The Making of a Christmas Card...

So, Brigitte and I got the idea in our heads that we needed to have a Christmas photo-shoot.

This meant, LOTS of decorations...

We were pretty glad that no one was at the barn, since we effectively took over it with our Christmas spirit!

Do you know why no one was at the barn?!

Because it was FRICKEN FREEZING

-32 c...

in-fact, it was so cold that even 5 minutes outside my hands were so cold I couldn't feel them for hours.

But, we forged on!

Jingle was a little unsure about this whole "bareback, outside" idea..

Then, he really wanted to eat the garland around his neck

Thankfully, he sounded pretty cute whilst flinging me around, since he had bells tied onto his braids

... working it out, christmas-style.

If you look close, Jingle is figuring out his camera-perfect "smile"

Cold hands...

Another "smile" shot from my big boy.

Now! We have some Christmas photos that we can send home!

One of my favourites

"Mahm, enough of this Christmas business... what even is Christmas?!"

Trying to get Jingle to be a reindeer... he refused to be rudolph.

My "holy crap it is cold" face

So then we escaped inside, out of the deep-freeze and fooled around some more!

All-in-all our "Christmas Photo Shoot" was pretty darn fun, and afterwards I fooled around inside bareback on my boy, and he was awesome. Gotta love my crazy-eyed paint.

&... finally, some Holiday laughs...

Chaps!

 I don't think my mommy dearest reads this blog, so these next lines should not be seen as me sucking 

up.

I have the best mother....

in the entire world....

ever.

Mama is not a horse person, I think she rode a couple times as a kid/teenager, but nothing more than a trail ride or two. I really want to get my shit together and take her out on a ride in the spring/summer. She thinks a horse named Wizard at our barn is very pretty, and his other name is "Red" (fitting, because my mom is a big 'ol ginger), so I think it'd be super cute to pair those two together. Also, I'd like my mom to officially meet Jingle (she's met him once before briefly), so that she can fully appreciate her grand-horse-baby.

Anyways, I'm rambling about nothing, the point of this blog post is how rad my mom is. I don't think she completely gets the horse thing - but she totally gets clothes. My mom and I share a mutual appreciation for pretty things (read-expensive), and shoes, and apparel in general. So this Christmas she wanted to get me something horse related and of course she gravitated toward the big ticket items. Her first thought was a saddle, but she contacted a family friend who steered her away from the saddle idea (... she was pretty shocked a "cheap" saddle in my books is $900) and steered her towards chaps.

My current chaps are stolen borrowed from a friend, they are a good 4 sizes too big, drag on the ground, and water seeps in through the crotch... but they are damn warm. So, my mom decided to get me chaps... and on Christmas morning I opened up an... email... from a lady who makes CUSTOM chaps.

So I got to design my own!!!

This is why my mom is the best mom.

Here they are, created by Joan Girletz of Girletz Gear Custom Saddlery out of Airdrie Alberta, her husband makes saddles, bridles, etc. and she makes chaps - specializing in some damn beautiful show chaps. Check them out if you are in the area and want to work with some really honest, stand-up kinda people, who make absolutely beautiful products.

I, however, was looking for work chaps, nothing with rhinestones (but there's nothing wrong with some sparkly silver or stainless..)

A friend of mine had shotguns made with full buckle legs, and I liked that idea, but Joan did not. She steered me towards traditional chinks, so happy with that decision.

Here they are...

I really wanted a darker leg with a lighter fringe, I LOVE how they came out.

Here's me standing a little awkwardly in them, haha. They should be a titch higher on my hips.

Saddle leather with yuma berry conchos <3

My initials are lazered into the backs of both hips.

So, mom if you ever read this, you are honestly the best. Thank you for supporting something you don't completely understand and often think I'm crazy for. I love ya.