Horses are amazing creatures — they’re strong, they’re fast, and they’re beautiful. But horses can also be gentle and loving and make great friends. That’s why kids should read horse books. Reading about horses can help kids learn about these fantastic animals and maybe even inspire them to go out and meet a horse in person.
Horse books can also teach kids important lessons about responsibility, empathy, and respect. Horses are living creatures that need care and attention, and reading about horses can show kids how to be gentle and responsible around them. So if you’re looking for a new book for your child, why not try one about horses?
There are several excellent books about them, and as luck would have it, they are in this post! Books listed here are researched and considered based on the quality of their content and feedback from the source that matters, the readers. Keep reading if you’re ready to pick your kid’s next book.
Check Amazon- 36 pages.
- Recommended for children ages 4 through 8.
- Part of the Rocking Horse Rodeo book series.
Check Amazon- 32 pages.
- Recommended for children ages 5 through 7.
- The first and currently only book in what is said to be the Pony Dreams series.
Check Amazon- 146 pages.
- Recommended for children ages 8 through 10.
- Reading level for 3rd through 4th grades.
Check Amazon- 256 pages.
- Offers a look at different breeds of horses.
- Explains the difference between horses and ponies and examines behavior.
Check Amazon- 144 pages.
- Recommended for children ages 5 through 9.
- Part of a series called Stepping Stones, which currently comprises 72 books.
Check Amazon- 122 pages.
- Customers recommend the book for children ages 7 through 12.
- First published in 1877.
A-Z Animals Top Picks for Horse Books Every Kid Should Read
1. A Barrel Racer’s Dream by M.D. Ford (Author) and Harry Aveira (Illustrator)
Children who want to own a horse or are about to get one will learn well with this book. It goes into how to care for a horse and the bond they can share. In this adventure, kids will learn about good sportsmanship and how hard work pays off.
This is a fun story about a girl and her horse. Hank (the horse) and Dee love barrel racing, where she has to ride him quickly between the barrels. She has done a lot of work and Dee and Hank feel good about the big event and are ready for it. Dee can’t wait for the day when she and Hank can go barrel racing and feel the thrill.
This book is suitable for children aged between four and eight and is available in Kindle, hardcover, and paperback editions.
Pros and Cons of A Barrel Racer’s Dream by M.D. Ford (Author) and Harry Aveira (Illustrator)
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This book is a fun story about a girl and her horse training to compete in barrel racing. | None |
| It teaches children about good sportsmanship and how hard work pays off. | |
| It is suitable for children aged between four and eight. | |
| There are Kindle, hardcover, and paperback editions available. |
- 36 pages.
- Recommended for children ages 4 through 8.
- Part of the Rocking Horse Rodeo book series.
2. The Smallest Horse by Lorie List
This book follows Trixie, a small horse who worries that she isn’t big enough to do work on the ranch. This is a heartwarming story which tells about Trixie’s life on the ranch and her eventual realization that she does have an important job already. It teaches important life lessons that even if you might not think you are good enough you can actually achieve anything you set your mind to. It also features stunning illustrations which help to bring the story to life.
This book is part of the Pony Dreams series, with each book following a different horse and telling a different tale. There is a Pony Dreams website that children can explore to learn more about their favorite characters through a series of informative and entertaining blogs about the horses.
Pros and Cons of The Smallest Horse by Lorie List
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This book tells the heartwarming tale of a small horse who thinks she’s not big enough to work on the ranch. | None |
| It features stunning illustrations. | |
| It teaches important life lessons. | |
| There is a Pony Dreams website that children can explore to learn more about their favorite characters. |
- 32 pages.
- Recommended for children ages 5 through 7.
- The first and currently only book in what is said to be the Pony Dreams series.
3. All About Horses: A Kid’s Guide to Breeds, Care, Riding, and More by Kelly Milner Halls
With this book kids will learn about the most well-known horse breeds and what makes them unique with the help of in-depth chapters and stunning images. They will even know how to form a lifelong, loving friendship with horses and how they communicate with humans. They will also discover extra interesting information about horse care and riding.
There are also quizzes at the end of each chapter to help to develop children’s knowledge and encourage them to think about what they have just learned. This is great for early readers. They will learn a lot, and parents will appreciate how easily kids can learn from it. If your kid likes learning about horses, this will be packed with facts. It also features jokes which will help encourage kids to test their social skills through humor! Get ready for some laughs with your kiddo!
This book is available in Kindle, hardcover, and paperback editions, and is suitable for children aged six to nine. Unfortunately, customers have reported that it also talks a lot about the evolution of horses and uses terminology which is too difficult for some young children.
Pros and Cons of All About Horses: A Kid’s Guide to Breeds, Care, Riding, and More by Kelly Milner Halls
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This books teaches children about the best-known horse breeds. | It uses terminology that is too difficult for some young children. |
| It features stunning photographs. | |
| It has fun quizzes at the end of every chapter to help test knowledge. | |
| There are Kindle, hardcover, and paperback editions available. |
- 80 pages.
- Customers recommend this book for children ages 6 through 9.
4. Horse Life: The Ultimate Guide to Caring for and Riding Horses for Kids by Robyn Smith
If your kid wants a horse and you’re the coolest parent ever and are getting them one, then this book is made for your child. This comprehensive book on horses for kids covers all the fundamentals of horse care, including anatomy, bathing, and feeding. They’ll learn how to ride, keep safe around horses, and form a good relationship with them, whether they’re just getting started or already own a horse.
