Horse
Preschool · 3–5This sweet little horse, with a flowing mane and tail and a friendly face, is a detailed coloring page for preschoolers who love farm and pony stories. There is lots to color — the body, mane, tail, hooves, and the grass underfoot — which makes it a satisfying page for children ready for a little more than the basics. Coloring it is a natural way to talk about farm animals, how horses gallop and neigh, and the many colors a horse can be, from brown to gray to spotted. Print the page for coloring at the table, or color it online with the paint bucket. A wonderful match for a farm theme, a pony party, or a letter-H activity at home or in the classroom.
Legs, and how they work
A horse is one of the harder traced pages here because of the legs — four of them, long, thin and at different angles, with hooves at the end. Children who have only coloured round animals find this a real step up.
The mane and tail are the softest areas and the natural place for looser, flowing strokes, in contrast to the tight control the legs demand.
Standing up to sleep
Horses can lock their leg joints and doze standing, which lets them run the instant something startles them. They do lie down for deep sleep, but only for short periods. It is a good example of an animal's body being shaped by the need to escape.
Frequently asked questions
- Do horses sleep standing up?
- They doze standing, using a locking mechanism in the legs, so they can bolt immediately if startled. Deep sleep needs lying down, but only for short stretches.
- What age is this page for?
- Five to nine. Traced line art with detailed legs — it suits pencils rather than thick crayons.
