POST FALLS - Post Falls High School construction students are giving the gift of giddyup this Christmas.

Their handiwork in building wooden rocking horses as a class project will make some local kids' Christmas brighter this year.

Students are donating about 25 of the horses to Kootenai County Fire and Rescue.

"Each year, we see hundreds of families in need," said Samantha Babich, KCFR's director of administration. "We will find good homes for the horses."

Bill Lawson, teacher of the Construction 1 class, said each student was given the choice of whether to keep his or her horse, give it to a family member or donate it as a Christmas present.

"Some of the students said that they weren't sure what they were going to do with them, so rather than have them in my shop, we came up with the idea to donate them," Lawson said.

Ian Rector, a sophomore, said donating their horses means children who might not otherwise receive Christmas gifts will get something.

"I have a younger sister who is in the seventh grade, so she wouldn't get any use out of it, and my mom always taught me that it's better to give than to receive," Rector said.

The horses are 3 feet long and 2 feet tall, some made of red fir and some of pine. They're built with foot pegs and a handle at the head.

Students used several tools and machines - including the band saw, table saw, sanders, hand drills and routers - during the project.

Some of the horses were stained, but others weren't to allow their new owners to personalize their toy.

Rector said building the horses has been a great experience.

"This has been a cool project because it allows students to use every tool in the shop," he said. "I don't think there's too many other projects that would have given us this experience."