Top tips for dressing up your horse safely at Christmas

Going for a ride in festive fancy dress can add to the fun and might help some of us to feel like our horses are part of our celebrations. However, it’s essential that our horses stay safe while wearing any Christmas attire.

As anyone who owns or rides horses will know, our horses can be highly sensitive and many of them find anything unexpected quite stressful. The festive season is for all to enjoy, so, it’s crucial to take steps to ensure our horses are always as comfortable as possible. 

Discover our top tips for dressing your horse up safely this Christmas…

Ensure your horse’s costume is safe

First and foremost, it’s vital that the ‘costume’ or accessories you’ve chosen for your horse will be safe, for the benefit of both of you. It’s important to remember, horses cannot say whether they’re happy to wear new items and for most horses, being comfortable means not dressing them in full costume. So, we highly recommend opting for safe accessories, like a festive saddlecloth or exercise sheet you’ve added Christmas images to, instead of fully dressing your horse up. 

Important: Please follow safe handling practices and wear a riding hat when working with your horse, in the saddle and from the ground, no matter your chosen costume and/or accessories.

Before introducing your horse to any Christmas accessories, you’ll need to double-check nothing is damaged and make sure there’s nothing that could easily become tangled.

It’s also essential that the materials included in your horse’s festive accessories are free from harmful chemicals and can allow for quick release in an emergency. 

Additionally, if you opt to use fancy dress paint on your horse, please check it’s animal-safe, non-toxic, hypoallergenic, and washes off easily. You can find out this information by checking product labels, exploring manufacturer websites, and reading reviews. 

Top tip: Avoid items that crinkle, crunch, or flap about as your horse moves, if you want to lessen the chances of spooking your horse and/or those around them. 

Make sure your horse is comfortable

For most horses, colourful, festive accessories aren’t part of their everyday lives, which can make the dressing-up experience unpleasant for those who are nervous or prefer routine. 

Therefore, you should be confident that your horse is happy to wear whatever accessories you’d like to dress them in ahead of the festive season. 

You can help your horse get used to a Christmas accessory by letting them sniff it and rewarding them for any positive reactions with treats and/or praise. If they’re a little unsure of the item initially, move it away from them and try showing the accessory to your horse another time. 

Should your horse seem stressed in any way, please remove the items or accessories and don’t try introducing them again, in case it causes further distress. 

Here are signs your horse is stressed, unhappy, or uncomfortable:

• Spooking or shying away.
• Flared nostrils.
• Snorting.
• Facial tension.
• Pinning their ears back.
• Head shaking.
• Increased heart rate.
• Restless behaviour. 
• Swishing their tail.
• Aggression, e.g. baring teeth or raising a hind leg in a threatening way. 
• Bolting. 
• Pacing.
• Trembling.
• Hiding in the corner of their stable.
• Refusal to accept treats and/or eat hay.

Provided your horse is happy to ‘interact’ with their festive accessories (e.g. sniffing or nudging them), you could trial their reaction to wearing them. 

Steps to take to trial your horse’s reaction to Christmas accessories

Step 1 – Take them into a safe, open space – like an arena – and attach a lunge line instead of a lead rope to their headcollar, to allow them freedom to move away. 

Step 2 – With the lunge line safely held in one hand, use the other to hold your horse’s Christmas accessory or item out to them, so they can inspect it in their own time. 

Don’t forget to praise your horse for calm behaviour throughout this process! 

Step 3 – If your horse shows no signs of stress or concern about the item, gently lift it onto them, e.g. carefully place the decorated exercise sheet over their back. Allow your horse to stand quietly for a little while before expecting them to move. 

Please abandon the attempt to introduce your horse to unfamiliar festive accessories or items if they’re at all distressed at any point. 

Step 4 – As long as your horse has stood calmly in their ‘costume’ for a couple of minutes, you could try encouraging them to take a few steps forward. 

You’ll be able to gauge how happy your horse is with wearing their festive attire at this stage, since if they’re uncomfortable, it’s likely they’ll take flight and react explosively. 

Remember: Every horse is an individual, so their reactions will vary. Please discuss any concerns about your horse’s behaviour or wellbeing with an equine vet. 

Costume ideas for horses and riders

In case you need a little inspiration for dressing your horse up safely this Christmas, here are some ideas:

• Wrap tinsel around your riding hat and/or body protector (making sure the tinsel is secured safely and doesn’t fly about, so it doesn’t startle your horse!).
• Purchase Christmas-themed items your horse is used to wearing, e.g. a festive fly veil or saddle cloth with a Christmassy pattern.
• Plait your horse’s mane and/or tail with red and/or green plaiting bands or ribbons.
• Decorate an old exercise sheet by painting or sewing festive images onto it, e.g. Christmas stockings, snowflakes, and reindeer. 
• Dress up as a Christmas character when going for a ride with your horse, without the worry of dressing them up at all! 

Discover our collection of horse advice guides, about topics like the importance of hi-vis, and our blog, with posts such as our equestrian glossary.