As an interior designer and avid equestrian, I thought it would be fun to take a few simple tack items (items from the lists below), the ones that that all of us have too many of (come on….you know you do!) and come up with creative solutions to incorporate them into your Holiday Décor.

The “I have way too many of these” List:
Stirrup Leathers
Braided Reins
Stirrup Irons
Bits
Horse Ornaments
Tray

The From Your Kitchen List:
Apple
Cranberries
Candles
Glass vases

The From the Yard (If not yours…somebody else’s) List:   
Cedar & Fir Boughs
Pine Cones

Let’s start with an easy addition from the items listed above:

Take one of the many braided reins that you lost the mate to and wrap it ar ound a red pillow. How easy is that for a touch of flare & elegance!

***Simple Alert***

These make a great hostess gift!

Core the center of a large red apple wide enough to hold a tapered candle. Poke cedar bough stems into the apple. The stems will stay fresh and green for weeks from the juice of the apple. The addition of Holly berries and little swigs of ribbon will create a cheerful and fragrant addition to any table or mantle.

  

Stirrup Leather Decorative Door Hanger (I only found one of this pair so I didn’t feel bad about cutting it down) Adding a pretty bow with a cedar bough and your favorite ornament is a welcome addition to your home or barn door.

      

 

Centerpiece # 1: Fill 3 clear glass vases ½ full of water and add cranberries. Lay a garland down the center of the table and arrange the vases in 1/3’s. We arranged the bits on the garland and twisted an old rein through the center of the piece. The addition of a pretty plaid ribbon around the 2 vases on each end with some with berries & branches in the center vase adds some color. We also interspersed some little red votive candles.

 
 





   

Centerpiece #2: Cover a Box with pretty wrapping paper and then put a Stirrup Iron at each end of the box top. Lay 2 small Christmas Balls in each one of the irons. Surround the box with garland, stagger some candles on the box, twist a braided rein throughout and top it off with a Horse Ornament of your choice.

     
  

Tray Centerpiece: We used one of my favorite old trays for this centerpiece but any tray would do. Take a Stemmed clear Vase and fill with ornaments. Then turn the vase upside down and place in the center of the tray. Now use the base of the upside down vase as a candle holder. Surround the tray with Garland and add some white lights under garland with some pine cones. Place a bit in the center and you are done!

 

























Mary Cox is an equestrian interior designer who has accumulated a ridiculous amount of tack. She welcomes your ideas and creative solutions for using all that tack. Contact her via her website Horse of a Different Color at www.equestrian-interiors.com (where you can also view videos of these projects, and more). Mary’s blog at www.blog/equestrian-interiors.com features fun ideas and resources on equestrian home décor.