How to Draw a Horse (Easy Step-by-Step for Kids)

To draw a horse, start with a long oval for the body. Add a neck and a head with a round nose, then four legs with hooves. Finish with an ear, an eye, a smile, a wavy mane and a long tail.

Finished cartoon horse standing and facing left, light brown with a dark brown mane and tail and gray hooves
The finished horse
Steps
6 easy steps
You need
  • Pencil
  • Eraser
  • Black marker
  • Light brown, dark brown, gray and pink crayons

Updated

Teaching this to a class?

Show one step at a time on the board and wait for the class before the next. The directed drawing for kids page explains how to run it.

How to draw a horse step by step

  1. A long flat oval for the horse's body

    Step 1 of 6: Draw a long, flat oval for the body.

  2. A neck rising from the front of the body to a head with a round nose, facing left

    Step 2 of 6: Add a neck going up from the front of the body and a head with a round nose.

  3. Four straight legs under the body, each ending in a small hoof

    Step 3 of 6: Draw four straight legs under the body, each with a small hoof at the bottom.

  4. A pointed ear, a round eye, a nostril dot and a smile on the horse's head

    Step 4 of 6: Add a pointed ear, a round eye, a nostril and a small smile.

  5. A wavy mane along the back of the neck and a long wavy tail at the back

    Step 5 of 6: Draw a wavy mane along the neck and a long wavy tail at the back.

  6. The horse colored light brown with a dark brown mane, tail and forelock tuft, gray hooves and a pink inner ear

    Step 6 of 6: Color the horse light brown, the mane and tail dark brown, the hooves gray and the inside of the ear pink.

Tips for little artists

  • Tip: Press lightly with the pencil first. Trace the lines you like with the marker, then erase the rest.

  • Tip: Make the front legs and back legs in pairs. Leave a gap in the middle of the belly between them.

  • Tip: Draw the nose as a big circle, about three times as wide as the eye. A big round nose looks friendly.

Make it yours

  • Unicorn

    Add a long spiral horn on the forehead and color the mane in rainbow stripes.

  • Pony with spots

    Color the horse white and add round brown spots on the body and legs.

  • Horse in a field

    Draw a grass line under the hooves, a fence behind the horse and a sun in the sky.

Common mistakes and easy fixes

  • The legs are too short

    Make each leg about as long as the body is tall. Long legs make it look like a horse, not a dog.

  • The neck sticks straight up

    Lean the neck forward a little, so the head sits in front of the body.

  • The tail comes out of the middle

    Start the tail at the top back corner of the body, then let it hang down in waves.

Fun facts about the horse

  • Horses can sleep standing up. A set of tendons and ligaments lets them lock their legs in place. (Source: BC SPCA)

  • Horses can only breathe through their nose, not through their mouth. (Source: BC SPCA)

  • A horse's height is measured in hands. One hand is equal to 4 inches. (Source: The Spruce Pets)

Questions grown-ups ask

How do you draw a horse easy?

Draw a long oval for the body, then a neck and head. Add four legs, a face, a mane and a tail. The 6 steps above follow that order.

How to make an easy horse?

Use simple shapes: an oval body, a curved neck, a round nose and four straight legs. A wavy mane and tail finish it.

How do you draw a horse step by step?

Start with the body, then the neck and head, the legs, the face, and the mane and tail. Color it last.

If your horse came out a little wobbly, that's fine. It looks like it is about to trot. More easy drawings for kids are on the home page.

Step 1 of 6

A long flat oval for the horse's body
Draw a long, flat oval for the body.