Horses

My Book of Horses and Ponies (DK, 2024) is a great fact-filled guide on all aspects of horses, ponies, and riding illustrated with photos for ages 5-8.

In the same style for older readers, see Horses & Ponies (DK, 2021), which covers "everything you need to know from bridles and breeds to jodphurs and jumping" for ages 9-12.

Kitson Jazynka’s Gallop! (National Geographic, 2018), a short chapter book illustrated with color photographs, is crammed with cool facts about horses. For ages 6-8.

Juliet Clutton-Brock’s Horse (Dorling Kindersley, 2024) in the popular Eyewitness series covers the anatomy, physiology, evolution, and history of horses, along with accounts of horse relatives and horsemanship. Each double-page spread, illustrated with wonderful photos and diagrams, covers a different horse-related topic. For ages 9 and up.

Horse Crazy (Storey, 2009) by Jessie Haas is subtitled “1,001 Fun Facts, Craft Projects, Games, Activities, and Know-How for Horse-Loving Kids.” A treasure trove of information and ideas for ages 8-12.

Rebecca Solnit’s prize-winning River of Shadows (Penguin, 2004) is the story of pioneering photographer Eadweard Muybridge, whose high-speed motion photography showed just how a horse runs. A fascinating read for teens and adults.

See for yourself! Rufus Butler Seder’s Gallop!(Workman, 2007) uses a technique called Scanimation such that the art on each page literally moves. See how a horse gallops, a dog runs, a rooster struts, and more. Fun for ages 3 and up.

Learn by coloring! John Green’s Horse Anatomy (Dover, 2006) is a detailed coloring book of both the outside and inside of the horse, while Patricia Wynne’s The Evolution of the Horse (Dover, 2008) traces horse evolution beginning with Hyracotherium, a tiny horse no bigger than a house cat. Pages include informational picture captions.

Also see John Green’s Horses of the World Coloring Book (Dover, 1985) which has 48 pages of varied black-line horse drawings, and other titles.

The American Morgan Horse Association in conjunction with A Journey Through Learning Lapbooks has horse-based lapbooks at three levels, variously incorporating art, language arts, health and nutrition, history, math, science, and social studies.

Build your own horse from the inside out with the Vision Horse Model, a 7-inch-tall horse with 25 detachable orangs and body parts. A good bet for future veterinarians.

See https://thesciencebank.org/products/4d-vision-horse-model.

Herd Your Horses (Talicor) is an attractively designed board game in which kids collect a herd of mustangs and gallop across the illustrated playing board to the safety of the idyllic Green River Valley. (An extra plus: players learn horse breeds, colors, and markings from the accompanying deck of color-illustrated horse cards.) The game is recommended for 2-4 players ages 8 and up.

By Alison Lester, Noni the Pony (Little Simon, 2019) is the rhyming story of Noni the pony (“friendly and funny/Her shimmering tail is the color of honey”). For ages 2-5.

Jan Brett’s gorgeously illustrated Fritz and the Beautiful Horses (Sandpiper, 1987) is the rewarding story of Fritz, a shaggy little pony. The kingdom’s beautiful horses (“magnificent jumpers, splendid chargers, and elegant parade horses”) refuse to have anything to do with him, but it’s gallant little Fritz who ultimately becomes a hero. For ages 4-8.

Paul Goble’s The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses (Aladdin, 1993) and The Gift of the Sacred Dog (Aladdin, 1984) are Native American legends centering around horses, both with beautiful stylized illustrations. The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses is a Caldecott Award winner. For ages 4-8.

C.W. Anderson’s Billy and Blaze (Aladdin, 1992) is a re-issue of an old classic. Billy, who loves horses more than anything in the world, gets a pony for his birthday. This is the start of a beautiful relationship; the adventures of Billy and Blaze continue in many sequels, all illustrated in detailed pen-and-ink drawings by the author. For ages 5-8.

Elizabeth Shub’s The White Stallion (Yearling, 1995), is the story of a little girl traveling across Texas by wagon train - who gets lost, along with her horse, Anna, only to be rescued by a wild white stallion. For ages 8-12.

Marguerite Henry has written many excellent horse-themed books, among them Misty of Chincoteague (Aladdin, 2006), now a classic, about the wild ponies of the coastal islands off Virginia and Maryland, and two determined children who want a pony of their own. For ages 8-12.

Also by Henry see Justin Morgan Had a Horse (Aladdin, 2006), the story of Vermont’s famous Morgan horses; and King of the Wind (Aladdin, 2006), the exciting tale of Sham, an Arabian stallion, sent as a gift to the King of France from the Sultan of Morocco, and Agba, the mute stable boy, who is Sham’s keeper and closest friend.

