El Caballito -- 100% Colombian Children's Song

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Back in the 1997, my husband and I were visiting friends in Bogotá, when their then 3 year old boy came out and wanted to play the "Caballito." His father patiently excused himself, put on a CD and began to dance with his son. The song, by pop and vallenato singing star Carlos Vives, is a great participation song. Kids get to act like the wooden horse, limping, galloping, crouching down, freezing, etc. throughout the song. It is really fun! Give it a try, but WARNING, it is really fast, so get ready to sweat a bit.

You can watch the video and get the idea, then try it out at home. I found several places where you can download it for free, but it is not available at Itunes.


Se encojó, se encojó (He grew lame, he grew lame)
Se encojó mi caballito. (My little horse grew lame.)

Mi caballo de madera (My wooden stick horse)
Mi juguete más bonito (My most beautiful toy)
Se le ha dañado una pata (Damaged a leg)
Y se encojó mi caballito (And now my little horse grew lame)

Navegando río abajo (Travelling down stream)
Vi jugando un abuelito (I saw a grandpa playing)
Me enseñó como curarlo (He taught me how to cure him)
Y bailamos este jueguito (By dancing this little game)

Atención a los pelaos (Attention kids)
Que ahora va empezar el cuentico (Because the story is going to start now)
Vamos todos a imitar (We are going to immitate)
Lo que haga el caballito (What the little horse does)

Vamos todos a imitar (We are going to immitate)
Lo que haga el caballito (What the little horse does)

Uelelei ei ei
Se encojó mi caballito (My little horse grew lame)
Se encojó, se encojó (He grew lame, he grew lame)
Se encojó mi caballito. (My little horse grew lame.)

Uelelei ei ei
Caminó mi caballito (My little horse walked)
Caminó, caminó (He walked, he walked)
Caminó mi caballito (My little horse walked)

Uelelei ei ei
Galopó mi caballito (My little horse galloped)
Galopó, galopó (He galloped, he galloped)
Galopó mi caballito (My little horse galloped)

Ay que se encojó y se encojó (Ay he grew lame and he grew lame)
Se encojó mi caballito (My little horse grew lame)
Ay que se encojó y caminó (Ay he grew lame and then walked)
Caminó mi caballito (My little horse walked)

Uelelei ei ei
Ya brincó mi caballito (Now my little horse jumped)
Ya brincó, ya brincó (He jumped, he jumped)
Ya brincó mi caballito. (My little horse jumped)

Uelelei ei ei
Se enhieló mi caballito (My little horse froze)
Se enhieló, se enhieló (He froze, he froze)
Se enhielo mi caballito (My little horse froze)

Uelelei ei ei
Se agachó mi caballito (My little horse crouched down)
Se agachó, se agachó (He crouched down, he crouched down)
Se agachó como un sapito (He crouched down like a frog)

Ay que ya brincó y se enhielo (Ay he jumped and then froze)
Se agachó mi caballito (My little horse crouched down)
Ay que ya brincó y se enhielo (Ay he jumped and then froze)
Se agachó mi caballito (My little horse crouched down)

Egidio con su acordeón (Egidio with his accordion)
También juega al Caballito (Also plays the Caballito)
Egidio con su acordeón (Egidio with his accoridon)
Hazlo tú con las manitos (Do it with your hands)

Galopandó vamos ya (Galloping let's go)
Tiqui-taca el caballito
Como lo diga el tambor (Just as the drum does)
Lo hacemos con las manitos (Let's do it with our hands)
Como Gilberth lo tocó (Just as Gilberth plays it)
Lo hacemos igualitico (Let's do it the same)

Uelelei ei ei
Se encojó mi caballito (My little horse grew lame)
Se encojó, se encojó (He grew lame, he grew lame)
Se encojó mi caballito. (My little horse grew lame.)

Uelelei ei ei
Ya corrió mi caballito (My little horse ran)
Ya corrió, ya corrió (He ran, he ran)
Ya corrió mi caballito (My little horse ran)

Uelelei ei ei
Ya giró mi caballito (My little horse spun around)
Ya giró ya giró (He spun around, he spun around)
Ya giró mi caballito (My little horse spun around)

Ay que se encojó y ya corrió (He grew lame and then he ran)
Ya corrió mi caballito (My little horse ran)
Es que ya corrió y se paró (He ran and then stopped)
Se agarró de las manitos (He grabbed hands)

Y giró y giró (And he spun around and around)
Y giró mi caballito (And my little horse spun around)
Giró, giró, giró, giró (He spun around, around, around, around)
Y giró mi caballito (And my little horse spun around)

Ya cansado mi caballo (My horse is now tired)
Ha cerrado sus ojitos (He has closed his eyes)
Vamos todos a arrullarlo (We are going to lull him to sleep)
Se durmió mi caballito (My little horse has fallen asleep.)

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