Image: MomJunction Design Team
Horse toys are a timeless favorite among kids as they occupy a magical space in every kid’s heart. These toys are fun to play with, but with so many options available, it can be daunting for parents to choose the best horse toys for their children. Apart from being fun and affordable, these tried-and-tested toys also improve your child’s creative, social, and motor skills. To help you pick the right one, we have compiled a list of the best-selling horse toys.
Top Picks
11 Best Horse Toys
1. Best Realistic Design:Schleich Horse Club Animal Figurine
With authentic details and precision, this lifelike horse toy for kids is designed to encourage creative play. Children can use this figure as a single toy or as part of a large collection. It has been manufactured from high-quality materials that meet all the safety requirements.
Pros
- Encourages pretend play
- Fine-detailing
- Lead-free
- Has smooth edges
Cons
- May not stand firm
- May be a bit smaller than expected
"My daughter is an avid horse figure collector; hence, she was thrilled to add this one to her collection. Its craftsmanship is also praiseworthy, and the skin texture and color look lifelike."
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
More than 16,623 buyers on Amazon have said the product lives up to the hype.
2. Best Durable:Melissa & Doug Take-Along Show-Horse Stable Play Set
Image: Melissa & Doug Melissa & Doug’s stable playset includes eight beautiful horses, a wooden stable, and an attached breed guide about the featured horses. With extension activities, your child can learn and play to improve their creativity and social skills. The time-tested stable set is made from high-quality materials and has a durable construction. Its doors are working and can be opened or latch closed. The awesome horse toy set includes write-on name tags to decorate the stables and name the horses. Watch this product testing video to learn more about the product.
Pros
- Encourages creative play
- Features a functional door
- Helps develop cognitive skills
- Comes with a carrying handle
Cons
- Paint may chip off over time
- Some horses may wobble
"I gifted this set to my niece on her birthday, and she was immediately captivated by it. The stable doubling as a storage box is thoughtful, but its latch could have been better. However, my niece does not seem to mind–she can spend hours playing with it and has also given the horses names."
3. Best For Children Aged 5 & Above:Schleich Horse Club Riding Center With Rider And Horses
With a detailed design, this playset by Schleich is suitable for children aged five and above. The rider, horses, and the riding center have been manufactured from high-quality materials and are suitable as single toys or as part of a large collection. You can remove or assemble the roof to create a riding arena, and the fence pieces allow diverse configurations. This horse activity toy set also has a tack holder, drinking troughs, hay racks, a foal, and more. This video review will give you more insights into the time-tested product.
Pros
- Crafted with precision and authentic detail
- Encourages pretend play
- Boosts fine motor skills
- Has burr-free edges
Cons
- May contain tiny pieces
- Barn may not be stable
CautionWhy We Think It's Worth Buying
The 5,871 positive customer reviews on Amazon attest to the product’s quality.
4. Best With hand Brakes:PonyCycle Ride-On Horse
The PonyCycle ride-on horse is a beautiful brown plush toy featuring realistic horse sounds and pedals to offer a fun riding experience to your child. It is intricately designed for children’s safety while offering a real pony riding experience. The ride-on horse stuffed animal also features one-way wheels and pedal pads to provide comfort and safety to your child. In addition, the ride-on horse has hand brakes, making it safer to ride on slopes and various other surfaces.
Pros
- Wear-resistant wheels
- Makes neighing and galloping sounds
- Suitable for indoor and outdoor use
- Improves motor skills
- Pony doll is easy to install
- Available in various sizes
Cons
- Height may not be adjustable
"Besides being fun, this ride-on pony has proven to be an excellent way for my kids to stay physically active. It's not battery-powered, so the kids are forced to their arms and waist to move it forward. But the build is sturdy, and the large hand brake offers peace of mind."
5. Best For Imaginative Play:Sunny Days Entertainment Quarter Horse With Movable Head
The 14-piece set includes a handle brush, a wooden case, a cup, and more. This horse’s saddle is detachable for a lifelike playtime. With a detailed design, the horse has a textured tail and mane that you can groom and style with the included brush. Its neck and head are movable, and you can push it down to listen to various whiny noises and trotting sounds. To make an informed decision about this horse grooming toy, you can check out this review cum testing video.