The movie Misty (1961) is based on Misty of the Chincoteague. Not rated, but wholly family friendly.

Walter Farley’s The Black Stallion (Random House, 1991), originally published in 1941, is the engrossing story of young Alec Ramsay, shipwrecked on a desert island along with a beautiful wild stallion. The pair are eventually rescued; and Alec, back home, struggles to train his stallion as a racehorse. For ages 8-12.

There are many Black Stallion sequels; as well as a terrific movie version (1979) starring Kelly Reno, Mickey Rooney, and an absolutely spectacular black horse. Rated G.

In L.M. Elliott’s award-winning Bea and the New Deal Horse (HarperCollins, 2024), set in the Great Depression, Bea and her little sister have been abandoned by their father, left in the hayloft of Mrs. Scott’s horse farm. Bea convinces Mrs. Scott to let them stay – and forms a bond with the dangerous chestnut horse who, as a champion jumper, may hold the key to saving Mrs. Scott’s failing farm. For ages 8-12.

Set in the imaginary town of Mael Dunn, The Night Ride by J. Anderson Coats (Atheneum, 2022) is the story of Sonnia, who works in the royal stables, and Ricochet, the horse she loves. When Ricochet is chosen to be a companion to the king’s new racehorse, Sonnia is determined to find a way to buy him – by winning the dangerous and illegal race known as the Night Ride. For ages 8-12.

Anna Sewall’s Black Beauty (Puffin, 2019; and many other editions) is the life story of a 19^th-century English horse, narrated in the first person, by the horse himself. It’s also a compelling study in human-animal relationships, as Black Beauty is transferred from owner to owner, some kind, some cruel. (The book is famed for its heartbreaking account of the plight of the London cabhorses.) For ages 9-12.

The movie Black Beauty (1994) is rated G.

Enid Bagnold’s National Velvet (Dover, 2019) is the story of 14-year-old Velvet Brown who wins a piebald horse - the “Pie” -  in a village raffle and trains him to win the Grand National steeplechase. The book is well worth reading, with details of scene and complexities of character that the movie version does not address. For ages 9 and up.

The movie version of National Velvet, made in 1944, stars a twelve-year-old Elizabeth Taylor as Velvet. Not rated; family-friendly.

In Kimberly Brubaker Bradley’s The War That Saved My Life (Puffin, 2016), set in Britain during World War II, ten-year-old Ada – born with a club foot – is imprisoned in their apartment by her abusive mother. When her little brother Jamie is evacuated from London, Ada sneaks out and goes along. Both are taken in by Susan Smith, under whose watch Ada learns to ride a pony and gets a new lease on life. A wonderful book for ages 9-12.

By Nanci Turner Steveson, in Lizzie Flying Solo (HarperCollins, 2019), Lizzie and her mother – forced out of their home – are living in a homeless shelter. Devastated Lizzie manages to pull her life together again with the help of the people and horses at the neighboring Birchwood Stables. For ages 9-12.

In R.J. Palacio’s Pony (Knopf, 2023), set in the 1860s, 12-year-old Silas sets off on a quest to rescue his kidnapped father, accompanied by a ghost named Mittenwool, and guided by a mysterious pony. Silas’s father is a photographer; each chapter begins with a daguerreotype. A gripping and spooky read for ages 8-12.

In Dan Gemeinhart’s Some Kind of Courage (Scholastic, 2016), set in the 19th-century West, young Joseph Johnson has lost his family – but he’s determined not to lose his beloved horse too. For ages 9-12.

In Sam Angus’s A Horse Called Hero (Square Fish, 2015), Wolfie and Dodo, evacuated to the country from London during World War II, raise an orphaned foal named Hero. The grown Hero rescues the children from a fire – and the children are devastated when he’s stolen. Years later, however, they find him again – and are determined to save him from working in the mines. For ages 9-12.

In Carrie Seim’s Horse Girl (Penguin Workshop, 2022) seventh grader Wills is thrilled to start training at the prestigious Oakwood Riding Academy – but Amara and her cronies seem set on making Wills’s life miserable. Included – for those not up on horses – are funny and helpful hoof notes. For ages 9-12.

By Josephine Tey, Bratt Farrar (Scribner, 1997) is a suspenseful mystery in which young Brat is convinced to take over the identity of Patrick, owner of the horse farm, Latchetts. A great story – with horses - for ages 13 and up.

