Horseback carolers bring holiday cheer to Penngrove neighbors

As Caroline Pope woke up from her nap on late Saturday afternoon, she heard the sounds of Christmas carolers outside her Penngrove home.

They wore Santa hats and stuck to originals like 'Frosty the Snowman' and 'Jingle Bells' — even if a few of them were a little off-key. But she noticed there was one thing different about this group. Many of them were on horseback.

'I was having a rest, but it was definitely worth it to wake up for this,' Pope said. 'It's absolutely thrilling. That's super-duper holiday spirit. That's over the top.'

A group of about 20 riders, along with family members and friends who strolled, trotted on the west side of Penngrove serenading their neighbors with holiday classics.

Anakela Carmassi led the effort. Carmassi moved into the Circle ZN Ranch about a 1½ years ago and thought that horseback caroling would bring her neighbors together and help spread some much-needed Christmas cheer in an era where there appears to be so much divisiveness in the world.

'It's the cheer with the horses and I'm just trying to spread it down the street,' Carmassi said. 'I don't know what the response will be because we didn't send out flyers or anything.'

Neighbors like Pope who were home when the carolers rode by appreciated the uplifting effort. Those who participated also were in festive mood. They did a slow trot in this rural community at the foot of Sonoma Mountain between Cotati and Petaluma — one with a rich history in agriculture, particularly chickens and eggs.

This is a part of Sonoma County where drivers are well aware they have to share the road with horses and keep their eyes out for deer and wild turkeys that may dash across the roadway. Therefore, a group of Christmas carolers on horseback didn't appear that out of the ordinary.

Neighbor Howard Hoeflein rode his quarter horse Boone and confessed that it was his first time caroling.

'This is breaking new ground,' Hoeflein said. 'I will probably scare Boone with my caroling. I don't sing very well, but I will give it a shot.'

Rosie Fairbanks, a friend of Carmassi's, managed to tie a bow around a pony named Timmy, who was more interested in licking her face and biting at her coat than being decked out in a holiday costume.

'It was a little hard. He wanted to bite and kiss,' said Fairbanks of San Rafael. 'With what's going on in the world today, you need to laugh a little bit and have some fun ... and practice your bow making.'

A refreshed Pope said she was especially pleased the horse-caroling caravan also had a man trailing with a shovel and a wheelbarrow to scoop up manure the horses left behind. Good scoopers, apparently, make good neighbors.

'I have never seen this before. I hope you guys do this every year,' she told the carolers.

You can reach Staff Writer Bill Swindell at 707-521-5223 or bill.swindell@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @BillSwindell.