# Cute, preferably easy, 4th of July parade ideas?



## chelz (Apr 20, 2010)

Hi all,
I'm going to be riding in a 4th of July parade with one of my friends. We are trying to come up with some cute 4th of July themed stuff we could do to make our horses stand out in the parade. My horse is a buckskin and hers is a chestnut and white Paint, if that helps you guys think of things that might go well with them. Also, we have to be there are 8 am, so we are leaving at like 7 am, so preferably no ideas that take hours to do! lol Anyone have any ideas? Have you ever ridden in a 4th of July parade before? How did you style your horse for the event?
Thanks!


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

Here's one, this is just tempra paint [egg-based] so it comes off with just a bath or a good currying.











And here's another option:
[the little pom-pom looking things are fake Dollar Tree carnations, wired together and into her mane]














Have fun!!


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## kenda (Oct 10, 2008)

Red, white, and blue polos, different colours on each leg, and the last leg maybe red. Long ribbons in the tail and mane. Body paint, sparkles. We just did our Canada day parade and some of the girls had what looked like miniature tutus in red and white around their horses pasterns. One of the people had a Canadian flag draped like a quarter sheet on the horse's rump. And don't forget to decorate yourself! If you're wearing a cowboy hat, you can stick those little mini flags in the top or tape them to your helmet, paint your face. Wrap red, white and blue duct tape on your reins etc. Lots of possibilities.


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## Falcor74 (May 28, 2013)

I was told that elmer's glitter glue is safe since it is non toxic and washed right off without pulling at the hair. Also, I went and picked up some cheap decorations (such as bows and leis) to attach to his saddle, bridle and breast collar. I also got a cotton starred tablecloth to put over his saddle blankets.


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## chelz (Apr 20, 2010)

These are all really good ideas! Wallaby, thanks for the photos. Is that your horse? She is adorable and I love the idea with her mane!  Kendra and Falcor74, thanks for the ideas. I loaded up on random 4th of July stuff at Walmart yesterday so hopefully I can have him looking pretty patriotic! Now, I just have to hope it doesn't rain! (here in Indiana it has been raining constantly lol) Don't want it to rain on our parade, literally!


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## flytobecat (Mar 28, 2010)

We use vaseline and then sprinkle glitter over it. The glitter sticks to the vaseline. Also, the colored feather hair clips look neat in the mane and tail.
Whatever you use just make sure to wash it off right away when you get home. I've heard Elmers will take hair of if you leave it on too long.


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## LoveDanceRide (Feb 23, 2013)

For your friend with the paint horse, why doesn't she do a whole Pocahontas look, and do tribal markings with paint, braid the main and tail and even weave flowers into the mane and tail. Also your friend can have a whole native costume too, and maybe ride bareback? I think that would be super cool! Have fun!


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## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

chelz said:


> Wallaby, thanks for the photos. Is that your horse? She is adorable and I love the idea with her mane!


No problem! Yep, that's her. Thanks.  I think she liked getting "pretty." :lol:
Have a great 4th!!


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## Falcor74 (May 28, 2013)

Here are some pictures from this mornings parade. Spent about $13 total on decorations. And we brushed the glue off right after and he got a bath when we got home for what wouldn't brush out.


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## chelz (Apr 20, 2010)

Thanks for all the pics everyone. I love seeing all the different ideas! To LoveDanceRide, I wish my friend would have done that. I'll have to talk to her about it for future parades. lol Okay so I figured I would update you all on how it went.  So I didn't realize this but the parade is apparently the largest 4th of July parade in Indiana!! So I was a little overwhelmed by the crowd!! lol I was embarrassed I didn't spend more time decking him out but we had to leave a little after 7 am so I didn't have too much time to really make him look perfect. But anyways I painted stars and red and blue dots on his butt, painted his hooves sparkly red, and wore red white and blue flowers in my cowboy hat lol. But for such a big parade, there were only about 12 horses (and 7 of them were in a group with everyone dressed the same) and I was the ONLY person who had my horse have any kind of 4th of July theme!! I couldn't believe how many comments we got from people in the crowd, "Ooh look at that one with the stars!" "Oh, how cute, she painted her horse.", etc. All the little kids especially seemed to like it and I was a little embarassed with such a big crowd that I hadn't went to more effort lol. It was a super fun parade though! But anyways here are the pics:


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