Birthday presents for pony loving dd

[BeansFee]

DD has been riding for a 6 months and is hugely into it. She is turning 11 in December. What useful pony things might make a good present? Can anyone suggest a good riding journal? Is a grooming bag or box useful? Any non fiction books?

I’m old school but you cannot beat the pony club manual (I think the 14th edition is the latest one)
Does she so much stable management, if not a grooming kit is a bit redundant.
The le meuix matching base layers and hat silks seem all the rage with young riders.
Whereabouts in the country are you? Depending on location would tickets for a show be of interest

I don't know anything at all about shows, we are south of in in Cambridgeshire but willing to travel, what are the good shows to go to for a 11 year old who doesn't have her own pony?

She does stable management.

Yes - literally anything LeMieux branded is probably a good shout, kids are wild for that stuff. Or if she's a fan of pony social media stars, ThisEsme or Harlow or similar they have their own branded ranges of stuff which is probably a total rip-off but designed to please the young! Grooming kit not strictly necessary as her school/riding club doubtless has brushes she can use but the kids on my yard do seem to like to have their own sparkly/pink/fancy sets in a neat matching bag or box so could be a nice present (although bit of a faff shlapping it too/from the yard with all her other stuff and she'll probably lose half of it straight away!). Other little things you could get her - gloves, a crop/short whip, new hat silk, warm hat or headband and thermal socks to wear on the yard in winter? Healthy treats for the ponies if she's allowed to give them?

Books wise, the Pony Club Manual of Horsemanship is a timeless classic and good guidance but not super-fun as a gift, how about a subscription to Pony magazine? Never heard of a riding journal, do you mean like a notebook to write about ponies in? Could you not just get a notebook with horses on the cover or similar or were you thinking of something more structured?

Shows, by far the best one to take kids to at this time of year IMO is the London International, now at the Excel centre in London. A lot of the other major shows (horse of the year show, the Hickstead derby meeting, badminton horse trials) are in the spring/summer but the international is very christmassy and fun so a great outing for kids - and you can buy all her other presents in the shopping zone!

Tickets for Royal London - she will love the Shetland pony racing and the household cavalry is always brilliant to watch!!

If you’re in Cambridgeshire the Newmarket open days (whenever they are) could be really fun. I think they are free?
There’s also some museums etc there, and youll often just see twenty horses trotting down the high street…

what about a hoodie with a horse & her name printed on? good for rolling about down at the stable in.

anything LeMieux - base layers, fleece, riding silk

I presume she already has her own hat/boots/jodhpurs/back protector?

Kit bag to keep all the stuff in.

An Equidry coat (my DD getting for her birthday).

Have a look at Emily Cole She does cute, funny equestrian artwork. My dd has a ‘Cow pony’ mug. I’ve noticed that she’s created a lovely activity book and she’s bringing out a drawing book. This Esme has some nice books, at least ‘Mickey blue eyes’ was. Hat bag is quite nice to have when visiting the stables.

Horseshoe key chain for her bag.

I'd recommend the Galway Connemara book (a modern day Black Beauty, but set in Ireland) or the Forgotten Horse.

I've read the Forgotten horse with my daughter! And she also has Listenology for Kids, which I highly recommend for pony loving kiddies of this sort of age. I think the listenology book is more modern in the thinking than the pony club manual and reflects some lovely atitudes to horses. Both on Amazon.

There are so many pony/horse series of books available, you can go wild on Amazon.

One of my DC has had a subscription to Pony Mag for the last couple of years and absolutely loves it, they are still at the age where getting something through the post each month is exciting.

Another shout for Le Mieux, pricey but they love it and DC’s items are washing and wearing really well.

We have purchased all manner of horsey related items for birthdays and Xmas

Le Mieux matchey sets
Grooming kits
A million items with photos of DD and horse - pillows, canvas, coasters, key rings
Claire Balding books when younger
London Horse show tickets (we still call it Olympia but now at Excel)
Burleigh tickets
A billion riding tights
Gloves
Hat silks
Equidry coat (short one great for kids)
Aubrion coat (x2 as horse ate zip on one)
Whips (excellent annual present as DD lost them so much until recently)
Extra lessons/hacking sessions/gymkhana party
Loaning a pony, owning a pony, owning a bloody horse as outgrew the feral pony

I am torn between telling you that you are at the start of an amazing journey and have lots of fun ... and telling you to run now ....😂

Another for pony club manual/ a selection of pony magazines/ a pony baseball cap/riding gloves or tee shirt/ fleece. If she hasn’t got a pony maybe don’t get her grooming stuff as she mightn’t get enough chances to use it!

A Horse Called September
Book by Anne Digby

I LOVED this book as a child, remember reading it under the covers way past bedtime

It makes me feel sad to see whips on a list of presents. I've taught from toddlers to teens with never a whip in their hands. It's just such a shame that a whip is still seen as an essential piece of riding equipment. One thing I dislike about what is taught at pony club.