Whether you’re a life-long lover of all-things equine or have never even sat on a horse, these gentle giants have been a source of inspiration to humans for millennia. Here’s a list of our favorite films featuring horses and the lives they have shaped.
1. Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken
A runaway orphan, young Sonora persists for a menial job mucking stables in Doc Carver’s traveling stunt show. Her great wish is to become a death-defying “diving girl,” but Doc refuses her pleas. Undaunted, Sonora’s gutsy resolve finally convinces him to give her a break. On the brink of stardom, however, a cruel twist of fate threatens to destroy her dream. Rated G. Click here for ways to watch.
2. Hidalgo
Rugged cowboy Frank Hopkins (Viggo Mortensen) is an expert horseman who performs in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. When affluent Sheik Riyadh (Omar Sharif), piqued by tales of Hopkins’ talent, challenges Hopkins to prove himself in a treacherous long-distance horse race called the Ocean of Fire, Hopkins is forced to oblige. In the Middle East with his American mustang, he must race against thoroughbred horses ridden by the best riders in the world with his reputation -- and his life -- at stake. Rated PG-13. Available to rent on YouTube, Amazon Prime & iTunes.
3. The Horse Whisperer
When teenage Grace (Scarlett Johansson) is traumatized by a riding accident that badly injures her horse, her mother Annie (Kristin Scott Thomas), a high-powered New York magazine editor, realizes Grace will only recover once the horse is healed. She takes them both to a secluded Montana ranch, where legendary “horse whisperer” Tom Booker (Robert Redford) begins to heal the horse, and also stirs long-dormant feelings in Annie that lead her to question her marriage and choice of career. Rated PG-13. Available to rent on YouTube, Amazon Prime & iTunes.
4. The Black Stallion
Alec (Kelly Reno) encounters a magnificent black Arabian horse while traveling aboard a steamship around the coast of North Africa with his father (Hoyt Axton). When a disaster destroys the ship, Alec frees the horse and escapes with it to a nearby island, where they form a close bond. When Alec is rescued, he insists the horse be rescued too, and both return to America. There, Alec and former jockey Henry (Mickey Rooney) work to train the horse, which Alec names “The Black,” for a race. Rated G. Available to rent on YouTube, Amazon Prime iTunes.
5. National Velvet
When Velvet Brown (Elizabeth Taylor), an equine-loving 12-year-old living in rural Sussex, becomes the owner of a rambunctious horse, she decides to train it for England’s Grand National race. Aided by former jockey Mi Taylor (Mickey Rooney) and encouraged by her family, the determined Velvet gets her steed, affectionately called “The Pie,” ready for the big day. However, a last-minute problem arises with the jockey and an unexpected rider must step in as a replacement. Rated G. Available to rent on YouTube, iTunes and Google Play.
6. Secretariat
Despite her lack of experience, housewife and mother Penny Chenery (Diane Lane) agrees to take over management of the family Thoroughbred farm after her father (Scott Glenn) becomes ill. Successfully navigating her way through the male-dominated world of horse racing, Chenery, together with veteran trainer Lucien Laurin (John Malkovich), fosters a gifted colt that ultimately crosses the finish line into history as the Triple Crown winner in 1973. Rated PG. Available on to rent on YouTube, iTunes, and Amazon Prime. Also on Disney Plus!
7. Walk. Ride. Rodeo
Amberley Snyder (Spencer Locke)’s dreams of a college scholarship and pro rodeo career are brought to a halt when she’s involved in a devastating accident. Now unable to use her legs, she refuses to give up on her dreams and instead decides to fight her way back into competitive barrel racing. Based on an incredible true story. Rated PG. Available on Netflix.
8. The Man From Snowy River
After the death of his father, proud young Jim Craig (Tom Burlinson) sets out to become his own man. Taking a job with horse rancher Harrison (Kirk Douglas), Craig is treated poorly by the more experienced cowboys, but wins the heart of the rancher’s daughter, Jessica (Sigrid Thornton), when he helps her break a high-strung colt and later saves her life. When he’s unfairly blamed for the loss of an expensive horse, Craig fights to restore his honor and prove that he’s worthy of Jessica’s hand. Rated PG. Available to rent on Amazon Prime and YouTube.
9. Seabiscuit
In the midst of the Great Depression, a businessman (Jeff Bridges) coping with the tragic death of his son, a jockey with a history of brutal injuries (Tobey Maguire) and a down-and-out horse trainer (Chris Cooper) team up to help Seabiscuit, a temperamental, undersized racehorse. At first the horse struggles to win, but eventually Seabiscuit becomes one of the most successful thoroughbreds of all time, and inspires a nation at a time when it needs it most. Rated PG-13. Available to rent on YouTube, Amazon Prime, iTunes and Google Play.
10. Dreamer
Ben Crane (Kurt Russell) is a horse trainer who is struggling to connect with his precocious daughter, Cale (Dakota Fanning). But then a horse by the name of Soñador suffers a broken leg after its evil owner (David Morse) races her despite Ben’s advice. Rather than put his client’s injured horse down, Ben adopts her and welcomes Cale into the family business. They train Soñador to race again as grouchy but kind-hearted Grandpa (Kris Kristofferson) lends his encouragement. Rated PG. Available to rent on YouTube, Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTune. Also streaming on Hulu!
