Easy drawing · step by step

How to draw a horse

Meet Bramble, a foal standing up for the very first time. In 24 easy steps you’ll draw her long wobbly legs, fluffy mane and big eyes, using a pencil and paper: light circles to start, then the outline and soft shading.

24 steps
Beginner
Pencil and paper

Or follow the steps

A finished pencil drawing of a cute newborn foal standing on long legs, with a fluffy mane and a short tail, on tufts of grass — Bramble, finished

You’ll need

A pencil (an HB is fine)
Paper
An eraser

Draw a horse, step by step

This step’s lines
Already drawn

Draw everything in pencil: the blue only shows what’s new in each step. Save all 24 steps to Pinterest

STEP 1Guide lines
Body guides
Bramble the foal was born this morning, and now she is standing up for the very first time. Start with light circles: one for her head, a small one for her nose, two for her body, and a line for her back.

Draw these lightly: they’re only there to help, and you’ll rub them out in step 12.
STEP 2Guide lines
Neck and leg guides
A curve for her neck. Then four lines for her legs, spread wide, with a small circle at each knee, and a curve for her little tail. Keep them light, so they rub out easily later.

Draw these lightly: they’re only there to help, and you’ll rub them out in step 12.
STEP 3Outline
The head
Now the real lines. Start at the cheek and draw the jaw down to her chin. Then round the front of her big soft nose, across the top of it, and up her face to the forehead.
STEP 4Outline
Ears and forelock
Two ears: the near one, a tall leaf shape with a line inside, and the far one peeping up behind. Between them, a fluffy forelock of soft, wavy tufts.
STEP 5Outline
Eye and mouth
A big round eye, with an oval inside for the iris and a small circle in it for the glint, and a curved brow above. Then a small open mouth and a curl for the nostril.
STEP 6Outline
Neck, back and belly
Up the back of her neck to behind the ear, then down the front of the neck to her chest. Along her back to the rump, then the belly between her legs.
STEP 7Outline
The back legs
Her near back leg: down from the rump to the hoof, round the hoof, then down the front of the leg. Then the far back leg, tucked behind, with its hoof.
STEP 8Outline
The front legs
Now the front legs, long and thin, splayed wide like a tent. That is how a newborn foal stays up. Follow your guide lines down, with a little bend at each knee.
STEP 9Outline
The mane
A short, fluffy mane, from behind the ear down the back of her neck, drawn as little wavy tufts.
STEP 10Outline
The tail
A short, bushy tail flicking out behind her. From the rump along its underside, then the wispy tips, and over its top back to the rump.
STEP 11Outline
The grass
Now the grass, kept light. Little tufts of pointed blades round each hoof, so she stands on something.
STEP 12Clean lines
Erase the guides
Rub out the circles and guide lines. They were only there to help. Bramble and the grass stay.
STEP 13Clean lines
Go over her head
Now press a little harder round the outside of her head, ears and forelock. The eye and mouth stay light.
STEP 14Clean lines
Go over her body
Down the back of her neck, along her back and round the tail. Then up the mane, and down the front of her neck to the chest.
STEP 15Clean lines
Go over the back legs
Now the back legs: round the far hoof and up the leg, along the belly, then down the near back leg, round its hoof and up to the rump.
STEP 16Clean lines
Go over the front legs
Down the near front leg, round the hoof and back up. Then the far front leg, round its hoof. The grass stays light.
STEP 17Shading
Shading the ears
The light comes from the top left. Shade softly on the side away from it: inside the ears and under the forelock. Keep it light.
STEP 18Shading
Shading the face
A soft tone on her cheek, round the eye and down to the nose. Leave the top of her head white.
STEP 19Shading
Under the jaw
A little tone under her jaw, down the front of the neck.
STEP 20Shading
Shading the tail
A soft tone on the tail, the strokes following the hair.
STEP 21Shading
Shading the body
Then under her chest and belly, and down the far legs, which are further from the light.
STEP 22Shading
Mane, tail and hooves
Press a little harder on her mane, forelock, tail and hooves. They are darker than her coat.
STEP 23Shading
Shadow on the grass
A soft shadow on the grass under her hooves, so she stands on the ground.
STEP 24Shading
The darks
Last of all, fill in the dark middle of her eye, leaving the little glint white. Bramble is standing all by herself.

Tips for a better horse

Circles and lines first
Light circles for the head, the nose and the body, a curve for the neck and four lines for the legs. Keep them light: they get rubbed out in step 12.
Spread the front legs wide
A newborn foal stands with its front legs splayed like a tent: that’s how it stays up.
Fluffy, not flowing
Draw the mane, the forelock and the short tail as little wavy tufts: a foal’s hair is fluffy.
Give her ground to stand on
Little tufts of grass round each hoof, kept light, so she stands on something.
Darker hair and hooves
Press a little harder on the mane, the tail and the hooves: they’re darker than her coat.

Bramble’s world has 7 more drawings

DrawRabbit has 95 narrated drawings in 10 worlds, from axolotls to dragons. You draw each one with a real pencil and paper, and the first drawing in every world is free.

Close to Mum
The race
The stream crossing
On the ridge at sunset

Free to start · iPhone and iPad

Questions

Is this horse easy to draw?

It’s a little longer, at 24 steps, but each step only adds a little. Light circles and guide lines get the shape right first, so the legs come out the right length.

What do I need?

A pencil, paper and an eraser. Draw the first steps lightly: the guide lines are rubbed out in step 12.

How do I draw a horse’s legs?

Four light guide lines spread wide, with a small circle at each knee, then follow them down: long and thin, with a little bend at each knee and a rounded hoof at the bottom.

Can kids draw it?

Yes. It’s made for beginners of any age. If reading the steps is hard, the draw-along talks you through each line while it draws.

What is DrawRabbit?

A drawing app for iPhone and iPad: narrated, step-by-step lessons you follow with a real pencil and paper. 95 drawings in 10 worlds, free to start, no account needed.

Made by DrawRabbit, from the app’s own narrated lesson: the step pictures are drawn by the same stroke-by-stroke player. Updated 21 October 2026.

Keep drawing

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How to draw a horse

Draw a horse, step by step

Body guides

Neck and leg guides

The head

Ears and forelock

Eye and mouth

Neck, back and belly

The back legs

The front legs

The mane

The tail

The grass

Erase the guides

Go over her head

Go over her body

Go over the back legs

Go over the front legs

Shading the ears

Shading the face

Under the jaw

Shading the tail

Shading the body

Mane, tail and hooves

Shadow on the grass

The darks

Tips for a better horse

Circles and lines first

Spread the front legs wide

Fluffy, not flowing

Give her ground to stand on

Darker hair and hooves

Watch it come together

Bramble’s world has 7 more drawings

Questions

Keep drawing

Lovely drawing!