I THINK I am pretty lucky to spend Christmas here, on Mannin Beach, with my family and friends. I was, after all, bred to be weathering these cold conditions in the wild west, being a Connemara Pony.

Every year, after my foal leaves for pastures new (thank god, she was getting too big and bold!), I move out here to have the craic for the winter months. It is a nice place. We have the option of going for a swim whenever we like, and have lots of acres to roam… yeah it gets pretty wild out here sometimes, but we don’t mind. See this woolly coat, it is super cosy!

There is loads of grass but we are spoiled too because our breeder comes to feed us. Boy do we love seeing the Land Cruiser coming over the hill!

We realise that we live in a super scenic area, but sometimes it gets boring when so many people want to take pictures of us… I mean, could they not visit in the summer when I am in better shape? I don’t blame them though, I would like to go walking here all the time too, if I was a human.

Actually, my own humans actually chose this very beach to get engaged on a few years ago. I wasn’t here to see it though ‘cos it was summer time and normally we are closer to home (in Clifden). Mainly because we might be going to a show at the weekends.

Actually, since I started having babies (I’ve had two now, both fillies, by the same daddy – Dunloughan Troy) my humans don’t really want to bring me to a show. I don’t know why – bigger fool them because, let me tell you, when I was three and four, I went to so many shows and nearly always came home with a red rosette!

Maybe they don’t like my ‘mom bod’ now or something, but I think I am still looking very well. Don’t judge me now in my woollies, but wait ‘til you see me in June! I am back in foal again, hoping I might have a colt this time, something different. I do like the fillies but I’d say colts could be a bit more craic.

Traditions

Anyway, back to Christmas in Connemara. We normally get an extra feed on Christmas day because, well, it’s Christmas! The humans have started a bit of a tradition of going for a walk on the beach on Christmas morning so that is nice, get to see them all, wish them a happy Christmas, thank them for looking after us so well, etc., etc., you know yourself!

They bring their two collie dogs too. They are okay, but I wonder why they always just lie there and stare at us. Sometimes they try to herd us up too which I don’t really like, we are not sheep!

We normally run down to them on the beach at Christmas, let them get a nice video for Instagram. Whenever our breeder puts up videos of us on the beach, it gets so many ‘likes’ and ‘comments’… people can’t believe how lucky we are to live here, but we already know that.

Apart from the feed and a few extra carrots, Christmas Day is just a normal day really, although we do play a few games in the afternoon, just to mark it. Our favourite game to play is ‘tip’… but a few of the girls are getting a bit old and slow now (I won’t name any names!) so sometimes it’s not that much craic playing with them. Urchin is the boss so when she says its bed time, we all listen!

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading about our Connemara Christmas. Season’s Greetings to all the horses and ponies out there and best wishes for a prosperous 2023.

Love,

Castle Pippa x