A Child and a Stick Horse

Children are little bundles of energy! The energy that they have needs to be channeled at times and having a stick horse seems to do just that. It seems like children have a keen liking for horses. Even those growing up in cities and not being around horses are enticed by horses.

Many children love to run and play and having stick horses puts that type of action together. Stick horses go so well with children as they do not take up much room and can also help a shy child overcome their fears when being left somewhere.

Children can play rodeo, rescue someone, go trail riding, be a policeman and the list can go on and on. Playing with stick horses will broaden their imagination as they start galloping and trotting around.

There are a variety of stick horses on the market. They can be found in stores, online, craft shows and horse shows. Some stick horses are made of fabric of all types. I prefer the poly-fleece ones as they are soft to the touch and come with manes that are made of soft yarns. These are so soft that a child can easily snuggle up to them. There are many different colors too. Some are the basic horse colors of black, gray, white and brown while others may look like you are getting on a carousal ride and they are brightly colored and have brightly colored manes.

There are also wooden ones on the market. These come in different styles and come in different colors. Some may be painted, others stained or others perhaps left for the parent and child to finish as they desire.

Stick horses come in a variety of sizes. Most of them are between 32-35 inches but some have the options of being 24 inches. The short ones are especially nice for younger children, but also work well for older children. There is plenty of room for a child to use a 24 inch stick horse, you just will not have as much excess dowel rod.

For the little ones that enjoy mutton busting at rodeos, there is even a stick sheep on the market for that. The stick sheep is rode like the horse but has soft curly fleece fabric and a black face. This will be a real conversation piece in the neighborhood when your child runs down the street riding a sheep.

Whatever stick animal you get for your child, grandchild or perhaps daycare center, your child be happy trotting and living the life of an animal owner.

Author: Teresa Martin