Cowboy and Cowgirl Gift Ideas for Young Children

As the mom of an aspiring cowboy and a little horse-loving girl, I am always on the lookout for western- or cowboy-themed gifts for children. I have gathered this list of holiday gift ideas for children under six who adore all things cowboy, cowgirl, western, horse, and rodeo.

Western Chief has a line of cowboy- and cowgirl-themed outerwear. The Cowboy line comes in red or brown; the Cowgirl line is pink. Protect your little buckaroo from the elements with Western Chief's high quality raincoats, rain boots, umbrellas, and rain hats ($12-$35). Matching backpacks are also available. The sturdy vinyl backpacks are easy to wipe clean and are the perfect size for smaller shoulders to carry. ($22.95; www.westernchief.com)

If your little cowgirl longs for a pony for Christmas, but you can't quite fit one under the tree, help her hone her riding skills on the Bay Stick Horse from Aurora Gifts instead. When its ear is pressed, the 37" stick horse whinnies and clippity-clops. The plush head is soft, cuddly, and sports a halter with attached reins. ($15.39; www.rideontoysforkids.com)

Encourage your little cowboy's creativity with a western-themed coloring book. The 32-page Rodeo Coloring Book features rodeo participants of all kinds, from bronc riders to calf ropers. Teach your child about horses with the My Horse Coloring Book. This book is the perfect horse gift idea for budding equine enthusiasts. It combines education and entertainment in over 40 illustrations about horses and their care. ($3.95 each; www.allthewest.com)

If your child is a budding rodeo or country music fan, make autograph-gathering easy with the adorable Autograph Horse from Party Options. This 11-inch horse is a great way to collect and display autographs from your child's favorite rodeo stars. A very original gift idea for your little cowboy or cowgirl. ($5.95; www.partyoptions.com)

The Rodeo Play Set from Rod's contains hand-painted barrel racers, roughstock riders, and ropers, each with a corresponding animal. Construct chutes out of fencing and set up barrels for your little cowboy to enact his own rodeo. The set also comes with a bullfighter, pickup truck, and play mat. All fit into a durable hard-plastic case for easy transport. This realistic rodeo play set will get a lot of use. ($24.95; www.rods.com)

Introduce your horse-lover to the world of Breyer collectibles with Breyer's Ponies line. Breyer is renowned for its beautifully crafted, life-like collectable horses. Their Ponies collection is designed specifically for younger children ages four and up, providing realistic horses tough enough for little hands. With the release of the new "Flicka" movie this year, Breyer has produced the Flicka and Western Rider Gift Set featuring a black horse with a western-clothed rider. ($14.95; www.modelhorsesktm.com)

A great stocking stuffer for your little cowboy would be the Slim Line Western Party Stickers. A sheet of twelve contains cowboy boots, cowboy hat, saddle, and lariat. ($.79/sheet; www.partyoptions.com)

The Beaded Pony Bracelet from Wild Horsefeathers is a charming accessory for little cowgirls' wrists. The elastic bracelet of wooden beads set off by three tiny ponies is elasticized to make putting on and removing simple. ($9.95; www.wildhorsefeathers.com)

Horse lovers will appreciate the Rodeo Horse Lunch Box. The blue polyester fabric is printed with rodeo cowboys and horse shoes. The sizeable lunch box has a detachable shoulder strap and interior compartment for a cold pack, as well as a small exterior compartment. ($15.95; www.colorofhorses.com)

Kids love to have their own dishes, and what cuter dinnerware sets are out there than the Children's Western Style 3-Piece Food Set? These teal-trimmed, off-white plastic dishes have a little cowboy on horseback swinging his lariat. The three-piece set includes a cup, bowl, and plate. ($19.95; www.statelinetack.com)

Light up your cowboy's or cowgirl's Christmas with the Stars Light Up Boots from Shepler's. These children's cowboy boots come in black with red trim or pink with fuchsia trim, and are available in children's sizes 1-13. The shafts and heels have stars that light up when the child walks. ($39.99; www.sheplers.com)

Glen Round's classic 1971 children's story Once We Had A Horse has been revised for a whole new generation of horse lovers. This story of how two youngsters on a ranch spend their summer days befriending an old horse is entertaining and heartwarming. Sure to become a family favorite. ($6.95; www.amazon.com)