Marianna Mayer’s Pegasus (William Morrow, 1998) is a retelling of the Greek myth in which Bellerophon, prince of Corinth, with a little help from Athena, tames the winged horse Pegasus. The book features exquisite illustrations reminiscent of Renaissance oil paintings. For ages 7-12.

In Kate O’Hearn’s Pegasus: The Flame of Olympus (Aladdin, 2013) – first of a fantasy series – a winged horse crashes onto a Manhattan rooftop during a storm and suddenly 13-year-old Emily is involved in a battle between the Roman gods and a race of evil warriors called the Nirads. For ages 8-12.

In Megan Shepherd’s The Secret Horses of Briar Hill (Yearling, 2018), set during World War II,
Emmaline is sent to a tubercular sanatorium – where she sees magical winged horses in the mirrors. When an injured horse crosses over from the mirror
world, Emmaline resolves to help. For ages 10 and up.

Homer’s Iliad, of which there are many editions for readers of various skill levels and ages, includes the story of the Trojan Horse, the enormous wooden horse with which the Greeks tricked the Trojans into letting them into their walled city, thus winning the Trojan War.

Make a 3-D paper model of the Trojan Horse.

In Briony May Smith’s Margaret’s Unicorn (Schwartz & Wade, 2020), Margaret’s family has moved to a cottage near the sea – and there Margaret finds an abandoned baby unicorn. She cares for him through fall and winter – but in the spring, with the return of the adult unicorns, she knows it’s time for him to go home. For ages 4-8.

By Adam Gidwitz, in The Creature of the Pines (Puffin, 2019) – the first of a series about the Unicorn Rescue Society – friends Elliot and Uchenna join a secret society dedicated to protecting the world’s mythical creatures. For ages 7-10.

By Selwyn E. Phipps, The Magical Unicorn Society Official Handbook (Feiwel & Friends, 2018) is a beautifully illustrated guide to all things unicorn. Included are a history of unicorns, unicorn myths, notes on unicorn food, hints for tracking and communicating with unicorns, and more. For ages 8-12.

By Sarah Laskow, The Very Short, Entirely True History of Unicorns (Penguin, 2019) is a charming illustrated account of the myths, science, and history of unicorns. For ages 8-12.

In R.L. LaFevers’s The Unicorn’s Tale (HMH, 2012), Nathaniel Fludd, budding beastologist, still hoping to find his missing parents, must care for a mysteriously ailing unicorn – and keep the nefarious Obediah Fludd from stealing the unicorn’s horn. One of a series for ages 8-12.

In Kamilla Benko’s The Unicorn Quest (Bloomsbury, 2019), sisters Claire and Sophie, via a strange ladder in the fireplace, enter the magical world of Arden, where the four magical guilds are at odds with each other and the unicorns have disappeared. First of a series for ages 8-12.

In Bruce Coville’s Into the Land of the Unicorns (FCA Press, 2018), Cara, with the help of her grandmother’s mysterious amulet, escapes a pursuer and enters the Land of the Unicorns, tasked with bringing her grandmother’s message to the oldest unicorn. An exciting fantasy with several sequels for ages 9-12.

In Jacqueline Ogburn’s The Unicorn in the Barn (HMH, 2019), 11-year-old Eric discovers that his neighbor, a veterinarian, and her daughter Allegra are caring for an injured unicorn in their barn – and they enlist Eric’s help. For ages 7-11.

In Peter Beagle’s The Last Unicorn (Ace, 1991), the last unicorn leaves her enchanted forest to try to find others of her kind, accompanied by Schmendrick, an inept magician, and the feisty but soft-hearted Molly Grue, who has always believed in legends. Their quest eventually takes them to the castle of the evil King Haggard and the terrifying Red Bull. For ages 12 and up.

The animated movie The Last Unicorn is rated G.

The Unicorn Tapestries are described as one of the most beautiful works of art from the late Middle Ages.

Make these wonderful unicorn puppets.

From Red Ted Art, see instructions for making 3-D paper unicorn ornaments with rainbow manes.

In Mary Pope Osborne’s Stallion by Starlight (Random House, 2014) in the Magic Tree House series, Jack and Annie travel back in time to meet Alexander the Great and help tame the wild black stallion who becomes his horse, Bucephalus. For ages 6-10.

Also see Osborne’s Horse Heroes, the nonfiction companion to Stallion by Starlight, which includes background information on horse anatomy and behavior, horse history, warhorses, famous horses, and more.

