Best Gift Guide for Horse Owners

Oh, the joys of the holiday season and gift-giving!

At Cayuse Communications, we aim to ease gift-buying challenges by focusing on items of high quality and worthy to your horse work and riding experiences. We focus on what might make your lives with horses better. The horses? Frankly, we think they’ll benefit from more from a happy you, than stuff for them.

Read our op-ed: Horses want fewer gifts, better care.

This year, we’re categorizing our recommendations by price and need. We feature everything from inexpensive stocking stuffers to dream purchases for which you might have to secure a small loan. We have suggestions for travel, education, gear and barn improvements, too.

Stocking Stuffers:

Skidmore’s Leather Cream – treat your boots, saddle, headstall, etc. with Skidmore’s to extend life and keep them looking good. Smells great.

Darn Tough socks – warm, yummy, and guaranteed for life.

Hestra Gloves – work gloves from 80-year old Swedish company (review coming in January). Work gloves here. Play gloves (more expensive) here. 

EcoLips lip balm – so good you could eat it!

Nicker More, Buck Less bumperstickers – FREE when you order A Rider’s Reader.

Under the Tree, under $100:

Knotty Girlz halters and leads – lots of top quality choices from this woman-owned, Washington state company.

Outfitters Supply – this Montana company has great saddle bags of canvas, nylon, and leather varieties. Check out their wide selection of pack gear and beautiful Jeremiah Watt spurs, too.

Kimes Ranch jeans – made in America. Look for discount when/if you sign up for their newsletter. Read review.

Kershaw knives – check out the Leek with half-serrated blade. Still our favorite knife for horse folks. Read review. 

Duckworth tops – this Montana company walks the walk when it comes to Made in America. They go from Sheep to Shelf. We like their Vapor T (review here) and look forward to checking our their Comet Tunnel Hood (review coming in January.

Under the Tree, over $100:

CR Ranchwear shirts – Can a simple, stylish shirt morph you from slob-to-sophisticate? Yes, yes, it can. Read Maddy’s review here. Read Amy’s review here.

Custom Leggings from Fringe Western Wear and Leatherwork – Kathleen Gerwatoski has been crafting perfect leggings (armitas, chicks, chaps) for years from her ranch in Canada. (Review of chocolate brown, shotgun armitas with Jeremiah Watt buckle and conchos coming in January)

Outerwear for cool, not cold weather:

We love the Patagonia WorkWear Barn Coat, made with hemp (reviewed here) and Tin Shed Jacket (review coming in January) and the Bivy jacket with recycled down (reviewed here).

Outerwear for colder climes:

Check out the LL Bean Baxter State Parka (review coming in January)

Olathe Boots – made in Texas, these boots look great and wear great. Read review here.

Not Under the Tree, well-worth the price tag:

Western Sky Saddlery has renowned customer service and an impressive selection of saddles, most with Wade trees. Check them out here.

Gifts of Knowledge and Exploration:

A Rider’s Reader: Exploring Horse Sense, Science & Sentiment. By Maddy Butcher

Order here and get a free bumper sticker.

Evidence-Based Horsemanship. By Dr. Steve Peters and Martin Black. Order here.

Check out the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, an annual mind-expanding event with so much to offer. Concerts, poetry recitations, workshops, museum and trade events, and lots more for a week in Elko, Nevada.

Mark your calendars! The next Best Horse Practices Summit is October 7-9 in Durango. We will look forward to seeing you there! (Details coming in early 2018).

Read our op-ed: Horses want fewer gifts, better care.