READ: Books
Talk: Share pictures of horses and talk about what sound do they make? do they have important jobs? Have you ever ridden on a horse? Talk a little about the Kentucky Derby- have you ever seen a horse race? give a few simple facts about the Kentucky Derby to your kids
Site for kids facts on KY Derby
Clip Clop By Nicola Smee
Giddy Up Let's Ride By Flora McDonnell
Horses: Trotting, Prancing, Racing By Patricia Hubbell
Noni the Pony (Series) By Alison Lester
Are You A Horse? By Andy Stash
Ponyella By Laura Numeroff
Hush, Little Horsie By Jane Yolen
Pony Brushes His Teeth By Michael Dahl
That's Not My Pony By Fiona Watt
Horseplay! by Karma Wilson
Cowboy Small By Lois Lenski
Giddy Up Daddy By Troy Cummings
In My Barn by Sara Gillingham & Lorena Siminovich
National Geographic Ponies Book By Laura Marsh
The Princess and the Pony By Kate Beaton
Robert The Rose Horse By Joan Heilbroner
How I Spent My Summer Vacation By Mark Teague
D is for Derby : A Kentucky Derby Alphabet Book By Helen Wilbur (Grades 2 and up)
Seabiscuit the Wonder Horse By Meghan McCarthy (Grades K-3)
SONGS/RHYMES:
High Stepping Horses
Unknown Author
High stepping horses,
High stepping horses,
High stepping horses,
Clippety, clippety clop!
(Make fist go up and down as you sing or chant the words)
Change the word “high, soft, loud, fast, slow…”
Credit teachpreschool.org
Riding on a Horses Back
by Deborah J. Stewart
I’m riding on a horses back
He’s taking me down the track
When he goes, “clippety-clop”
I go, “bumpety-bump”
Riding on a horses back!
(Now repeat but say “Giddeup horsey” to make the song go faster and “Whoa horsey” to slow the song back down again).
Credit teachpreschool.org
Action Rhyme: “I Gave My Horse an Apple”
I gave my horse an apple, (pretend to give something)
And she gave me a neigh. (neigh)
I gave my horse a carrot, (pretend to give something)
And she moved her head this way. (move head up and down)
I gave my horse a sugar lump, (pretend to give something)
She gave me a smile. (smile big)
And then she took me for a ride,
For more than half a mile. (slap hands on thighs like galloping)
Credit: Storytime in a Box & Storytime Katie
Fingerplay: “Ten Galloping Horses”
Ten galloping horses, (hold up ten fingers)
Came through town. (slap hands on legs like galloping)
Five were white, (hold up five fingers)
And five were brown. (hold up five fingers on other hand)
They galloped up, (slap up toward top of thighs)
They galloped down, (slap down toward knees)
Ten galloping horses, (hold up ten fingers)
Came through town. (slap hands on legs like galloping)
Credit: King County Library System & Storytime Katie
“Gitty –Up ( Lap Ride)”
Gitty--up,
gitty--up, gitty--up
Up—up!
Gitty--up,
gitty--up, gitty--up
Up—up!
Gitty--up,
gitty--up, gitty--up
Up—up!
Whoooa---Horsey
(Raise Arms in the air)
Lap Ride: “This is the
Way the Baby Rides” The Mulberry Bush
This is the way the baby
rides, Baby rides, baby rides.
This is the way the baby
rides,
Bouncy, Bouncy, Bouncy.
(bounce baby slowly on
one knee)
This is the way the jockey
rides,
Jockey rides, jockey
rides.
This is the way the
jockey rides,
Gallopy, gallopy,
gallopy.
(use both knees and move
them up and down)
CRAFT/ PLAY/ EXPLORE:
Horses Stop & Go Activity
{Large Motor}
The children crawl around the carpet pretending to be horses as the
teacher calls out “stop” and “go”. This can also be played with the
children galloping. Credit Prekinders.com
Horses Printable Coloring, dot to dot
Old McDonald Farm Animal Crowns Printable from TPT $ 2.40
Horse Preschool Printables
"New" Hilarious & Interactive Picture Books 
Quit Calling Me A Monster By Jory John (pub.2016)
Goodnight Already By Jory John ( Bear and Duck Series) (pub 2015)
Heal The Earth By Julian Lennon (Pub 2018)
2016)
The Good for Nothing Button (Elephant and Piggie Like Reading Series) By Mo Willems and Charise Mericle Harper
Snappsy The Alligator and His Best Friend Forever By Julie Falatko (Pub 2017) 
