From tiny ponies to mighty workhorses
Horses come in every size, and this word search rounds up the breeds. You'll be finding the proud STALLION and gentle MARE, the small-but-mighty PONY, the wild MUSTANG and BRONCO, and the elegant ARABIAN — one of the oldest breeds in the world.
Each puzzle pulls a fresh selection from the herd, so the paddock changes every time you play — gentle on Easy, and a Hard-mode day at the stables once the diagonals and backwards words appear (a CLYDESDALE may plod in backwards).
Tack, paces and stable talk
There's a whole vocabulary that comes with horses, and we've hidden it. Look for the breeds — the spotted APPALOOSA, the golden PALOMINO, the patchy PINTO and the towering SHIRE — the gear (SADDLE, BRIDLE and REINS), the paces a horse can move in, from a steady TROT to a CANTER and a full GALLOP, and the bits every rider knows, like the MANE, HOOF, the male GELDING and a friendly NEIGH from the STABLE.
Partners with people for thousands of years
Few animals have shaped human history like the horse. People tamed wild horses around 6,000 years ago, and for most of the centuries since, the horse was how the world moved — pulling ploughs and carts, carrying messengers and soldiers, and hauling the heavy loads now done by trucks and tractors. That's why a gentle giant like the SHIRE or CLYDESDALE was bred so big and strong, while the swift ARABIAN was prized for speed and stamina.
Horses are built for one thing above all: running. A horse can gallop within hours of being born, because in the wild a foal had to keep up with the fleeing herd to survive. They sleep mostly standing up, thanks to a clever 'stay' system in their legs that locks them in place, and they can swivel their ears almost all the way round to listen for danger. Riders even measure a horse's height in old-fashioned 'hands'. All this makes horses a lovely topic for a lesson on working animals, riding or how people and animals have lived together.
Great for young horse-lovers or a pony club
Easy mode keeps the grid small with no diagonals or reverse words, and a printable pack makes a great stables or pony-club activity. Play online, print a PDF pack, or use Make Your Own to build a grid from your own favourite breeds.
Frequently asked questions
Which horses are in the word search?
A whole stable of breeds — stallion, mare, pony, mustang, Arabian, palomino, Clydesdale and Appaloosa — plus riding words like saddle, bridle, gallop and trot. Each puzzle uses a fresh mix.
Does it include horse-riding and stable words?
It does — alongside breeds like the ARABIAN and CLYDESDALE you'll find SADDLE, BRIDLE and REINS, plus the paces a horse moves in, from TROT to GALLOP.
Is it good for young horse-lovers or a pony club?
Perfect. Easy mode keeps the grid small with no diagonals or reverse words, and a printable pack makes a great stables or pony-club activity.