What do you do if your son asks you for a horse? Assuming you say “Yes”, how do you choose one?

How to choose a good horse for children? How do you find out who is kind, gentle, loving and willing to please? Just as important, how do you stay away from those who resist, kick, bite, and have other horrible vices? These are all important questions to ask yourself when buying a kiddie horse.

My answer is simple:

To find a good horse for kids, choose one with the right horse personality type.

There are certain equines with personality types tailored for children and other types that should definitely be avoided. When it comes to the safety and fun of your little ones, you will definitely want to go with horse personality types that are good kiddie horses. Luckily, that’s not difficult. There’s even an online test to help you do just that.

Five Element Horse Personality Types

If you’ve been around equines for a while, then you know they have a distinct personality, just like humans. Some are mischievous while others are competitive. Some spend their lives trying to please while others just want to win at all costs. Some horses are tough as nails, others are as soft as marshmallows. It all depends on your personality type.

The five-element horse personality typing system I developed predicts a horse’s behavior and health challenges, as well as the best running and management style for each type. The system is based on the five elements of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Water, Fire, Wood, Metal and Earth. There are five direct types (based on each of the five elements), as well as six combined types.

The Best Horse Personality Types For Kids

So what type of personality should you choose for a good horse for kids? In my experience, the best horse for children is one of the following three personality types:

#1: The Earth Horse Personality Type

The Earth type is generally sweet, gentle and sweet tooth. Their motto is “Let’s be a team!” The Earth type personality loves children and is a reliable lesson horse. Fond of routine, once a ground horse learns his job, he can be trusted to do it well. He is perhaps a bit slow (he likes to stop and graze) but other than that he is an excellent horse for children. He is usually too lazy to bother bucking or running, and as long as he is well fed and has a consistent routine, he makes an excellent mount for children.

#2: The Shao Yin Horse Personality Type (Fire/Water)

The Shao Yin type is highly intelligent, fun-loving, and can make an excellent mount for children. When trained, the Shao Yin type is a wonderful keeper for beginning riders and children alike. This type of equine loves to figure things out. He is also gentle, caring and kind. Shao Yin horses do not do well under pressure, making them perfect horses for low-key events like game days or gymkhanas. Because they love attention and are highly social, these horses enjoy hours of grooming, herding, and “quality time” with the kids.

#3: The Yang Ming Horse Personality Type (Metal/Earth)

The Yang Ming type is a loyal companion who goes out of his way to please. Once this boy has learned his job, he will never forget it. He will perform flawlessly in a number of disciplines, being highly versatile and reliable. His only demand is that he be treated fairly. While he is not as affectionate as the Earth type or Shao Yin type, the Yang Ming type is hard working and a good caretaker. His consistent disposition and dependability make him an excellent horse for children.

Two Other Possible Horse Personality Types for Children

While the Earth, Shao Yin, and Yang Ming horses are my top picks for child-friendly personality types, there are two other types that can also make good children’s horses when properly trained: Metal and Tai Yin horses. If your child is older, more experienced, or wants to compete in a rodeo or show circuit, either of these two personality types may work well.

The Metal Horse Personality Type

The Metal type is extremely hardworking, can withstand a rigorous training program, and once trained, never forgets his job. Early in his career, the Metal type needs to understand his job or he can be prone to snapping, making him a poor pick for kids. However, the well-trained and experienced metal horse can be a good horse for children. He will do his job well and without complaining. He is not the “best friend” type, but he is a right horse for the kid who wants to do the Little Britches rodeo and be competitive in the ring.

The Tai Yin Horse (Earth/Metal)

The Tai Yin type can also be a good horse for children, as long as he gets along well with the child. This type is often a “one person” mount and does not get along with everyone. However, if this horse likes his son, it will test his heart. Although the Tai Yin type is not very affectionate, he will often show affection through hard work and fierce loyalty. This guy will do just about anything for a person he likes and is therefore a good horse for any child who likes him.

Test a horse’s personality before you buy

Now that you know what personality types are suitable as children’s horses, how do you know what personality type a horse has? Suppose you are considering buying several horses for your son. How do you know which one to choose? Simple. Just test the personality of each horse you are considering.

Visit the Horse Harmony Test website to test each horse’s personality. This online personality test will tell you the personality type of each possibility. Below you can read a brief summary of each horse on the Horse Harmony website.

If you don’t know the horse well enough to type it, ask its current owner to test the potential euqine for you. You would be surprised. The seemingly meek mount with a twinkle in its eye may seem like the perfect horse for children, but the Horse Harmony Test may reveal that the horse is a Jue Yin, a cunning horse that is not suitable as a horse for children.

There is no cost to the test, so it doesn’t hurt to write down any horse you are considering for your child. In fact, if you already have horses, it may be interesting to try them too. You can also test your own personality on the same site, just for fun!