In this article I am going to share my free crochet horse pattern.
If you are new to crochet you can find out all about basic techniques and stitches in this tutorial.
I hope you enjoy making your new pony friend, and do let me know how you get along in the comments section at the bottom of the article or by sharing a photo of your finished toy on my Facebook page!
Crochet Horse Equipment
To follow this crochet horse pattern you will need the following equipment:
- 218 yards / 100g Smoothie DK yarn by Patons in Linen
- A small length of Smoothie DK yarn by Patons in Black
- 162 yards / 100g Life Chunky yarn by Stylecraft in Barley Marl
- Safety eyes
- Toy Stuffing
- Size B / 2.5mm crochet hook
- Size G / 4mm crochet hook
- Steel yarn needle
- Sharp scissors
The horse itself is made using the linen colored DK yarn, the mane and tail are made using the chunky DK yarn and the black yarn you will just use a small quantity of for the mouth and hooves.
Crochet Horse Head
To make the crochet horse head you will need to use your linen colored DK yarn and the 4mm crochet hook.
Round 1
Make a magic circle of six stitches. (6)
Round 2
Make two single crochets (2sc) in each stitch. (12)
Round 3
Make 1sc in the first stitch and 2sc in the second, 6 times. (1sc, 2sc) x6. (18)
Round 4
(1sc x 2, 2sc) x6. (24)
Round 5
(1sc x 3, 2sc) x6. (30)
Round 6 – 14
Make 1sc in each stitch. (30)
Round 15
(1sc x 4, 2sc) x2, then put 1sc in each remaining stitch. (32)
Round 16
(1sc x 5, 2sc) x2, then put 1sc in each remaining stitch. (34)
Round 17
(1sc x 6, 2sc) x2, then put 1sc in each remaining stitch. (36)
Round 18
(1sc x 7, 2sc) x2, then put 1sc in each remaining stitch. (38)
Round 19
Make 1sc in each stitch. (38)
Round 20
Single crochet two stitches together (sc2tog), 1sc x 24, sc2tog, 1sc x 10. (36)
Round 21 – 24
Make 1sc in each stitch. (36)
Round 25
(1sc x 4, sc2tog) x6. (30)
Round 26
(1sc x 3, sc2tog) x6. (24)
Insert your safety eyes into the crochet horse’s face.
Round 27
(1sc x 3, sc2tog) x6. (18)
Round 28
(1sc x 2, sc2tog) x6. (12)
Stuff with toy stuffing, making the head firm but still malleable.
Round 29
sc2tog to close
Cut and tie off, leaving a long tail.
Crochet Horse Body
To make the crochet horse body you will need to use your linen colored DK yarn and the 4mm crochet hook.
Round 1
Make a magic circle of six stitches. (6)
Round 2
Make 2sc in each stitch. (12)
Round 3
(1sc, 2sc) x6. (18)
Round 4
(1sc x 2, 2sc) x6. (24)
Round 5
(1sc x 3, 2sc) x6. (30)
Round 6
(1sc x 4, 2sc) x6. (36)
Round 7
(1sc x 5, 2sc) x6. (42)
Round 8 – 35
Make 1sc in each stitch. (42)
Round 36
(1sc x 5, sc2tog) x6. (36)
Round 37
(1sc x 4, sc2tog) x6. (30)
Round 38
(1sc x 3, sc2tog) x6. (24)
Round 39
(1sc x 2, sc2tog) x6. (18)
Stuff with toy stuffing, making the body firm but still malleable.
Round 40
(1sc, sc2tog) x6. (12)
Round 41
sc2tog to close
Cut and tie off, leaving a long tail.
Crochet Horse Neck
The crochet horse neck is made separately and used to join the body and head.
To make the crochet horse neck you will need to use your linen colored DK yarn and the 4mm crochet hook.
Round 1
Chain 40 (ch40), then slip stitch (sl st) to join.
Round 2
Ch2, then 1sc in each st.
sl st to join at the top of the ch2.
Round 3
Ch2, (1sc x 5, sc2tog) x6, sc x 4, sl st
Round 4
Ch2, (1sc x 4, sc2tog) x6, sc x 4, sl st
Round 5
Ch2, (1sc x 3, sc2tog) x6, sc x 4, sl st
Round 6 – 13
Ch2, 1sc in each st, sl st to join
Tie off and cut a long tail.
