Over 40 people identifying themselves as the “Horseback Carolers” paraded through the streets of Dayton Sunday afternoon, stopping at an assisted living home, and other houses along the route serenading the community residents with holiday tunes.
They came by horseback, wagons, and even brought Santa on the back of a pickup truck to bring some Christmas cheer to the people of Dayton.
It was a group of Facebook friends that decided to do something different for the holiday season. Laurie Toy said it began as an idea that caught on quickly.
“Other cities do it, and they are so far away, and they do it on Saturdays. I can’t take Saturdays off, so I posted on Facebook,” Toy said. “I asked who would be interested in Christmas caroling by horseback. A lot of them were interested.”
They quickly printed red hoodies for riders with the words “Horseback Caroling” on the back it them.
Trucks pulling horse trailers arrived at the Dayton Fairgrounds on Sunday afternoon. A total of 23 horses and more than 40 people decided to ride into downtown Dayton singing Christmas carols.
Sheron Wyszynski said there wasn’t a lot of advanced planning, but the interest in the event happened spontaneously over several days.
“I am Facebook friends with Lori. I was following it on Facebook and made the comment that it sounded great. Then all of a sudden it totally blew up my Facebook (with people responding) and here we are today,” Wyszynski said.
Carolers on horseback stopped at the Autumn Oak Senior Home on East Main Street in Dayton to perform for residents and families gathered for an open house.
As the carolers rode into town, the first stop was the Autumn Oak personal care home. It just happened that the home was having their annual open house Christmas party. The Horseback Carolers sang several songs for the residents and more than 60 visitors attending the open house.
“This is very well attended every year,” said Autumn Oak proprietor Raynette Fiscus-Boyer about their open house. However, with the Horseback Carolers coming by, she said it made the event “excellent. It was great.”
The Horseback Carolers continued down East Main Street, turning left on North Milton Street, then turning onto Church Street to East Church Avenue. They stopped periodically wherever a crowd would form to listen to the music.
Santa Claus chose to ride in the back of a pickup truck instead of a horse in Sunday’s horseback caroling event in Dayton.
“We would like to get back to the non-commercial side of Christmas, and Christmas caroling is that. So we decided to do it on horseback,” Toy said.
Several trucks covered the front and rear of the parade of riders to maintain safety from general traffic.
Santa Claus rode the back of a pickup truck at the rear of the formation waving at those who came out of their homes to see him.
Toy said she is hoping this will be an annual event.
Two horses get a little snuggle time while their riders were busy singing at one stop along the way.