When I was growing up, I knew girls who were into horses. They literally had stables full of different breeds, but in the form of toy representations. Still, they knew what type each horse was and could tell you all kinds of interesting facts about the different breeds.
I was reminded of this because the other day I was in Target looking for a birthday gift to send to my friend’s daughter. When we all lived in Jacksonville, I was around Brenda’s oldest daughter all the time. We moved when her youngest was just shy of two, so I haven’t spent much time around her. Consequently I don’t really know what she’s into.
But I wanted to send her something for her birthday, so I asked Brenda for suggestions. She said Noelle was pretty keen on Puppy in My Pocket stuff or anything My Little Pony.
So there I was standing in front of an immense selection of horse and puppy toys. I was like, “Okay, I don’t even see the Puppy in My Pocket stuff, but I see My Littlest Pet Shop something or others. But that’s not what she said Noe likes. And she mentioned something about Noe has bigger-sized My Little Ponies, but which ones? I don’t want to get her something she already has.”
That’s when I spotted these Pony in My Pocket charm jewelry things. One was a bracelet and the other a necklace.
“Hmmm…these have possibilities,” I thought as I took the bracelet one off the hook to get a closer look.
When I turned the box over to see the back, I noticed there was a listing of a dozen (maybe more) pocket-sized ponies to collect. I don’t remember if they all had names (as in a “character” names like the bigger size Ponies have), but all represented a horse breed.
I don’t remember them all, but I remember two: an Andalusian (because I think it was one of the horses in the bracelet box I was holding) and a Lipizzaner Stallion (which I remember learning about in Mary Stewart’s Airs Above the Ground).
“That’s pretty cool,” I thought, deciding that’s what I’d get Noelle. “Kids can learn about horse breeds while playing with their Pony in My Pockets.”
But as I’m writing this, I realize it’s not just a little girl turning five who will learn more about horse breeds. Shopping for her gift taught this big girl a thing or two also.
Like I never knew there were so many different types of horses. That’s something worthy of further exploration for use in the Pets Blog. (Which is about par for the course where Brenda’s concerned. She has a knack for sparking writing ideas without even meaning to.)
Courtney Mroch writes about animals great and small in Pets and the harmony and strife that encompasses married life in Marriage. For a full listing of her articles click here.
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Photo credit: Sue R B, photographer. 
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