They can build on skills and learn about all the necessary equipment, along with explanations of horse body language, horse slang, various horse movements, and much more using drawings. Discover all the characteristics of several horse breeds to identify your ideal kind.
Horse experts and long-time horse owners with a lot of experience rave that this book is excellent and accurate for children. It is written in small chunks to keep little ones interested as well. Since you might get a horse for your kid, you might also want to get this book! Even if they just like horses, it can show them just how much responsibility they must have to take care of one.
Unfortunately, some reviewers found that the information was written in a very “dry” way which is not engaging to children.
Pros and Cons of Horse Life: The Ultimate Guide to Caring for and Riding Horses for Kids by Robyn Smith
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This book covers all the fundamentals of horse care — including feeding and grooming. | The information is written in a very “dry” way which is not engaging to children. |
| It includes tips on how to ride and how to form a good relationship with your horse. | |
| It identifies the characteristics of several horse breeds. | |
| It explains several important rules to help children stay safe around horses. |
- 146 pages.
- Recommended for children ages 8 through 10.
- Reading level for 3rd through 4th grades.
5. Horses: The Clearest Recognition Guide Available by Elwyn Hartley Edwards (Author) and Smithsonian Institution (Contributor)
This book is best suited to slightly older children. It explores the development and domestication of horses and discusses the differences between horses and ponies. It also provides a guide to horse anatomy and behavior. It identifies more than 100 different breeds of horses and ponies from around the world, and is filled with more than 250 full-color photographs. This book also describes the key characteristics of every breed as well as information on it’s history, origin, appearance, and behavior.
Pros and Cons of Horses: The Clearest Recognition Guide Available by Elwyn Hartley Edwards (Author) and Smithsonian Institution (Contributor)
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This book explores how horses developed and were domesticated. | None |
| It discusses the differences between horses and ponies. | |
| It provides a detailed guide to horse anatomy and behavior. | |
| There are more than 100 horse breeds identified in this book with full-color photographs of each. | |
| It outlines the characteristics, history, and origin of each breed. |
- 256 pages.
- Offers a look at different breeds of horses.
- Explains the difference between horses and ponies and examines behavior.
6. Summer Pony by Jean Slaughter Doty (Author) and Ruth Sanderson (Illustrator)
The story is about a little girl whose name is Ginny. She always dreamed of having a pony and her parents decided one summer they would rent her a pony. Of course, Ginny is beyond ecstatic. The pony is named Mokey. When she arrives, Ginny doesn’t get greeted with the cute pony she imagined.
Instead, Mokey is thin with an overgrown coat. She is dirty and also looks unwell. It’s not what Ginny had in mind, but does she manage to have a wonderful summer with this unsightly pony? You’ll have to see for yourself!
This book has 139 pages and is available in both paperback and hardcover editions. It is aimed at children aged between five and nine, although some reviewers have reported that the reading level required means it is more suitable for slightly older children as there are a few difficult words in it.
Pros and Cons of Summer Pony by Jean Slaughter Doty (Author) and Ruth Sanderson (Illustrator)
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This book is the story of a young girl with her pony for the summer. | Some of the words are too difficult for younger children. |
| It is suitable for children aged five to nine. | |
| There and paperback and hardcover editions available. |
- 144 pages.
- Recommended for children ages 5 through 9.
- Part of a series called Stepping Stones, which currently comprises 72 books.
7. Black Beauty by Anna Sewell (Author) and Robert L. Dickey (Illustrator)
Black Beauty is a classic children’s story which was first published in 1877. It is a story about a horse’s life as told from the horse’s point of view. It describes the life of a horse from his youth and his time at the home of the local gentry, to days his work as a cab horse on the streets of London. We experience the trials and tribulations of Black Beauty’s life right up until he finally finds happiness again in retirement.
This book does a great job of exploring the relationship between people and animals and it tries to show the reader that all animals should be treated with kindness and care. For a story that was written so long ago it still manages to be relevant even today.
Pros and Cons of Black Beauty by Anna Sewell (Author) and Robert L. Dickey (Illustrator)
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This book tells the story of a horse from his youth to his retirement. | None |
| It shows the trials and tribulations of his life as he is passed from owner to owner. | |
| It provides an important message that all animals should be treated with kindness and care. |
- 122 pages.
- Customers recommend the book for children ages 7 through 12.
- First published in 1877.
Choosing the Best: What to Look For
There are many different types of children’s books about horses on the market today. Some are just fun reads for young children and serve as entertainment. Others incorporate a special message, while others are fact-based and explain how to look after horses.
When choosing a book for a child you should consider the age and reading level of them. For younger children a book with a lot of illustrations and simple text is best, while older children may be able ot cope with more taxing words. You should also consider the level of interest that the child has. For younger children or those who are just interested in horses as a cool animal then a heartwarming story would be most appropriate. However, for children with a pony of their own or who are interested in horse care then a breed guide or a “how to” book would be suitable.
The Top Horse Books Every Kid Should Read FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What should I consider when choosing a book about horses for a child?
First of all, you should consider the age and reading level of the child. For younger children a book with a lot of illustrations and simple text is best. You should also consider the level of interest that the child has. For younger children or those who are just interested in horses as a cool animal then a heartwarming story would be most appropriate. However, for children with a pony of their own or who are interested in horse care then a breed guide or a “how to” book would be suitable.
What is a good book about horses for children?
While all of the books that we have highlighted are good books for children, a book that tells an important message even now, more than a hundred years after it was published is Black Beauty.
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