Crochet Horse Ears
To make the crochet horse ears you will need to use your linen colored DK yarn and the 4mm crochet hook.
Make two of the following:
Round 1
Magic circle of 5 stitches. (5)
Round 2
Make 2sc in each stitch. (10)
Round 3 – 6
Make 1sc in each stitch. (10)
Round 7
(1sc, 2sc) x5. (15)
Round 8
(1sc x 2, 2sc) x5. (20)
Tie off and cut a long tail.
Fold the ears gently down the middle to form the crochet horse’s ears.
Crochet Horse Front Legs
To make the crochet horse ears you will need to begin using your black colored DK yarn and the 4mm crochet hook.
Make two of the following:
Round 1
Make a magic circle of six stitches. (6)
Round 2
Make 2sc in each stitch. (12)
Round 3
(1sc, 2sc) x6. (18)
Round 4 – 5
Make 1sc in each. (18)
Round 6
(1sc, sc2tog) x6. (12)
At the end of the row color change to linen colored yarn.
Round 7 – 17
Make 1sc in each stitch. (12)
Round 18
sl st x 5, 1sc x 7. (12)
Round 19 – 25
Make 1sc in each stitch. (12)
Round 26
(1sc, 2sc) x6. (18)
Round 27
Make 1sc in each stitch. (18)
Stuff with toy stuffing, up to row 26, leaving the top part empty.
Round 28
(1sc, sc2tog) x6. (12)
Round 29
sc2tog to close
Cut and tie off, leaving a long tail.
Crochet Horse Back Legs
To make the crochet horse ears you will need to use your linen colored DK yarn and the 4mm crochet hook.
Make two of the following:
Round 1
Make a magic circle of six stitches. (6)
Round 2
Make 2sc in each stitch. (12)
Round 3
(1sc, 2sc) x6. (18)
Round 4 – 5
Make 1sc in each. (18)
Round 6
(1sc, sc2tog) x6. (12)
At the end of the row color change to linen colored yarn.
Round 7 – 17
Make 1sc in each stitch. (12)
Round 18
sl st x 5, 1sc x 7. (12)
Round 19 – 25
Make 1sc in each stitch. (12)
Round 26
(1sc, 2sc) x6. (18)
Round 27
(1sc x 2, 2sc) x6. (24)
Round 28 – 29
Make 1sc in each stitch. (24)
Round 30
(1sc x 2, sc2tog) x6. (18)
Stuff with toy stuffing, up to row 26, leaving the top part empty.
Round 31
(1sc, sc2tog) x6. (12)
Round 32
sc2tog to close
Cut and tie off, leaving a long tail.
Joining The Crochet Horse Together
Once you have all of your crochet horse body parts, you can begin sewing them together.
First join the legs to the body. Sew them using the long tail that you left when you made them.
Angle the front legs slightly forward..
Then attach the neck mid-height, between the front legs. Join round one end to the body, fill with stuffing to the very top of round thirteen, then sew that end to the head.
Make sure that you put the head in a position where the eyes are in the correct place.
Then fix the ears behind the eyes. Horses ears face forward when they are relaxed and lie flattened back when they are scared, so make sure you face them appropriately or you might find his expression isn’t what you were hoping for!
Attach the back legs, angling them slightly backward. Take the tail of the yarn left and pull it through the point that your horse’s tail will be attached.
Crochet Horse Tail
Your crochet horse’s tail is a series of four chains.
Using your 4mm crochet hook make a slip stitch into your crochet horses rear, then chain twenty. At the end tie off and cut a short length of yarn. Repeat four times.
Take the left over yarn from the legs and wrap this around the four tail chains. Pull the yarn back through the body to attach it.
Crochet Horse Hair
The crochet horse hair is made with a series of chains.
Starting at the top of the head, slip stitch into the forehead and make a chain of 20 stitches.
At the top of the head, make chains of twenty, slip stitching into adjacent stitches as you work back towards the neck.
As you go down the neck, gradually increase the chains, to 22, 24 then 30 for those running down the neck to the back.
How To Make A Crochet Horse
Your finished crochet horse should be a toy that over 3’s can play with, or a cute decorative crochet item.
You can make it in any color combination. I think that I will do a unicorn version soon too!
Happy Crocheting, X