For a history-and-art hook, see Jean Fritz’s Leonardo’s Horse (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2001), a terrific picture-book account of Leonardo da Vinci’s plan to make an immense bronze sculpture of a horse. The project was only completed in the 20^th century, under the auspices of American artist Charles Dent. For ages 7-12.

Robert Lawson’s Mr. Revere and I (Little, Brown, 1988) is a tongue-in-cheek account of the most famous ride in early American history, as told by the participating horse - Scheherazade, late pride of His Royal Majesty’s 14^th Regiment of Foot, now a rebel. A delightful chapter book for ages 8 and up, by the author of Ben and Me.

See Paul Revere.

Jenni L. Walsh’s By the Light of the Fireflies (Wyatt-MacKenzie, 2021) is a novel about Sybil Ludington, whose ride warning of a British attack led her to be known as the female Paul Revere. For ages 8-11.

Also see Sybil Ludington’s Midnight Ride by Marsha Amstel (First Avenue Editions, 2000) for ages 6-8.

By Pam Munoz Ryan, Riding Freedom (Scholastic, 1999) is the fictionalized biography of 19th-century equestrian and stagecoach driver Charlotte Parkhurst, who spent much of her life disguised as a man. For ages 8-12.

For more info, see Stagecoach Driver: Charley Parkhurst.

Galloping Across the USA: Horses in American Life by Martin W. Sandler (Oxford University Press, 2003) is a comprehensive history of the American horse, ranging from the horses of the Plains Indians to the 19^th-century urban horses of the hansom cab and the horse-drawn fire wagon to modern mounted police.  The book is 64 pages long, divided into seven short chapters, and is creatively illustrated with photographs and period prints. Included are a timeline, a supplementary reading list, and a list of museums with exhibits on the history of horses. For ages 9-12.

Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse (Scholastic, 2010) is the story of Joey, a farm horse, co-opted to serve in World War I on the Western Front – and still hoping to find Albert, the farmer’s son, whom he was forced to leave behind. For ages 9-12.

The movie War Horse (2011), directed by Steven Spielberg, is rated PG-13.

In Philip Kerr’s The Winter Horses (Ember, 2014), set in the Ukraine during World War II, Max has been ordered to slaughter the animals on the nature preserve.  Instead, in company with an endangered Jewish girl named Kalinka, he sets out to save the Przewalski horses. For ages 12 and up.

Find out more about Przewalski’s horses.

By Wendy Williams, Horse: The Epic History of Our Noble Companion (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2016) is a wide-ranging history of the horse, covering everything from cave paintings to the Roman racetrack to the Wild West. For teens and adults.

By Caroline Starr Rose, Ride On, Will Cody! (Albert Whitman, 2017) is the picture-book story in verse of young Will Cody’s legendary ride. (At age fifteen, he covered 322 miles in 21 hours, a ride that took 21 horses to finish.) Based on a (maybe) true story; Will Cody later became the famous showman known as Buffalo Bill. For ages 4-7.

Pair with Buffalo Bill (Beautiful Feet Books, 1998), an illustrated biography by Ingri and Edgar Parin D'Aulaire for ages 5-8.

Cheryl Harness’s They’re Off! The Story of the Pony Express (Simon & Schuster, 2002) is a cleverly written account of one of the most romantic episodes in horse history, crammed with fascinating detail. For ages 7-10.

Clyde Robert Bulla’s Riding the Pony Express (Purple House Press, 2025) is a short chapter book about the adventures of young Dick Park, sent by train in 1860 to meet his father, a rider and mail carrier for the Pony Express. For ages 7-11.

By Jessica Gunderson, Young Riders of the Pony Express (Capstone, 2006) is a graphic-novel history of the famous (and dangerous) mail service for ages 8-12. Included are a list of historical facts and additional resource suggestions.

By Christopher Corbett, Orphans Preferred (Crown, 2004), subtitled “The Twisted Truth and Lasting Legend of the Pony Express,” is the story of remarkable attempt to carry the mail from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California in less than ten days. An informative and entertaining read for teens and adults.

Jim DeFelice’s West Like Lightning (William Morrow, 2019) is a history of the Pony Express with a cast of characters that ranges from Abraham Lincoln to Buffalo Bill. For teens and adults.

Eric Carle’s The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse (Philomel, 2013) includes a menagerie of marvelous colored animals, starting with a blue horse – and ending with Franz Marc’s famous painting, Blue Horse. For ages 2-4, but an inspirational art project jumpstart for all.

In Dr. Seuss’s The Horse Museum (Random House, 2019), kids learn about art in a tour of the horse-dominated Horse Museum, escorted by a knowledgeable horse. For ages 7-10.

