MATTEL Barbie DreamHorse & Doll

Gonna Take My Horse to the Old Town Road…

Move over Barbie DreamHouse, there’s a new sherif in town. The Barbie DreamHorse is indeed a dream.

This interactive horse has five sensors and 30+ actions. The toy moves and sounds just like a real horse. Barbie (or your child) can feed the horse carrots and listen as it makes real chewing sounds. The horse also comes with a brush that Barbie can hold onto, to brush its hair.

Barbie can stand alongside the horse or you can snap her in and she can go for a ride. Not only can this horse make noises, but it can also walk in a straight like or walk in a 360 degree fashion.

Though horses can’t talk, you or your child can ask the horse questions and it will shake its head yes or no. Since the horse does so many things, it would have been nice if the Barbie had some battery-controlled actions as well. Barbie comes with a full riding outfit and a helmet. The downside to this Barbie is that her pants are molded onto her body, so your child won’t be able to swap her outfit with any of the standard Barbie clothes.

No toy is perfect, but one consistent con with the horse is that its legs are very wobbly. You have to make sure you stand it up correctly before letting go, or else it will topple over. If you’re not a fan of loud toys then this may be a little irritating for you. The mechanical within the horse that allow it to walk are very loud. The horse comes with batteries, but it’s best to swap those out on the beginning for optimal performance. Parents should switch the horse to the “off” position to conserve battery life after playtime.

The Barbie Dreamhorse is on the pricey side, with a $70+ price tag. However, given the fact that it’s a doll-horse combo and the amount of actions it has, it’s well worth it.

Retail Price: $78.99

Recommended Ages: 6 and Up

Pros:

Doll comes in two versions.
Horse is voice activated and answers questions.
Horse plays music and can dance.
Realistic animal sounds and movements.
Comes with an instructional booklet, carrots, a brush, saddle, and a helmet for Barbie.
Horse has more than 30 reactions/noises.

Cons: