Small gift for child leaser of my horse--update see post 31

[jen-s]

My horse is currently leased out to a local trainer as a lesson horse. One of the lesson kiddos is half-leasing him and has fallen in love. Unfortunately, her parents can’t afford to buy a horse for her and Gus is for sale. When the girl asked if she could buy him from me (for peanuts), it broke my heart to have to let her down gently. Unfortunately, I’ve had 5 surgeries over the last 18 months for a broken arm. I need whatever he’ll bring to help pay off my outstanding bills.

I was the horse-obsessed lesson kid and I remember how much it hurt every time I fell in love with one and then they were sold or moved away. I’d like to do some sort of small token for her as a thank you for the love she’s lavished on my boy (he does tricks now!), but money is tight.

I can’t afford, nor does he have enough tail, to send off for 2 bracelets. I was thinking about a professional photo from their horse show this weekend. I also thought about a padded leather bracelet with a “Gus” nameplate.

Any other ideas? She’s ~12 and showing w/t/c and crossrails and likely won’t ever get to the big stuff.

Thanks y’all!

[Pussy_Cat]

I would do the professional photo from the show and put it in a nice frame. It will be a nice memento of her start no matter where her horsey journey takes her.

[To_the_MAX]

I also vote for the photo, in a nice frame!

[spacytracy]

Origami owl necklaces?
How much hair do you have? You can always do a little keychain, or something in resin. Or a nice thin bracelet. I might be able to help!

[Indy]

A nice photo in a frame, maybe with his name on the frame, would be a really nice gift I think. Something she can always have to remember him by.

[mcm7780]

I vote for a picture and frame (engraved would be awesome!). How about adding a hand written thank you note to thank her for all the love and attention she gave him?

[HunterRider84]

I think a picture would be nice. I’ve done a bracelet for a student of mine who loved a pony I had for sale.

[Rel6]

I vote for the bracelet - I remember being that age and thinking that getting one would be too much like trying to say the horse was mine. Coming from the horse’s owner, I think it would mean a lot.

[alto]

If she has family/friends with cameras, she may already have a ton of photos, I’d do the bracelet & at some point, let her have Gus all to herself for a week.

Depends on the kid of course, but mine isn’t crazy for photos, you could also do a locket (bracelet or pendant) with a token from Gus (eg the sort of knots that are done for horsehair earings or zipper pulls)

[RW06]

A shadowbox incorporating some of the above (photo, lock of hair, note, small “Gus” nameplate" would be lovely as well, and probably no too difficult to DIY.

[Soaponarope]

I think most kids really like the leather nameplate bracelets. It would be special coming from you.

[RiderInTheRain]

You are so kind to think of a small gift for your horse’s leaser. At her age, I would have appreciated the bracelet the most, but if you can swing two items, perhaps a small, but nicely framed photo would be something that she would look fondly on in later years. Several of my most prized horse related gifts are photos of me riding lease/borrowed/naughty pony I catch rode type horses and while those gifts were very much appreciated at the time, they have only grown in value to me with time.

Please also take the time to write her a nice note stating how much you have appreciated the love and attention she has lavished on your horse. As a horse crazy, but horse-less kid, those notes always meant more to me than any type of gift especially when they came from an owner or trainer that I looked up to.

[Donkerbruin]

I love the nameplate bracelets. I still have one that my mom gave me for my heart pony “Small Talk” and I still wear it sometimes!

I gave them as gifts to two different adults last Christmas and they love them. Plus, they’re super cheap. I got mine off of eBay (still personalized) for $12.00 a piece.

Oh, just thought of something…you gave me a personalized Pablo ornament a couple years ago. That would be a good one.

You’re such a good gift giver that I am sure anythings she gets will be spectacular.

[lockedoutalter]

[QUOTE=carroal;7240851]
I think most kids really like the leather nameplate bracelets. It would be special coming from you.[/QUOTE]

I got these for a few kids last year and they live in them. Even the kids that hate jewelry love their bracelets and wear them religiously.

[GaMare]

I’d do the bracelet & an inexpensive Christmas tree ornament that includes a photo of Gus. You could probably DIY that with a little picture frame from the dollar store. One for now & one for revisiting memories in the future.

I agree with the note too. You might mention how her love & attention helped him to shine and find the amazing home that he is going to. I rode sale horses throughout high school and the idea that my love & hard work helped them to find the best possible home was a big comfort when the special ones left.

[2horseygirls]

I have to agree with a really nice photo - maybe just a 4-5" braid of his hair that could be attached to a wider wood frame at the bottom, with a nameplate at the top?

My DD and I “adopted” an older, retired horse that was boarded at our barn whose owner never came out (mailed board check): groomed, bought him a new halter at Christmas (his was held together with duct tape), DD felt very proud when she ponied him off another BTDT gelding, etc. OldGuy lovedlovedloved the attention.

Owner happened to show up for the first time in over 10 years, was MAD that the disintegrating halter had been replaced, and gave the horse to friends.

I felt horrible that we had cost BM a loooooongtime boarder (she always has a waiting list so while it was unfortunate to lose a longtime boarder, there was no corresponding financial hardship), but I will say that the few photos we have of him are treasured, and in frames with the rest of the horses we have loved, even though they are not the best/have dust floaties. We wonder all the time about him.

[Highflyer]

Maybe save her a horse shoe the next time he gets new shoes? That would be an nice memento that wouldn’t cost money or tail hair. You can glue/ nail them on to a piece of wood to make an easy plaque-- or I just have a row of them on the trim across the top of my bedroom door.

[Deedot]

I like the bracelet and the horseshoe ideas a lot. I had both of those things from my first leased horse and adored them as a kid.

I don’t know if this is doable, but perhaps you could work something out on the quiet with the trainer. Perhaps the kid could have a special week over the holiday break where he’s 100% hers. You could get the parents in on it too, to make sure they’re up for her being at the barn that much. When I was leasing as a kid, the horse I was in love with was being sold. Before he left, the owner let me have a week of quality time with him to build some memories and say our goodbyes. It was so special and I pretty much lived at the barn (more than I already was, that is).

[sarcam02]

When we bought our pony a few years ago the owners gave my daughter an embroidered baby pad from Beval that said “kid name & pony name” (fill in the blank) and we absolutely loved it! It was well used and well cared for. She loved it so much that she has since made a pillow out of it. We recently sold that pony and have ordered the same custom baby pad to send to the new little girl.

[2horseygirls]

[QUOTE=sarcam02;7241677]
When we bought our pony a few years ago the owners gave my daughter an embroidered baby pad from Beval that said “kid name & pony name” (fill in the blank) and we absolutely loved it! It was well used and well cared for. She loved it so much that she has since made a pillow out of it. We recently sold that pony and have ordered the same baby pad to send to the new little girl.[/QUOTE]

What a great idea!