All The Pretty Little Horses is a traditional lullaby from the United states. This poem is also alternatively known as “Hush-a-Bye”. The origins of this poem are not fully known. Over the years many have said that this lullaby is of African-American origin, but nothing has been said for sure.

Lyn Ellen Lacy has been quoted as the author of this lullaby frequently. It is believed that this lullaby was sung by an African slave who could not take care of her own child as she was busy taking her master’s child. In those days, the slaves were separated from their families to look after their master’s children. Also, read Five Little Monkeys.

This lullaby is usually sung to soothe the restless child and let them fall asleep peacefully. The most enduring meaning of this lullaby is that of a mother or a caretaker singing it to a child and promising the child that when the child wakes, they shall have all the pretty horses. Here you go!

All The Pretty Little Horses

All The Pretty Little Horses

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Hush-a-bye, don’t you cry
Go to sleep, my little baby
When you dream, you shall see
All the pretty little horses

Blacks and bays
Dapples and grays
All the pretty little horses
Hush-a-bye, don’t you cry
Go to sleep, my little baby

They’ll dance for you
Their love is true
While you dream through the night
Their coats will shine
So truly divine
Pretty horses surround you

Hush-a-bye, close your eyes
Dream of horses in a meadow
Twirl in place, with beauty and grace
All the pretty little horses

Blacks and bays
Dapples and grays
All the pretty little horses
Hush-a-bye, don’t you cry
Go to sleep, my little baby

Hush-a-bye, close your eyes
Go to sleep, my little baby.

Summary:

The lullaby opens with the narrator (mother or caretaker) asking the child not to cry. As the lullaby progresses, the narrator promises the child, that when the child sleeps they shall have all the horses that are beautiful and pretty. The narrator then goes on to name a few breeds of horses, indicating that the child could have any of those beautiful horses.

Further, the narrator sings to the child and asks the child to stop crying and to fall asleep, for when the child sleeps all those pretty horses would dance around the child.The narrator tells the child that the love these beautiful horses is true and divine. You may also like to read, Miss Mary Mack Song.

Continuing, the narrator sings that when the child is sleeping through the night and dreaming of the horses, the coats of these horses would shine and make them even prettier. Lastly, the narrator sings and asks the child to dream about the horses running free in the meadows. And asks the child to twirl around the happiness in the very spot they are standing so that the child too can enjoy with the horses.

A Little Something For Parents:

Poems should be an integral part of your child’s growing process as they make their lives more colorful and vibrant by adding a variety of rich experience. So, every child should be encouraged to read more and more poems.

Please feel free to share your thoughts on our poems in Comments Below Or let us know if you want us to write poems of your choice. Your feedback is important to us. Thanks in advance.

Here is a visual representation of the poem “All the Pretty Little Horses“. Watch the video below.