In this post: Learn all about ‘los caballos’ (horses) in Spanish with our Level 2 curriculum. Plus, we’ll share our favorite kids’ song called ‘Caballito blanco’.
Do you have a young equestrian in the family?
Many kids love horses, and it’s no wonder—such strong, majestic animals aren’t something you see every day. If you have a child in horseback riding lessons or who just loves horses, learning about horses in Spanish is a great idea!
At Llamitas Spanish, we teach Spanish through thematic units that incorporate the core subjects in Spanish—such as phonics, literacy, math, music, cultural studies, and more. This cross-curricular approach allows students to learn grammar in context and apply their language skills across subjects.
The second unit in our Level 2 curriculum is all about los pasatiempos, or hobbies. This includes a deeper dive into specific hobbies such as equestrianism.
So if you’re ready to learn all about horses in Spanish, let’s get started!
Related post: Los pasatiempos~ Spanish Lessons about Hobbies
Table of Contents
Horse Themed Vocabulary in Spanish
First things first: How do you say horse in Spanish?
Horse in Spanish is el caballo.
But there are a lot of other vocabulary words related to horses in Spanish that you’ll want to learn. If you have a horse lover who wants to know how to “tack up” their horse in Spanish, they’ll definitely want to learn some of the following words:
| Spanish | Pronunciation | English Translation |
| caballeriza | kah-bah-yeh-ree-sah | stable |
| casco de montar | kahs-koh deh mohn-tah | helmet |
| herradura | eh-rrah-doo-rah | horse shoe |
| látigo | lah-tee-goh | whip |
| montura | mohn-too-rah | saddle |
| pony (or poni)* | poh-nee | pony |
| potro | poh-troh | foal |
| rienda | rryehn-dah | reins |
*Note: The word “pony” is one of the many Spanish cognates shared with English. These are words with the same origin which are either exactly the same or very similar in both languages. You may see it spelled as either pony or poni.
Here are some other useful phrases related to horses in Spanish:
| Spanish | English Translation |
| ensillar un caballo | saddle up a horse |
| montar un caballo | ride a horse |
Thematic learning is essential in our approach to Spanish, and this unit also includes comprehension activities and math and phonics activities—all related to horses. Math skills such as reviewing numbers up to 100, addition and subtraction, word problems, ten frames, bar charts, and more are all learned within the context of horses.
Related post: Here’s Why Thematic Spanish Lessons for Kids Actually Work
With thematic learning, students will be able to talk about riding horses in Spanish across subjects, putting their language skills to use.
Caballito Blanco Song
At Llamitas Spanish, music is a key component of our lower level curricula. We believe that music is a powerful tool in language learning. Memorable melodies, rhythm, and rhyming all help to reinforce language skills.
In our Level 1 curriculum, students learn several fun farm themed songs, including the traditional Spanish nursery rhymes “Los pollitos dicen” and “La vaca Lola.”
Now, your child will learn this lovely and well-known canción about a little white horse, called “Caballito blanco.”
Take a listen and sing along with the lyrics:
| Spanish Lyrics | English Translation |
| Caballito blanco llévame de aquí. Llévame a mi pueblo donde yo nací. Tengo, tengo, tengo, Una me da leche, |
Little white horse take me away. Take me to the town where I was born. I have, I have, I have, One gives me milk, |
Los pasatiempos de Marcos
Along with learning this traditional Spanish children’s song, students will read the story “Los pasatiempos de Marcos” from our very own story anthology Cuentos Cortos Infantiles.
In the story, students will read about a Mexican boy named Marcos and his hobbies, including horseback riding and visiting el caballeriza (the horse stables) with his abuelo.
This story, along with the rest of our anthology, was designed for students to learn grammar in context through culturally authentic topics and with beautiful and engaging illustrations.
Your child will not only review hobbies, but they’ll also practice their verbs, days of the week, and grammar in context.
Spanish Books about Horses
We love thematic learning at Llamitas Spanish, and books are a wonderful way to enrich your lessons. That’s why we always include lovingly curated book menus along with our curricula.
Today, we’re sharing with you our favorite Spanish children’s books about horses, which you can enjoy alongside your lessons. Be sure to check out some of these titles:
El caballero que no tenía caballo by J.S. Pinillos
El caballero que no tenía caballo (Spanish Edition)
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- J.S.Pinillos (Author)
- Spanish (Publication Language)
- 24 Pages – 08/31/2017 (Publication Date) – iajajai (Publisher)
This silly picture book is amusing for kids and adults alike. A knight sets out to rescue a princess from an evil dragon—but first, he needs a horse. Unfortunately, none of the horses want to help him. While elementary aged kids will love the humor in this one, parents will appreciate the message too.
Caballito blanco by Margarita Valdes
Caballito blanco / Little White Horse (Coleccion Bb) (Spanish Edition)
- Valdes, Margarita (Author)
- Spanish (Publication Language)
- 16 Pages – 09/01/2024 (Publication Date) – Amanuta (Publisher)
Based on a traditional Spanish song, this board book is a great option for younger siblings (ages 0–4). It has fun rhymes and pictures and is culturally authentic, making it a great addition to your library. Older kids will feel confident reading the simple sentences and may even enjoy practicing reading this one to their younger siblings!
El Caballito de Siete Colores by Rosario Umaña
El Caballito de Siete Colores (Spanish Edition)
- Umaña, Rosario (Author)
- Spanish (Publication Language)
- 61 Pages – 01/08/2025 (Publication Date) – Independently published (Publisher)
Advanced Spanish learners and native speakers will enjoy this beautifully illustrated story about a colorful horse, which was passed down through the author’s family over generations. Culturally authentic and filled with illustrations of horses, this picture book is an excellent choice. Keep in mind that it will be too advanced for beginner and intermediate learners due to the length and rich vocabulary.
Los Ponis by Laura Marsh
National Geographic Readers: Los Ponis (Ponies) (Spanish Edition)
- Marsh, Laura (Author)
- Spanish (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 09/08/2015 (Publication Date) – National Geographic Kids (Publisher)
This National Geographic Kids book is filled with amazing photography and fun facts about ponies. It’s a Level 1 Spanish reader, with short sentences and engaging images, making it perfect for elementary aged kids learning Spanish.
Ponies and Horses / Ponis y caballos by DK Children
DK Super Readers Level 1 Bilingual Ponies and Horses – Ponis y caballos
- DK (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 08/01/2023 (Publication Date) – DK Children (Publisher)
DK Super Readers are fantastic leveled readers for kids, and this bilingual English-Spanish book about horses is no exception! The nonfiction book features high-quality photos of real animals, simple sentences in English and Spanish, and practical vocabulary words for kids interested in horses and horse riding.
Homeschool Spanish Curriculum Levels
Are you raising bilingual children? We are here to support you in raising your kids to be bilingual and biliterate with our robust, open-and-go curriculum series.
Our Level 1 curriculum is a great starting point for beginners to learn Spanish in the context of exciting topics, like transportation, family, pets, and more.
In Level 2, you’ll find lessons on hobbies (including our unit on horses), as well as several other units on topics such as daily routines, endangered animals, hibernation, and more!
All of our curriculum levels include everything you need, including bilingual scripts, activities, music, and much more. Foreign language homeschooling couldn’t be made easier—you just have to open your book and go!
Related post: Elementary Homeschool Spanish Curriculum
Related post: Dual Language Homeschool Education
Lydia is a freelance parenting and education writer. She previously taught English as a second language and enjoys sharing her love of language learning with her children.