Pros
- Movable head and neck
- Promotes creative play
- Stimulates imagination
- Improves hand-eye coordination
Cons
- Hooves may be slightly flimsy
- May be a bit small
"Watching my kids giggle with delight every time this horse lets out a neigh is super fun. While the mane and tail aren't as lush as advertised, the horse figure is of a decent size, and the accessories work well. Overall, it stimulates a lot of imaginative play."
Quick tipWhy We Think It's Worth Buying
This product is a hit with users, evidenced by the 4,091 fine reviews on Amazon.
6. Best For Personalizing:Melissa & Doug Feed & Groom Horse Care Play Set
Image: Melissa & Doug With various riding and grooming accessories, the set offers your child imaginative playtime with this horse plush toy. The set includes a horse blanket, a saddle pad, a bridle, a saddle, water and food bins, play grain and hay, a sponge, a wash pail, a comb, a brush, and self-stick horseshoes. It also has name tags and a sticker sheet to let your child personalize the entire playset.
Pros
- Promotes linguistic skills
- Encourages imaginative and pretend play
- Features reusable double-sided checklist
- Functional and stable door
Cons
- Some parts may be flimsy
"My little one had just visited the petting farm, so this set was an instant hit with him. Like his everyday routine, he loves to wake the horse in the morning, give it a pretend bath, and brush its tail. However, the cardboard stable may require careful handling to ensure longevity."
7. Best For Creativity:Breyer Mane Beauty Sunset Horse Styling Head
Image: Breyer Breyer’s horse styling head kit includes a Palomino horse figurine with long, silky, thick, and no-tangle blonde hair. Your child and their friends can have a gala time braiding and trying different hairstyles. The kit includes a detailed styling book with step-by-step instructions to learn new styles, 50 shareable and wearable elastics, four mane coils, two hair clips, and one comb.
Pros
- Has a square base
- Non-skid pads to prevent tip-over
- Sturdily-built
- Smooth finish
Cons
- May not make any sounds
- Hair accessories may be limited
"The long, silky mane on this styling horse’s head allows my little one to experiment with different braids. Its base could have been a little more stable, but despite that hiccup, it has proven to be an excellent educational tool for fostering a love for grooming."
8. Best Portable: Dinobros Toy Horse Stable Playset
Image: Dinobrosus The playset makes a perfect play date toy for children to share and engage in cooperative play. It includes eight horses of various breeds, figures, stalls, accessories, and a portable case for easy storage. It also has one stable, four human figures, one tractor, one manger, one fence, one case, and one hay bale. This set will enhance your child’s knowledge of different breeds. The toys are detailed, hand-painted, appear realistic, and are made from non-toxic, high-quality material to ace the test of durability.
Pros
- Requires no assembly
- Encourages child’s imagination
- Textured wheels to prevent skid
- Promotes cognitive skills
Cons
- May be slightly small
- Some horses may not stand firmly
"This horse set has seamlessly fit into my daughter’s doll house. Its human figures are slightly smaller than expected but have withstood rough play quite nicely. Moreover, the included storage box makes it easy to carry the pieces while traveling."
9. Best Lightweight:Plush Creations Horse Toys
Image: Plush Creations Plush Creations’ horse barn playset has four assorted plush horses that neigh and talk and a barn carrier to store the horses after playing. Your children can hug or squeeze these plush horse toys for realistic sounds. Made of soft and durable material, these horses are lightweight, compact, and easy to carry and can help improve your child’s fine motor skills, creativity, and imagination.
Pros
- Includes easy-carrying handle
- Encourages pretend play
- Improves hand-eye coordination
- Boosts self-confidence
Cons
- Seams may not be well-stitched
- Sound buttons may be hard to press for some
"The best part about this horse set is their plush build. The horse plushies and stable are also the right size for my little one’s hands, and she loves that they make authentic horse sounds. Additionally, the built-in handle on the stable makes portability a breeze."
