Horses are one of the most popular animals on the silver screen. Whether they're pulling carts or saving the day, horses in movies never fail to entertain.
And while horses in movies can be anything from majestic creatures that inspire awe to silly comedy relief, their exploits always grip the audience.
All of the horse movies on this page can be streamed on popular services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. So grab a blanket and some snacks, sit back, and enjoy horses in all shapes and sizes.
From daring heroes that save the day to equine celebrities who make you laugh or cry, there's something for everyone.
Dream Horse (Amazon)
Dream Horse is the true story of an unlikely racehorse and its owners. A small-town barmaid Jan Vokes bred the horse and then convinced her friends in the pub to fund the horses training.
The small Welsh village then took on the Sport of Kings with very little money and no experience.
This fantastic horse movie is a true story that will have you cheering at the end – perfect for horse lovers.
Free Rein (Netflix)
During a summer in the English countryside, 15-year-old Zoe meets a mysterious dark horse and finds the strength to face her problems.
She must overcome boy issues and horse thieves along the way. The gripping tale is suitable for all ages that will leave you wanting more.
Walk. Ride. Rodeo. (Netflix)
A nationally competitive barrel racer, Amberley Snyder, barely survives an automobile accident. She is paralyzed from the waist down and is fighting to reclaim her position in the sport she loves.
Great drama and fantastic scenes of horses in barrel racing action – wonderful movie night action for real horse fans.
Rock My Heart (Netflix)
A brave young girl with heart disease forms a friendship with an unruly black stallion, and she prepares to compete as an amateur jockey in a death-defying competition.
The film premiered on Netflix on June 6, 2019. A great movie and a truly inspiring tale.
Riding Faith (Netflix)
A young woman tries to keep her family ranch afloat after her father's death while preserving a special connection with her horses.
With the assistance of their friends and a magnificent white horse, they hatch a strategy to raise enough money to buy the ranch while also learning not to lose hope in the face of adversity.
Ponysitters Club (Netflix)
The Ponysitters Club is a Netflix children's television series that debuted on August 10, 2018. The drama follows a group of youngsters who try to preserve and raise horses and ponies on a ranch dedicated to sheltering abused animals.
Morgan Neundorf, Madeline Leon, and Hugh Wilson star as the show is based on Victoria Carson's book.
Roped (Netflix)
When a travelling rodeo arrives in town, a progressive community erupts. A young cowboy challenges the town councilman on his path to stardom.
But, when the daughter of the town councilman falls in love with the cowboy, their conflict becomes personal.
Will they ride off into the sunset together? Watch this movie about a rodeo star to find out.
Bibi and Tina (Netflix)
Teen witch Bibi and horse-loving teenage girl Tina face trouble when a posh girl flirts with Tina's boyfriend, and a crook sets his greedy eyes on a promising foal.
Fun drama with witches and horses – what more could you want?
Heartland (Netflix)
A multi-generational drama set in Alberta, Canada, about a family that gets through life together, both good and bad.
Beautiful scenes of Canada and excellent storytelling. A solid ensemble cast, including all the pretty horses.
Klara (Netflix)
After her parent's divorce, Klara, a teenage girl, is sent to live with her mother in a small town.
The young girl is alienated and has difficulty making friends. Most of Klara's classmates go horseback riding, so she joins the riding school to fit in.
Klara is forced to lie about her riding abilities; before she can rein in the lies, the troubled teen is enrolled for a major riding competition!
Spirit – Riding Free (Netflix)
Spirit Riding Free is a Netflix-distributed computer-animated series based on the 2002 Oscar-nominated traditionally animated film Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron.
The animated series is chiefly about a 12-year-old girl named Fortuna “Lucky” Esperanza Navarro Prescott, who had recently moved from the city; she and her friends go on many adventures meeting feral horses and a wild mustang along the way.
A Sunday Horse (AmazonPrime)
After surviving an almost fatal accident, a rider attempts to win a national jumping competition.
Nikki Reed, the star of the Twilight franchise, stars in The Sunday Horse, an indie drama based on Debi Connor, an equestrian rider from the wrong side of the tracks who overcomes adversity and a near-fatal accident to win the U.S. championship on a horse that had been destined for slaughter.
War Horse (AmazonPrime)
Albert (Jeremy Irvine) and his beloved horse, Joey, lived on a farm in the British countryside before World War I. When Albert's father sells the animal to the British army at the start of World War I, he and Joey are torn apart.
Joey embarks on an adventure filled with danger, fun, and sadness that transforms everyone he meets. At the same time, Albert struggles to put his relationship with his horse behind him and search the battlefields of France for Joey, who is now a cavalry horse.
True Appaloosa (AmazonPrime)
This inspiring documentary follows one woman's search for the Appaloosa origins. When this rare horse breed was shown in a Kyrgyzstan documentary, a 69-year-old woman could not believe her eyes.
However, the chance sighting would pique her interest and prompt an 8500-mile journey to find the origins of the famous wild horse. Watch the incredible true story that swaps the wild west for the wild east.
Palio (Netflix)
The Palio is the world's oldest continually run horse race. Held in the beautiful medieval town square of Siena.
This stunning documentary looks at this incredible race described as ‘Rocky On Horseback'.
Flicka (AmazonPrime)
Katy McLaughlin, a headstrong 16-year-old girl, wants to work on her family's mountainside horse ranch, but her father insists she finish boarding school.
Katy discovers a wild stallion in the hills surrounding her ranch. To prove to her father that she can run the ranch, Katy sets out to tame a mustang.
However, when tragedy strikes, it will take all the family's love and strength to rebuild hope.