Horses in Art History is an illustrated and annotated chronological overview, starting with 30,000-year-old paintings on the wall of the Chauvet Cave in France.

From the Smithsonian, see this wonderful assortment of Horses in Art, Science, History, and Culture.

From Art Projects for Kids, How to Draw a Horse is a step-by-step tutorial targeted at elementary-level students.

Try this Mythical Horses Inspired Art Lesson.

Kenneth Koch in Rose, Where Did You Get That Red? (Vintage, 1990), an excellent collection of poetry projects for young writers, uses D.H. Lawrence’s compelling “The White Horse” as a jumping-off point for kid-created poems.

Edited by Carmela Ciuraru, Poems About Horses (Everyman’s Library, 2009) is a wide-ranging collection from the Aeneid to works by Robert Frost, Sylvia Plath, e.e. cummings, and Seamus Heaney. For teens and adults.

Mary Oliver’s Blue Horses (Penguin, 2016) includes the poem “Franz Marc’s Blue Horses” as well as many other meditations on the natural world. (“It must be a great disappointment/to God if we are not dazzled at least ten/times day.”) For teens and adults.

In Kate Beaton’s The Princess and the Pony (Arthur A. Levine, 2015), Princess Pinecone wants a warrior horse for her birthday. What she gets is…a pony. For ages 4-8.

In Patricia Polacco’s autobiographical picture book Mrs. Mack (Puffin, 2001), the flannel-shirted Mrs. Mack is teaching ten-year-old Patricia to ride. Patricia is anxious to ride Penny, a beautiful chestnut mare, but she’s simply not ready yet. The book is a helpful lesson for hopeful young riders, emphasizing that it takes work, patience, and dedication to attain a goal. For ages 4-8.

Vivian French’s Hello, Horse (Candlewick, 2018) is a lovely picture-book introduction to horses. (Want to know how to feed a horse a carrot?) For beginning riders ages 5-8.

By Robyn Smith, Horse Life: The Ultimate Guide to Caring for and Riding Horses for Kids (Rockridge Press, 2020) is an excellent guide to horses and equine care for beginners. All the basics, including safety practices and hints for picking your own perfect horse. For ages 8-12.

Cherry Hill’s Horse Care for Kids (Storey Publishing, 2002) is a terrific illustrated guide for beginners, variously covering “Finding the Right Horse,” “Horse Safety,” “Feeding and Nutrition,” “Grooming and Bathing,” “Shelter and Pasture,” and “Health Care.” Readers, for example, discover the difference between “dapple gray” and “strawberry roan;” find out how to measure a horse in hands and weigh a horse using a measuring tape; get precise instructions for cleaning a stall, tying a hay net, and braiding a horse’s tail; and much more. Also included are a list of horse clubs and organizations, seasonal horse care calendars, and a reading list. For ages 8-14.

From the American Quarter Horse Association, the Junior Master Horseman program has learning guides at three levels: Level 1 for grades 3-5, Level 2 for grades 5-8, and Level 3 for grades 9-12.

The 4-H has hands-on horse curricula for grades 3-12: Giddy Up & Go (grades 3-4), Head, Heart, & Hooves (grades 5-6), Stable Relationships (grades 7-9), Riding the Range and Jumping to New Heights (both for grades 10-12).

See https://shop4-h.org/collections/horse-curriculum-collection.

Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002) is the animated story of a captured wild stallion determined to win his freedom and return to his herd. Rated G.

Set in Australia, The Man from Snowy River (1982) is the story of young Jim Craig, working on a cattle ranch to try to save his family farm. Adventure, romance, and horses. Rated PG.

In Secretariat (2010), Penny Chenery – who knows nothing about horse racing – takes over the family stables and ends up fostering one of the most famous race horses of all time. Rated PG.

In Electric Horseman (1979), starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda, an ex-rodeo star steals his company’s horse and heads into the desert to release him back to the wild, pursued by a determined reporter.Rated PG.

Phar Lap (1983) is the story of the fabulous Australian racehorse who became a champion with the help of a stableboy – and then became famous for his mysterious death. The story begins at the end, then is told as a flashback. Rated PG.

Set during the Depression, Seabiscuit (2003) is the true story of the horse who, against all odds, becomes a winner. Rated PG-13.

In The Horse Whisperer (1998), teenaged Grace and her horse have been hit by a truck.  To help them heal, Grace’s mother takes them to Montana, to the ranch of the legendary horse whisperer – a gifted trainer said to have healing powers. Rated PG-13.