Five Great Equestrian Gifts For Horse Lovers

What's the perfect gift for a horse lover? That would have to be a horse. But if you do not have the finances, or if they already have one, then you will have to buy some other gift.

Thankfully there are many options available, but buying gifts for horse lovers is not as easy as it seems. There are so many items to choose from, and the equestrian industry is so diverse that getting a perfect present can be a struggle. Most horse-lovers will be happy with any kind of equestrian gift - they'll add it to their big collection.

But with a little research about your friend, relative, colleague, spouse or partner, it's possible to get the ideal horsey gift that will leave them so excited they'll remember it for the rest of their lives - and be telling everyone at the local stables about your present for months to come.

So to help everyone out, I've put together this guide packed full of suggestions and ideas that will help narrow down that search. Whether it's a shiny piece of equestrian jewellery for a teenager or a year's subscription to an equine magazine for an adult horserider, there are plenty of places online and in High Street shops to get them the perfect present.

If you want to make a personal handmade gift, that won't cost much money, also check out my hub on making painted horseshoes.

The most obvious gift for a child who loves horses is to get them a toy. A small pink pony is ideal for young girls. They can practice their grooming with the toy and even use a horse doll to mimic the real life gaits of a horse. This will keep them occupied, happy, and also help their horse riding skills.

Similar toys exist for boys. They could get a model racehorse, or a farm set with horses. Either child, whether boy or girl, would love a rocking horse.

There are also loads of small equestrian toys available for children, such as bags, purses, pencil cases, colouring books, jewelry boxes, books and films about horses on DVD. Any book shop will sell these, or the local toy superstore will have plenty in. Most specialist equestrian shops will also have gifts for children.

A horse toy gift for an adult is also pretty cool. It can be given as a kind of joke! They'll love the humour and always see the funny side. For example, a rugby player I know took up riding, and somebody brought him a little pink pony. It was funny and he really liked the joke.

Equestrian jewellery is a really classy gift for teenage girls, women and even men. There are plenty of necklaces, earrings, rings, bracelets and cufflinks for men available.

Many are horse-shaped, horseshoe shaped, or modelled on some other aspect of the equestrian world. For example, some bracelets are shaped like a horse bit, while men's cufflinks are mini horse shoes.

Equestrian jewellery ranges in quality from basic silver-plated pieces to more expensive 9ct gold items- and even more expensive platinum.

A solid gold piece is likely to be something the person could keep for their whole lives, will go up in value with the price of gold, and they could even pass on to their children. Some department stores stock equestrian jewellery, but on of the best places to look is eBay.

There's almost no horse-lover who doesn't adore reading about their favourite animals. That's why a magazine subscription is an ideal gift that's not too expensive.

Equestrian magazines also cater for all ages, from pre-teens to adults. They also fall into different categories, such as those that have their own horse as a hobby, and those who are professionals within the industry. And there are different magazines for different types of riding. In the UK, Horse and Hound looks more at the professional side of the industry, while Your Horse is focused more on hobby riders.

While this might seem like more cerebral and boring gift, it's not. Kids love reading horse magazines, too. And it's a great gift because they keep coming all year round - it's like having a birthday every month! Magazine subscriptions also tend to be pretty cheap, and come at a discount to the monthly cover price. They make the perfect horsey gift.

A horse treat hamper is a bit of a specialist gift for people who have their own animals. Those that do are always just as thrilled getting gifts for their horse, as they are for themselves. That's because it gives them pleasure to give their horse treats, and it saves them time and money buying the items themselves!

Make a hamper of horse treats by filling a small box of basket with things like horse cakes, oats, food supplements, health sprays, horse toothpaste (yes it exists) grooming equipment, ribbons, chewing balls, like shampoo, hoof pick, body brush, saddle soap and others.

All of these are available at your local horse store. Just explain to the assistant what you are planning to do, and if they don't have a horsey selection box already made up, they will help you to pick one. You can, of course, buy all of the items online individually, but this will be more time-consuming - especially if you don't know what to buy - and potentially more expensive if you have to pay for postage from different outlets.

Ok, so if all else has failed you can always order a gift voucher from an equestrian superstore. These are usually available online and also in store. They're useful because the recipient can buy whatever it is they need - and believe me, horse enthusiasts always have something on their 'wish list' of what they want to buy next.

It's also easy to give a voucher, and avoids the pitfalls of the person not liking their present. What is there not to like about money to spend on their favourite pursuit? Exactly!

If all of those ideas weren't quite enough, here are some other suggestions for horsey gifts that are sure to please.

• A horse riding holiday
• Horseriding apparel such as whips, boots, hats, riding jackets, t-shirts and jodphurs.
• Horsey media including books, films, DVDs and music.
• Horse riding lessons pre-booked at the local shool.
• Horse art, paintings and photographs. Why not push the boat out and get a painting done of their horse?
• Horse stationary such as notebooks, journals, address books, book ends, pens... the list could go on!.
• Tickets to a horse show, rodeo, racing event or horse fair.