Black Beauty (AmazonPrime – For Rent)
Like the Anna Sewell novel it is based upon, this film adaptation tells the story through the eyes of a majestic stallion named Black Beauty.
At first, he lives a relaxed country life with his owner. Later, he is forced to become a London taxi horse.
Eventually, Black Beauty finds himself at the hands of loving owners again, but only after a series of thrilling hardships and triumphs.
Seabiscuit (AmazonPrime – For Rent)
A hard-working businessman, a jockey with a history of brutal injuries and a retired horse trainer join forces in a bid to help Seabiscuit.
The horse struggles at first but eventually becomes one of the greatest thoroughbreds, inspiring a nation when it needs inspiration most.
Phar Lap (Not Currently Streaming)
Tommy (Tom Burlinson) works for horse trainer Harry Telford (Martin Vaughan). Telford entrusts Tommy with the care of his horse ‘Phar Lap' when the unfancied horse begins an unexpected winning streak; Telford must fend off pressure from gamblers keen to take advantage of the horse's ability.
Phar Lap is the true story of the Australian racehorse who stunned the world.
Horse Whisperer (AppleTV – For Rent)
A riding accident severely injures teenage Grace (Scarlett Johansson) and her beloved horse. Her mother, Annie (Kristin Scott Thomas, Slow Horses), a high-powered New York magazine editor, realizes Grace will only recover once the horse heals.
“Horse whisperer” Tom Booker (Robert Redford) begins to heal the horse, and in the process, Annie's long-dormant feelings are stirred, causing her to question her marriage and career choices.
The Derby Stallion (AmazonPrime – Rent)
Zac Efron's The Derby Stallion is great for teens and older audiences. A drunk former horse-trainer sees a fifteen-year-old boy with a unique talent for horsemanship and helps him realize his ambition.
Secretariat (Disney+)
After her father (Scott Glenn) becomes ill, housewife and mother Penny Chenery (Diane Lane) takes over management of the family thoroughbred farm, despite her lack of experience.
With the help of veteran trainer Lucien Laurin (John Malkovich), Chenery successfully navigates the world of horse racing and fosters a talented colt that eventually wins the 1973 Triple Crown.
Racing Stripes (Hulu & AmazonPrime)
A baby zebra gets separated from a travelling circus in a small Kentucky town. Hayden Panettiere plays Channing Walsh, a horse trainer who falls in love with the animal after discovering it.
The girl keeps him as a pet and calls him Stripes. Since her mother was killed in an accident, Channing has been forbidden from racing, but her ambition remains undiminished.
She is convinced that her goal can be accomplished with the help of her new pet.
Best Horse Movies Of All Time
Over the years, there have been some great horse movies, and we've highlighted just a few of them here.
Whether you're interested in war horses, true stories of horses overcoming adversity, or simply watching horses run free, there's something for everyone on this list.
Have you seen any of these films? Which one was your favourite? Let us know in the comments below!
Has a Horse won an Academy Award?
I'm sorry to report that no horse has received an Oscar for his performance on film. However, the movie ‘War Horse‘ did win Best Motion Picture of the Year in 2012.
Unfortunately, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences rule states that real animals can't win an Oscar.
However, Robert Redford did win a Golden Globe for his work on ‘The Horse Whisperer‘ in 1998.
What Horse Movies are on Netflix?
Netflix has a great selection of horse movies to choose from, some of which are listed above. From classic stories like ‘War Horse' and animated movies like ‘Free Rein', you'll be sure to find plenty of equine action on the popular streaming service.
Remember, all movies with horses can be found by typing ‘horse' into your search bar on the Netflix platform.
My favourite horse movies on Netflix include: Walk. Ride. Rodeo. and Dream Horse, the true story about a working-class horse racing syndicate from a small Welsh village.
Horse Movies on Disney Plus?
If you have a Disney Plus subscription, you'll have access to many more films about horses.
You can stream Flickr and Flickr 2 along with the 2020 reimagining of Black Beauty.
Plus classic horse racing drama Secretariat and fun children's films like Horse Sense.
True Story Horse Movies
There have been many great horse movies based on true stories over the years. From classic films like ‘Champion' and ‘Secretariat' to more recent movies like ‘Walk. Ride. Rodeo.' and ‘Dream Horse', horses have always been a popular subject for film.
Some of the most successful horse movies are based on true stories, which only adds to their appeal.
Famous Horse Movies
Did you know that horses have starred in some of the most famous movies of all time? From classic Westerns to high-action adventure films, horses have played a significant role on the big screen.
Here are just a few of the most memorable horse movies of all time:
- BLACK BEAUTY
- WAR HORSE
- NATIONAL VELVET
- CHAMPION
- THE MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER
- ALL THE PRETTY HORSES
- LEAN ON PETE
- HIDALGO
- DREAMER
Famous Horse Names From The Movies
We all know that Roy Rogers' horse was called ‘Trigger' and the Lone Ranger's horse was named ‘Silver'. But do you know the names of other famous horses from the big screen?
- NATIONAL VELVET (The Pie)
- WAR HORSE (Joey)
- CHAMPION (Aldaniti)
- DREAM HORSE (Dream Alliance)
- FREE REIN (Raven)
- LEAN ON PETE (Starsky)
If you love horses, then you're going to want to watch some of the most famous horse movies of all time.
These films feature some of the most beautiful horses ever captured on film, and they'll leave you wanting to learn more about these fantastic creatures. So saddle up and get ready for a wild ride!
Don't forget to leave a comment about your favourite horse movies below. If you'd like to read more about the following horse movies: Palio, True Appaloosa and Lean On Pete – click on the film titles for a full review.
Beatrice
Phar lap