The christmas Party here on Snaps' Stables usually takes the form of a Tack cleaning party using saddle soap, warm water, sponges, a couple of crates of beer, christmas cake, mince pies and other edible supplies (chocolate biscuits go down well with the girls!). The same Christmas party music on a well used CD and CD player is an institution now! Each horse gets 1 bucket of beer and their favorite titbit which ranges from mints to a Roast Beef sandwich with just a smidgen of Mayo!
It's usually a roaring sucess with laughter and singing well past the midnight hour and on some years taken us into morning stables. Nobody drinks too much as we're all aware of the Horse and alcohol "effect". There's no photocopier to break, but the stables computer usually gets its own bit of tinsel to wear!
Christmas Morning is business as usual.. except all the horses go out on excersise "dressed up" with tinsel and sleighbells. All the riders wear Santa Hats over their skull caps with red and white jackets. it's a fun morning with Christmas lunch thrown in at a local hotel. Some families round the stables make a point to stand in their gardens watch the horses Ride Out on Christmas morning.
Everybody gets the opportunity to spend Christmas with their families as I always ask for volunteers to work christmas and new year, but somehow they all seem to say that it's more fun on the yard dressing the horses up and riding out followed by Christmas lunch paid for by me. They all seem to have their family christmas in the evening except for Silke who has no family and so christmas' with me and the horses. I think my New Year Resolutiuon will be to try to get her out more!
