There’s a brand-new story at the farm, and it comes with free horse coloring pages your kids can print at home! Meet Canela, a gentle chestnut mare, and Nina, the girl who discovers that brushing a horse is a special way of saying “I care about you.” When the story ends, download the free printable PDF and let the coloring begin.
The Story: Canela’s Magic Brush
At Sunrise Farm, where the morning sun peeks over the rolling hills before anywhere else, there lived a mare named Canela, which means “cinnamon” in Portuguese. She was a chestnut, with a reddish coat that shone like copper in the sun. On her forehead was a tiny white star that looked as if it had been drawn in chalk.
Canela loved to roll in the pasture. She rolled in the grass, in the dirt, and even in rain puddles. By the end of the day, she looked like a chocolate cake nobody had finished frosting, covered in mud with burrs tangled in her mane.
One Saturday, Grandpa Ernesto handed Nina a wooden box with three brushes and a comb.
“Each one has its own job,” he said. “You’ll see.”
Excited, Nina ran over to Canela and came up right behind her without a word. The mare startled and snorted: ffft-ffft!
“Easy,” said Grandpa. “Horses can’t see well behind them. Always approach from the side, slowly, talking softly.”
Nina walked around and stopped beside the mare’s shoulder.
“Hi, Canela. Sorry I scared you. I came to take care of you.”
Canela turned her ears forward and pressed her warm muzzle into Nina’s hand. In horse language, that meant “It’s okay.”
Nina started with the curry comb, the round rubber brush that loosens dirt when you rub it in circles. But she was in a hurry to go play, so she scrubbed hard. Canela twitched her skin, annoyed.
“Grooming isn’t a race,” said Grandpa. “It’s a conversation.”
“But Canela can’t talk!”
“Sure she can. Watch her ears and her bottom lip.”
Nina slowed down. Soon Canela lowered her head, let her lip go soft, and let out a long sigh: ahhhh. Her eyes half closed. She was happy!
Next came the stiff brush, to sweep away dust in the direction the hair grows, and the soft brush, to make her coat shine. Last of all, Nina used the comb to work out the burrs one by one, without pulling, the way her mom did with her own hair. When she finished, Canela looked like a whole new horse, with a spotless star, a smooth mane, and a coat gleaming in the sun.
“Grandpa, this brush is magic!”
“The magic isn’t in the brush, Nina. It’s in the caring,” Grandpa smiled. “And while you brush, you can also check for any scrapes.”
That afternoon, Canela followed Nina across the pasture without anyone calling her and rested her head on Nina’s shoulder.
That’s how Nina learned that kindness can be shared with your hands, with calm, and with patience. And a well-cared-for horse gives it all back in friendship.
The Message of the Story
Taking care of someone calmly and gently is a way of showing love. When Nina stopped rushing, she and Canela became best friends.
A question to talk about with your child: How do you show someone you love that you care about them?
What’s on the Canela Coloring Pages?
Here are the scenes kids will find in the free printable coloring pages PDF:
1. Canela rolling in the pasture: the mare on her back in the grass, legs in the air, with flowers all around. 2. The grooming box: Nina opening the wooden box to show the curry comb, stiff brush, soft brush, and comb. 3. The right way to say hello: Nina standing beside Canela’s shoulder, talking softly, as the mare turns her ears toward her. 4. Grooming time: Nina making circles with the curry comb as little puffs of dust float up. 5. Combing the mane: Nina working through the mane as burrs drop to the ground. 6. Friends in the sunshine: a gleaming Canela resting her head on Nina’s shoulder, with the farm behind them.
Did You Know? Fun Facts About Grooming Horses
- Chestnut is the name for a reddish or copper-colored coat, with a mane and tail the same color as the body or a little lighter.
- In the pasture, horses groom each other by nibbling along a friend’s neck. Brushing feels a lot like that!
- Before riding, it’s important to brush the area where the saddle sits so no dirt rubs and hurts the horse.
- Horses roll in the dirt to scratch itches and keep bugs away. That’s why they come back from the pasture so messy!
- Horses can’t see directly behind them or right in front of their nose, so approaching from the side is always safest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these horse coloring pages free?
Yes! All of the Canela coloring pages are free for personal and classroom use.
Can I print them at home?
Absolutely. The pages are designed for standard US Letter or A4 paper on any home printer.
Is there a PDF download?
Yes. Click the “Download Free PDF” button at the top of the page to get every coloring page in one file.
Can teachers use them in school?
Of course! Teachers can print the coloring sheets for the classroom and use the story to talk with kids about kindness and respect for animals.
Print, Color, and Share!
Parents and teachers: download the free PDF, print the Canela coloring pages, and let kids color the chestnut mare any way they like. Then tell us which colors turned out best!
