There’s no argument that time spent at the barn and in the saddle is hands-down the best time, but a very close second would be getting together with your pony pals for a sleepover. Sleepovers with your barn mates are a way to connect with your friends who share your favorite interests and provide a whole night of fun. These tips include some great ways to guarantee that even though you may not be sleeping in the hayloft, you and your friends will feel like you never had to leave the stables at all with a horse-themed sleepover.
1. Get Crafty
There are many fun ways to tie in your love of horses to some great horse-themed sleepover crafts. Look through some past issues of Young Rider for some great for horse treat recipes you can make right in your kitchen. Mixing up apples, oats, and molasses means that your horses are guaranteed a special treat when everyone arrives back to the barn in the morning.
Other fun craft ideas could be making up your own horse show bows with colorful ribbon or decorating horse shoes to make picture frames. With your parents’ permission, you can head online for endless informative “how-to” crafting videos!
2. Screen Time
After making a mess in the kitchen with your crafts, it’s always fun to settle in with some perfect pony TV. You and your pals could rent a classic, like National Velvet, a movie about a young girl who is training a very spirited horse for a big steeplechase race. Or you could stick with DreamWorks’ Spirit Riding Free series on Netflix, a TV show about three close-knit barn mates who get themselves involved in some pretty wild adventures.
No matter what you choose, some pony TV is sure to be a crowd-pleaser, and helps relax everyone just enough to get a little sleep.
3. Be Inclusive
While you obviously have your core group of barn friends that you can spend all hours of the day and night chatting with, make sure you stop to include some other horse-crazy kids from the barn.
Reach out to that shy new boarder who just came to the stables a couple weeks ago, and see if she would like to join in on the night of pony-themed fun. Chances are she does but might be too nervous to ask for an invite. A horse-themed sleepover is the perfect way to build a friendship, and anyone who is a friend to horses and ponies can usually be counted on as a good friend to have!
This article about KEYPRHASE HERE appeared in the November 2021 Mini Digital issue of Young Rider magazine. Click here to subscribe!
