How to Draw Baby and Mama Horses

Horses in a pasture.

Drawing animals is quite challenging for it requires skill, visualization and a lot of practice. Horses are beautiful when sketched and will look amazing on a wall, handmade picture postcard or greeting. When you draw a mother horse and a foal (baby horse), the picture can be impressive and heart touching at the same time. You can use this skill to make a painting for your living room, or add excitement to a message you want to send your dear ones. This picture shows a mother horse grazing, while her foal is watching in the opposite direction.

Things You'll Need

• Pencil
• Color pencils
• Drawing sheet
• Ruler
• A picture of horse mother and foal (optional)

Instructions

1. Draw a large circle at the left lower corner of the drawing sheet and measure its diameter. Draw another small circle just below the large circle at a distance that equals half the diameter of the large circle. The smaller circle's diameter should be about one-third of the larger circle. This is the base of the mother horse's head.

2. Draw two curved lines across the inside the larger circle. Visualize the head of the mother horse as it is bent down to graze. Draw two parallel lines upward form the large circle, curving inward toward right. This will be the neck of the mare. The neck should be about five times the diameter of the large circle you drew in the lower corner of the paper.

3. Draw a large standing oval shape at the end of the neck. The oval shape should be about 3 1/2 times the size of the diameter of the large circle.

4. Draw two almost parallel lines from the top and bottom of the large circle across the drawing sheet. These lines, which represent the body of the mare, should be slightly longer than the neck lines in length. At the end of these two lines draw another oval slightly inclined toward the left.

5. Draw the eye of the mare in the middle of the large circle. From the eye draw a flecked line (feathery strokes) downward toward the left side of the smaller circle. This will gradually look like the muzzle of the mare. Just to the right of the eye, accentuate the large circle and pull its curve a little more (in a deformed circle manner) toward the right. This becomes the jaw line of the mare.

6. Just a little above where the large circle ends, in the middle of the neckline, draw a horizontal, wavy teardrop -- the left ear of the mare. The right ear should stick out of the head toward the left in the same line with the left ear. Now the head of the horse should be clear. Draw the mane with small feathery strokes on the neck.

7. Draw a circle at the base of the large oval (at the end of the neck) and find its center. Draw the diameter of this circle; the line should start where the neck touches the large oval. Now, draw two lines downward that are perpendicular to the diameter; one starting where the diameter touches the circle on the left side, and the second starting exactly in the center of the circle.

8. Draw a line to the right that forms about 45 degrees to the perpendicular line you have just drawn on the left side of the circle. Continue to draw this line until it touches the line of the circle. Now, measure that line and draw a line that is exactly the same length parallel and downward from the point you drew the second perpendicular line. You will have two sides of two triangles now. These are the back thighs of the foal. Close these two triangles and at the end draw two small ovals on their sides.

9. Draw a horizontal oval touching the center of this circle. This is the body of the foal. This should be about three times the length of the diameter of the circle. Draw a light line across this oval to orient yourself about the measurements. Draw a small circle at the end of the oval below the line that divided it in half. At the base of this circle draw two inverted longish triangles. These are the front thighs of the foal. Draw two small ovals here, too.

10. Draw a longish triangle upward bending toward the right side, the base just touching the oval, to create the neck. Just below the upper end of the neck, draw a circle equal to the one you drew inside the oval. This is the head of the foal.

11. Draw two small teardrops upward on the circle. These are the ears of the foal. Curve the lines of the neck and draw a small mane along the left (outside) side of the neck. Add the tail of the foal.

12. Extend the four triangles (the thighs of the foal) with thin parallel lines slightly bent forward to make the legs of the foal complete. At the end close with the hooves.

13. Draw two triangles downward from the end of the large tilting oval you drew in Step 4 for the mare's thighs. Draw two small circles at the thighs and from there, tilting toward the left, draw thin parallel lines to make the back legs of the mare. The front would be superimposing with the back legs of the foal. So you need to draw thin parallel lines just on the right side of the lower back legs of the foal to make the legs of the mare.

14. Soften the hard straight lines into curves and add shading to make the picture of the mother horse and foal come alive.

Tips & Warnings

• This is not difficult, use geometrical figures to draw the inner skeleton of your picture and you will find it easy.

• Practice a few times until you get the hang of the inclination of the legs and head, and you are able to get the right body proportions.

• You might not get it in one go. Do not worry, it might make a few rough sketches before you will be able to draw a master piece. Keep practicing.

References

• Drawing How to Draw: How to Draw Momma And Baby Horse (Mare and Foal) -- Drawing Tutorial
• DragoArt.Com: How To Draw A Running Horse