There’s just something about horses. They capture our imaginations with their grace and beauty, and amaze us with their gentle dispositions that contradict their imposing size. Many girls and boys become obsessed with horses at a very young age. They love everything about horses and dream about having one of their own.
Perhaps you’re a parent of a horse crazy child and don’t want to have a pony in the backyard. Or, there already is a horse or pony in the family or at least riding lessons for the little equestrians. You still need something to fuel their passion in the hours that aren’t spent at the stables. Horse games are a great way to keep horse obsessed kids entertained, while teaching them about their favorite four-legged creatures. With board games, video games, and horse play sets, there’s something out there to please every aspiring equine enthusiast.
Best Horse Games for Kids and Families
Herd Your Horses Board Game | Check price at | |
Educational Trivia Card Game – Professor Noggin’s Horses | Check price at | |
Horses 3D | Check price at | |
Melissa & Doug Show-Horse Stable | Check price at | |
Fantasy Stables: Regular Edition Board Game | Check price at | |
Horse Games & Puzzles for Kids Lowest Price | Check price at | |
Horse Life – Nintendo DS | Check price at | |
PLAYMOBIL Paddock with Horses and Foal | Check price at | |
Hundreds of Horses Children’s Game | Check price at |
1. Herd Your Horses Board Game
The Herd Your Horses Board Game facilitates immersive and imaginative play by encouraging players to live the life of either a horse or a rancher. The game includes three different adventures, as well as different levels of play and solitaire versions of play. Children can start with the easiest level and move up; this way, they are not overwhelmed in the beginning and stay interested after playing many times. Throughout the game players meet and learn about more than 50 horses as they build or round up a herd, gallop through mountains and valleys, and face obstacle like coyotes and treacherous weather.
2. Educational Trivia Card Game – Professor Noggin’s Horses
Kids and families can learn about horses with the fun and Educational Trivia Card Game – Professor Noggin’s Horses. It uses 30 trivia cards and three numbered dice for gameplay designed to educate players about horse facts. Questions are multiple choice, true and false, and trivia style. There are hard and easy levels for experienced players and beginners, and wide age range of players. Kids not only learn about horses but practice reading skills when reading the question cards.
3. Horses 3D
One of the most popular horse games for girls on the Nintendo 3DS platform, Horses 3D lets horse crazy kids experience the life of a stable manager and horse rider – all in 3D! The game provides nearly endless hours of play with 16 beautiful horses and a customizable avatar. Deck out horse and rider with cool accessories as you train and compete your horses in four unique equestrian disciplines. The 3D environment offers stunning horses and farm and competition environments. Navigating through the game is relatively easy, though younger players may benefit from a little adult assistance.
4. Melissa & Doug Show-Horse Stable
Let your child’s equine enthusiasm run wild with the Melissa & Doug Show-Horse Stable. This high-quality, portable stable has swinging doors that open to reveal eight toy horses, each one unique. Kids even have the option to name each of the horses and label their stalls with the names. While they’re using their imagination to play with their barn and horses, little ones can learn more about horses with the included breed guide and fact sheet. Pack up the ponies and carry them anywhere with the convenient handle.
5. Fantasy Stables: Regular Edition Board Game
The Fantasy Stables: Regular Edition Board Game is full of realistic, fast-paced gameplay for horse enthusiasts ages 13 and up (reviewers say that their younger children enjoy it, too). Quick play rules are easy to understand and allow gameplay to start within just a few minutes of opening the box. Players compete with their friends to buy choose and buy horses from the auction and then compete their new horses in horse shows to win jackpots. Fantasy Stables is also available in a Junior Edition for ages 8-12.
6. Horse Games & Puzzles for Kids
Horse Games & Puzzles for Kids is a fun puzzle book filled with brainteasers, word games, jokes, riddles , logic tests and more – all for your horse loving kid. Children strengthen reading, logic, comprehension, and memory skills while they learn about horses. But most importantly, it’s hours of fun!
7. Horse Life – Nintendo DS
Horse Life is a virtual horse game where players choose and name a foal, care for it, train it, and then show it in dressage, show jumping, and cross country equestrian competitions. Gameplay is simple, yet challenging, so that the game is not simply finished in a just a few days and then put aside. Players are able to choose one of three breeds and then earn ‘diplomas’ as they train and race their new horse. Earn money to buy treats, riding clothes, and accessories. If you work hard enough, you can unlock bonuses like a new horse breed. One of the most fun and engaging horse care games for young horse enthusiasts.
8. PLAYMOBIL Paddock with Horses and Foal
The youngest horse obsessed kids will love to play with the PLAYMOBIL Paddock with Horses and Foal. Two adult horses, a baby foal, figure, fencing, hay, tree, and other equestrian accessories offer plenty of opportunity for imaginative play.
9. Hundreds of Horses Children’s Game
In the Hundreds of Horses Children’s Game, children use creative storytelling and vocabulary skills to to assign personality traits, awards, and stories to 100 horses. Players then vote on the horse that best fits the story. It’s an entertaining and unique game for younger kids that love to talk and dream about having their own horse one day.
10. Horse-Opoly Board Game
It’s pretty much impossible to have a list of horse games without including the Horse-Opoly Board Game. Yes, just like the many, many versions of Monopoly, the game play is the same – except this one has horses and that will delight any horse lover, young or old. I’ve played it myself, and the game becomes something entirely new and fun when you’re buying horses and then adding hay bales to eventually upgrade to barns. Kids practice the same skills playing any Monopoly game (reading, math, basic financial skills), but they get to learn about and enjoy horses, as well.
11. Breyer Game of Horse Sense
From the respected maker of classic horse models, toys, and accessories, the Breyer Game of Horse Sense tests players horse knowledge with more than 200 facts about horse care, health, breeds, and riding. Questions range from very easy to somewhat challenging, and horse enthusiasts ages seven and up will love testing their horse sense as try to win the game.
What are your favorite horse games? We would love to hear about them in the comments below!
Feature image courtesy of Flickr, Ömer Ünlü.