How can you prevent a holiday shopping disaster? Shop at Big Horse Feed and Mercantile in Temecula for a great selection of gifts, feed, tack, apparel, horse equipment and more, and take advantage of “Ladies Night”! For one night only, from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4, ladies can come, shop early, enjoy food and refreshments — all while you receiving 20 percent off on your Christmas shopping. Plus, sign up for the Big Horse Gift Registry and receive 15 percent off your purchase (limitations apply) on items listed on your gift registry or the registry of your loved ones and friends. Avoid a “gift-giving tragedy — be a hero and shop Big Horse… they’ll even gift wrap it for you! For more information, see the Big Horse ad on page 31, or call (951) 676-2544.

Artful Riding by Celie Weston wants to make sure you know about a great opportunity approaching: an upcoming clinic featuring international trainer Manuel Trigo. Is your horse heavy? Lazy? Not responding to your legs or seat? The two-day clinic, “Lightness, Proof of Balance III” will be held Dec. 13-14 in Shadow Hills, and Celie says it can help you to improve your horse’s show results and obtain better self carriage and collection by learning the classical method of lightness. Manuel presents tools and exercises to enable you to train your horse — and yourself — regardless of your discipline. Space is limited, so call Celie at (818) 445-6265 to reserve your spot now! See the ad on page 80.

Join auctioneer Spencer Rogers and Nationwide Auction and Sales Management Company, for their 19th Annual New Year’s Day Auction. The one-day event, scheduled Thursday, Jan. 1, at the Elks Lodge in Riverside, will be a diverse auction with something for everyone, including both new and used tack and saddles, saddle pads, bridles, bits, spurs, and more. There will be Western and ranch collectables, a C.M. Russell stagecoach bronze, a 4-wheel roadster, even a life-size wooden Indian, and well as signed and numbered art, movie pictures – and much more. Doors will open at 11 a.m., with the auction starting at noon. For more information, call (951) 681-3990 and visit www.BigDealAuction.com for pictures of sale items. See the ad on page 29.

Looking for a top notch gelding? A well-broke trail or reining horse? The Twombly Performance Horse Sale will be held Dec. 12-13, during the 2014 National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. This is one of the best broke-gelding sales in the nation, specializing in reining, ranch broke and trail riding geldings, featuring lots of duns and buckskins. Horses are guaranteed! You can check out early consignments, plus watch videos online at www.twomblyarena.com. For directions and more information about the sale, see ad on page 85 or call (308) 783-1866.

You don’t want to miss out on Broken Horn’s Black Friday Sale! Held one day only, on Friday Nov. 28, the Superstore will have great discounts and deals on all apparel, jewelry, boots, all tack, rodeo equipment, horse blankets, supplements, fly sprays, stable supplies, saddle racks, and so much more! Give Broken Horn a call at (626) 337-4266 for further details, and make your plans now to attend! See the ad on page 11.

The Anaheim Hills Saddle Club will be holding a Ranch Sorting Jackpot on Saturday, Dec. 6. Multiple divisions will be offered, and all sorting divisions are 50 percent payback. Check-in will be at 7:30 a.m., with sorting starting at 9 a.m. Plus, ranch sorting and horsemanship clinician Jason Ray will have a half-day clinic, ($135 per rider; $20 audit fee) on Friday, Dec. 5, in the covered arena, followed by a potluck and a question-and-answer session. Space is limited for the clinic, so sign up soon! And call (714) 397-2830 for more Ranch Sorting Jackpot details, or see the ad on page 87.

Like great deals? Hawthorne Country Store is having a Black Friday & Small Business Saturday Sale, on Nov. 28th and Nov. 29th. Take 20 percent off all clothing, and 40 percent off Christmas ornaments (check out all 6 fully decorated trees in store!). If you’re in the market for a saddle, you need to come in – Hawthorne’s is offering 50 percent off saddles! Call (760) 746-7816 for details and see their ad on page 45!