10. Best Interactive: Radio Flyer Blaze Riding Horse
Suitable for ages two to six, the riding horse by Radio Flyer is designed to provide an interactive experience to your child. It features three levels of riding, including walking, trotting, and galloping, that shift with the child’s motion. The riding horse also has an X-frame base to prevent tipping, and the built-in safety straps ensure your child’s safety. Additionally, the interactive and fun horse toy set includes playful accessories, such as a comb and a carrot, and the horse model makes chewing sounds when fed, encouraging imaginative play.
Pros
- EZ climb step to get on and off easily
- Covered springs for added safety
- Soft yarn mane to allow combing
- Realistic design
Cons
- Assembly may be a bit complicated
- Springs may initially be a little stiff
11. Best Detailed:Terra By Battat Horse Six Piece Playset
The horse playset by Terra By Battat consists of six horse figurines with impressive details, making them suitable for creative play among children. This set consists of various horse breeds that stand on their own, including an Appaloosa horse, a Pinto stallion, a Tinker horse, a Thoroughbred horse, a Tennessee walking horse, and an Arabian mare. This set is a suitable educational toy for your child to encourage them to learn more about horses.
Pros
- Encourages imaginative play
- Made from child-safe plastic material
- Lightweight design
- Can be used as cake decoration
Cons
- May require adult supervision when playing
- May be smaller than expected
"Children are usually obsessed with toy cars, but my son is captivated by these horse figures. While they strike the right balance between aesthetics, I wish the set included more diverse breeds. Nevertheless, my son still loves carrying them everywhere he goes."
How To Choose The Right Horse Toys?
Here are some essential factors you should consider when buying horse toys.
- Material: Ensure the toy is non-toxic, durable, and made from high-quality material. If the toy has artificial skin and fur, ensure it doesn’t harm your child.
- Weight: Ensure your child can carry the toy conveniently for easy playing. Lightweight toys make it easy to clean up and use.
- Durability: Choose wear- and tear-resistant, sturdy toys for long-lasting performance. They should be suitable for rough play to ensure a fun playtime without damages.
- Attractive: Choose attractive toys with bright colors and accessories to keep your child engaged for hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. For what age is a horse toy recommended?
The minimum age for the horse toys ranges between three and five years, depending on the set’s complexity and the size of the pieces.
2. Is a horse toy worth it?
Yes, playing with horse riding playsets facilitates familiarizing the child with a horse at an early age. Such an introduction could encourage the child to learn horse riding more readily. Also, a toy horse serves as a companion for the child.
3. Do children like toy horses?
Most children enjoy playing with toy animals. It facilitates their imagination through pretend play and inculcates a sense of empathy and responsibility when they groom the miniature steed.
4. Do horse toys enhance the imagination of a child?
As a part of pretend play, children sometimes view toy animals as their companions, which enhances their social skills and love for animals. It can also improve their reading abilities as they are more interested in exploring books when accompanied by their toy animal companion (1).
Why Trust MomJunction?
Priti Bose is an experienced product writer specializing in children’s products, toys, and gifts. She brings her expertise to her articles by engaging in in-depth research before narrowing down her product lists. In this article, she has carefully gone through several toys from trusted brands to round up a list of the best horse toys. With detailed information and a buying guide, you can easily choose the right toy for your child. She has also considered user reviews to ensure the toys are high-quality, durable, and entertaining.
The Bottom Line
If your little one loves animals and is obsessed with horses, they would appreciate the magic of a horse toy. Not only are the horse toys listed here fun to play with, but they can also help children develop their social, motor, and imaginative skills. Our top selections include the Melissa & Doug Take-Along Show-Horse Stable Play Set for creativity and durability and the Schleich Horse Club Animal Figurine for encouraging imaginative play. The Schleich Horse Club Riding Center With Rider And Horses also stands out for its intricate details and accessories. When choosing a horse toy, consider its size, material, and durability and the additional accessories so your child can play with their new favorite friend for a long time.
Infographics: A Quick Guide To Choose The Right Horse Toy
Playing with horse toys can be fun and allow your child to engage in pretend play. However, choosing a toy that matches their age and preference can be challenging, with so many options available on the market. Here’s an infographic with features to consider to find the right horse toy. Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
References
- Sleepovers With Stuffed Animals Help Children Learn To Read
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/790663
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