Christmas present for horse daft boy

[lilbitneurotic]

My DN is 7 and loves horses, his friends have 2 and he's desperate for his own but that's unlikely to happen for a good few years.

He has just about everything except the horse! Grooming kit, joules clothing, jodhpurs, hat, crop and lesson vouchers but I was looking to try to get him something a bit different for his Christmas, some books or a game with an equine theme but anything I've seen in that vein is definitely geared towards girls.

I know this was probably the wrong place to post but just looking for some fresh ideas?

Where does he normally ride? Do they do a own a pony week- could you buy him one of those?

There are some pony books with boys as heros - but you'll have to buy secondhand. Suggest look at www.janebadgerbooks.co.uk, email her for suggestions as her knowledge of pony books is second to none!

Personally I'd suggest The First Rosette by Christine Pullein-Thompson has 'David' as the hero - in the same boat as your son, wants to ride but has no pony. This is the first book of a trilogy, the next 2 are The Second Mount, then Three to Ride.

Another suggestion he may like: my daughter has a collection of Britains model farm including lots and lots of horses, and a horsebox trailer and Landrover.

www.theponygang.co.uk and www.pottyponiesboardgame.co.uk are some new games that may be fun (don't know them personally) . An old game , again you'd have to get second hand I think is Derby Days - throw the dice and jump the jumps, or (we have this one) The New Forest Pony Chase Game - collect up new forest ponies, get them back to your corral avoiding hazards in the forest. All these are non-pink gender neutral.

painting by numbers not too girly a picture if he likes art.
board game and another board game!
blimey I didn't know there were so many board games .

There are lots of gifts on this site but you are right, most of it is girly stuff.

sponsor a pony through redwings or somewhere

It must be difficult buying horsey presents for dss

How about these Thrills and Spills DVD or War Horse One (maybe latter for older child)?

Pony-opoly no idea what it is like though!

Quite a few serious models on this site but again mainly geared to girls

Have you thought of some sort of toy horse vehicle - Playmobil do a good horse transport van with contents - or something similar?

here or ... more grown-up this sort of thing with fodder mixer (scroll down) Loads of similar choices on this excellent site

Good luck!

www.juliphorses.com/

My children used to love playing with Julip ponies - they are pricey but really good for imaginative games.

www.juliphorses.com/

whoops forgot to convert the link

There is a DVD out called 'Saturday Stables'. It is filmed in 'documentary style' and follows two children who spend a day at some stables. Would definitely help your boy imagine being able to spend a whole day with ponies! It is not sentimental or too girly but quite charming.

Oh now you've mentioned dvds I've remembered barnaby and mac. Bet he'd like those!

My dd loves her Playmobile Riding Stables, which she has put with her Playmobile Farm to make a large yard. She had another stable for her birthday.... www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003Y3XG2E?tag=toyfar-21&camp=2902&creative=19466&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B003Y3XG2E&adid=0T6ENCTECJZ0ZHDAYRC2&&ref-refURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.toyfarmers.co.uk%2Fequestrian%2Fstables%2FKids-Globe-Wooden-Horse-Stable-with-Storage-Room.html which is a bit more boyish.

Schliech also have a good one and of course a selection of ponies.

DD spends hours playing with them, she has an outdoor school set up, uses coloured pencils as poles and does lessons.

There is also a PC CD Rom game 'Riding Star', which is brilliant - I love playing it!!!! You have a horse and care for it, enter competitions, school etc. The graphics are good. There is also an element of skill about it too.

Just found this site, this is the stable that dd has just had, now I have found loads of other bits I can get for Christmas!!!
www.brushwoodtoys.co.uk/whatsnew.asp