There's a reason the origami horse shows up in almost every beginner's folder—somewhere between the crane and the boat, it captures that magic moment when a flat square suddenly turns into a living creature with a head, a tail, and four legs. It's a small triumph every single time.

This version is a tidy ten-step classic: you'll collapse the corners into the familiar base, make one careful cut to free the legs, then finish with a pair of inside-reverse folds that bring the head up and the tail out. Don't worry if the reverse folds feel fiddly at first—go slow, and the horse will take shape almost on its own. Let's fold.

STEP 1. Start With A Square Piece Of Paper, Coloured Side Up. Fold The Paper In Half, Crease Well And Open, And Then Fold Again In The Other Direction.

STEP 2. Turn The Paper Over To The White Side. Fold The Paper In Half, Crease Well And Open, And Then Fold Again In The Other Direction. Your Creases Should Look Like This.

STEP 3. Using The Creases You Have Made, Bring The Top 3 Corners Of The Model Down To The Bottom Corner. Flatten Model.

STEP 4. Fold Upper Layer’s Outside Corners Toward Centre Line, Then Fold The Top Downward Along The Crease Shown. Unfold.

STEP 5. Cut Only Top Layer Up To The Top Crease.

STEP 6. Fold The “legs” Upwards Along The Creases Shown.

STEP 7. Fold These Sections In Half, Toward The Centre.

STEP 8. Turn Model Over And Repeat Steps 4-7 On Other Side. The Model Should Now Look Like This.

STEP 9. Rotate Model And Make Creases As Shown. Unfold.

STEP 10. Inside Reverse Fold The Head And The Tail. Finished Horse!

Optional Step: Blunt The 4 Feet Of The Horse By Folding The Tips Upward On The Inside Of The Model.

To Make The Horse Do A Somersault, Sharply Tap Upwards Under His Tail.

Make Other Animals Like The Origami Horse.