Loose overhead!”

So out to the stables
The family they ran
Where they found it quite empty
Save for the horse goat, An’

They peered at the sky
For a sign of the equines
And for a moment, saw Santa
Riding Argus just fine

Then suddenly, and quietly
The horses were there
Munching hay and looking sleepy
As if they had no cares

So the lights were extinguished
The excitement went “poof”
And the family missed Santa
Spying down from the roof

To each horse, he gave a gift
And when he got to the last
It was Argus, the white one
He’d seen on many a Christmas past

“You’re a good horse, dear Argus”
Santa said with a tear,
You have suffered so long
So many a year”

“I promise you will always
Have a loving, peaceful life
With pastures and buddies
An end of all strife”

Argus thought quietly
About all the nights
And the bleak Christmases of waiting
For the arrival of light

This, his second Christmas
Of freedom and cheer
He’d been a real horse, a free horse
For more than a year

Santa sprang to his sleigh
To his team gave a whistle
And winking once more at Argus
He flew away like a missile

The horses heard him exclaim
As he drove out of sight
“Merry Christmas, dear Argus!
And to all — a good night!”

Have you read any great horsey Christmas tributes OR seen any creative posts OR have a favorite equestrian blog? Please share them in the comments!