Are you looking for DIY horse and rider costumes to impress to steal the spotlight at the next Halloween party?
While you can buy plenty of cute costumes online, it's hard to find outfits for large animals like horses at a reasonable price.
Fortunately, I'm here to share 7 easy rider and horse costume ideas, easy DIY horse and rider costumes, DIY equestrian costume that won't put a dent into your budget and require minimal DIY skills.
So, just keep reading.
Key Takeaways
- You can make the perfect costume for you and your horse with a few materials and DIY skills.
- Ensure you use non-toxic body paint for animals and costume elements your animal can't eat.
- Don't force your horses to wear costumes they're not comfortable with.
7 Best DIY Horse and Rider Costumes
I enjoy dressing myself and my horses for Halloween, but I always remember that this celebration can be a frightening experience, especially for young horses.
So, before you try these DIY costumes, keep a few things in mind:
- Keep it simple and ensure the costume can't get tangled in your horse's legs.
- Make sure the outfit doesn't irritate your animal's skin.
- As specialists from Equimed recommend, "Acclimate your horse to costume items slowly, especially if they are unlike anything he's worn before." (1)
#1 Giraffe and Zookeeper
I'm not very handy, so I always look for easy fancy outfits for me and my loyal companion. And there's nothing easier than using non-toxic paint to make a giraffe costume:
- Find suitable horse-safe, washable body paint. You'll also need thin, small-bristled brushes and a yellow-colored ribbon. (2)
- Take your time to paint giraffe markings on your animal. Check this video for inspiration
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61e2hJvuy9U
- Tie one end of the ribbon around your horse's tail.
- Wind the ribbon around the tail to mimic yellow stripes and tie it at the bottom.
- Finish the giraffe costume with a suitable saddle. You can buy one online or paint your regular saddle.
For your zookeeper outfit, you need a safari hat and shirt. You can add an extra touch by printing a name tag.
Pss! If you're not into giraffes, you can use white paint and turn your stallion into a skeleton. Or a zebra!
#2 Grim Reaper and His Horse
If you have a black horse, the best DIY costume for you is a Grim Reaper! And it's not as hard to fashion it as you think:
- You need plenty of black fabric to cover your horse from shoulder to tail. It should be wide enough to cover the horse past your feet.
- Cut the sides of the black fabric in stripes and place it on your horse. Or you can paint it as in this video.
https://www.tiktok.com/@mazzy_moo_/video/7152682699726015790?q=grim%20reaper%20horse%20costume&t=1688643966573
- Put extra black stripes on your horse's mane, tail, and bridle.
- For your creepy costume, dress all in black - black gloves, black clothing, back shoes, etc.
#3 Olaf and Anna
This Olaf horse costume is perfect for Disney movie lovers. And it won't take you much time to complete it:
- Get a white sheet. It should be big enough to cover your horse from head to tail.
- Use scissors to cut holes in the sheet for your animal's nose and eyes.
- Fashion a carrot nose from some orange fabric. You can stick it to the white fabric with glue or Velcro.
- Check this video for inspiration on how to make your Anna costume.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCBpu-4mxkI
#4 Magnificent Unicorn and Princess
Turning your horse into a majestic unicorn is easy-peasy. Just follow these simple instructions:
- Make a unicorn horn from cardstock paper by cutting a cone-shaped figure out of it and rolling it into a cone.
- Use a hot glue gun to attach a ribbon to the base of the cone.
- Decorate the horn with animal-safe glitter. Make sure your horse can't eat any of the elements!
- Place flowers into the mane and tail, or use animal-safe glitter spray to complete the magical horse costume.
- If you have a white horse, you can paint its mane in bold colors. Check this video for inspiration:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7rEQcn5-1M
- For your princess costume, you can cut stars from felt fabric and sew them into your dress. To make the costume complete, add a crown.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5so43Zausc&pp=ygUJZGl5IGNyb3du
#5 The Flower and Busy Bee Costume
Going to a Halloween party as a bumblebee and its favorite flower is another fun idea you can accomplish without much effort or a sewing machine. You need:
- Yellow or black shirts
- Pipe cleaners
- Black tape/Yellow tape
- Helmets
- Glue/Hot glue sticks
- Yellow and green felt
- Black rope, scissors, pompons, and headbands
Watch this video to see how to fashion the costumes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Jnd1qf7DmI
#6 Cute Pumpkin Costume
Halloween is all about Jack-o'-lanterns, so why don't you dress your horse as a cute pumpkin? Here's how to do it:
- Get an orange horse blanket.
- Make triangles and a mouth from black-colored fabric and sew the patches to the blanket.
- Cut a circle out of an orange fabric big enough to cover the top of your horse's head.
- Cut holes for the ears and a small hole in the middle.
- Wrap pipe cleaners into a stem and thread it through the small hole. Secure the pipe cleaners to the bridle or halter.
- Get an orange shirt and sew black patches on it for your costume. Make a pumpkin cap (like the one for your horse minus the holes for ears).
#7 Dragon and His Rider
Do you love dragons? Then why not turn your beautiful stallion/mare into a fire-breathing monster? All you need is suitable fabrics, some needs, rubber bands, spray paint, scissors, cardboard, and Velcro.
Check this video to see how to do it at home!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q7OWWSfefQ
FAQs
- How to make a costume for a horse?
Decide how you want to dress your horse and look for tutorials on YouTube or TikTok.
- What can I dress my horse up as for Halloween?
You can dress your horse in various cool outfits, such as dragons, unicorns, zombies, Grim Reapers, skeletons, etc.
- How do you dress a horse like a pirate?
Tie a headscarf with skulls and crossbones on your horse's head to turn your animal into a scary pirate. Or you can paint crossbones on its skin.
Conclusion
Making animal outfits can be an excellent way to hone your DIY skills, bond with your horse, and make a lasting impression on Halloween or at your kids' birthday party.
However, make sure your horse is comfortable with its costume and that you're using products safe for horses. And don't forget to ensure your horse doesn't overeat on candy!
What do you think about these 7 DIY horse and rider costumes? Which one is your favorite? Share your clever costume ideas in the comment section. Check out our list of even more ideas for your horse this Halloween!
Resources:
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q7OWWSfefQ
- https://horseracingsense.com/paint-use-horses-safe-options-animals/