The Greatest Movies About Horses, Ranked
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Vote up the best films about horses, including those about wild stallions and racehorses.
- 1Diane Lane, John Malkovich, Dylan Walsh
Secretariat tells the true story of an incredible racehorse who overcame adversity and obstacles to become one of the greatest racers in history. Not only does it tell us an inspiring tale of courage and determination, but also gives us insight into how horses bond with their trainers (John Malkovich) and owners (Diane Lane). It's an emotional story that appeals to everyone, regardless if you're a fan of racing or not.
More Secretariat
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- 2Matt Damon, James Cromwell, Daniel Studi
Set in the 19th century American West, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron follows Spirit, an intelligent and courageous wild horse who must make his way back to his home after being captured by humans. The animation is gorgeous, with stunning backgrounds and beautiful music throughout. It's a tale full of emotion that will leave you feeling uplifted and inspired by the courage of this special stallion.
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- 3Sean Bean, David Thewlis, Jim Carter
Black Beauty is a classic movie about the powerful bond between horses and humans, based on an 1877 novel by Anna Sewell. It follows an Arabian horse throughout colt-good, then as he is passed from owner to owner, facing different challenges along the way. Black Beauty's strength and courage are tested by each new experience until he is finally reunited with his first love: his original master. This heart-warming story shows how a loyal horse can captivate our hearts.
- 4Alison Lohman, Tim McGraw, Maria Bello
Flicka follows the story of a teenage girl (Alison Lohman) who finds an injured wild horse in the hills near her father's Wyoming ranch and works to tame her. This heartwarming tale is full of adventure and excitement as Katy attempts to win the approval of her father (Tim McGraw) as she enters Flicka in a dangerous race.
More Flicka- #109 of 155 onThe 150+ Best Classic Tween Movies
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- 5Emily Watson, David Thewlis, Jeremy Irvine
War Horse follows the epic journey of Joey, a thoroughbred racehorse who is separated from his owner during World War I and sold to the British Army. The film follows the horse's odyssey through different communities and battlefields, exposing the harsh realities of war for humans and animals alike. War Horse received multiple awards and was nominated for the Oscar for Best Picture.
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- 6Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper
Seabiscuit is a 2003 American sports film based on the true story of an undersized and overlooked thoroughbred racehorse against the backdrop of the Great Depression. This heartwarming movie follows his journey from obscurity to become one of the most beloved sporting figures in history with the help of a businessman (Jeff Bridges), a jockey (Tobey Maguire), and a trainer (Chris Cooper). Nominated for seven Academy Awards, Seabiscuit is considered one of the greatest films ever made about horses.
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- 7Kelly Reno, Mickey Rooney, Teri Garr
The Black Stallion tells the story of Alec Ramsey, a young boy who forms an unbreakable bond with Black, a wild horse he found on an island. Together they embark on an incredible journey across oceans and continents. The movie is praised for its stunning cinematography and powerful performance from both lead human actor Kelly Reno and his equine co-star Cass Ole.
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- 8Kurt Russell, Dakota Fanning, Kris KristoffersonBen 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.
- 9Mona Freeman, Richard Denning, Evelyn AnkersFor her birthday, English teenager Anne Wheldon (Mona Freeman) is given a newborn horse. She names him Black Beauty and cares for him as he grows into a strong colt. One day, American Bill Dixon (Richard Denning) visits Anne's family's farm. He takes great interest in Anne's young horse, while Anne, however, is very taken with Bill. When he returns some years later, Anne hopes to draw Bill's attention, but she is dismayed to see that he still views her as a little girl.
- 10Viggo Mortensen, Omar Sharif, Louise LombardRugged 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.More Hidalgo
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- 11Kirk Douglas, Tom Burlinson, Sigrid ThorntonAfter 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.More The Man from Snowy River
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- 12Bruce Greenwood, Hayden Panettiere, M. Emmet WalshA baby zebra gets separated from a traveling circus in a small Kentucky town. It's eventually discovered by horse trainer Nolan Walsh (Bruce Greenwood) and his daughter, Channing (Hayden Panettiere), who falls in love with the animal. She calls him Stripes (Frankie Muniz) and keeps him as a pet. Though Nolan has forbidden Channing from racing ever since her mother was killed in an accident, her ambition is undiminished. With the help of her new pet, she's convinced that her goal can be realized.More Racing Stripes
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- 13Robert Redford, Kristin Scott Thomas, Sam NeillWhen 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.More The Horse Whisperer
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- 14Patrick Warburton, Tammin Sursok, Clint BlackFlicka 2 is a 2010 direct-to-DVD film and sequel to Flicka. This is a movie about a city girl who finds herself in the country not by choice and befriends a horse. Both girl and horse not wanted; have to find a common bond. The film stars Patrick Warburton, Tammin Sursok and Clint Black.
- 15Mickey Rooney, Elizabeth Taylor, Donald CrispWhen 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.More National Velvet
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- 16Kelly Reno, Teri Garr, Vincent SpanoWealthy Moroccan sheik Ishak (Ferdinand Mayne), believing himself to be the true owner, dispatches his henchmen to steal a champion Arabian stallion, the Black, from its young caretaker, Alec Ramsay (Kelly Reno). Determined to recover the horse, Alec follows the sheik back to Morocco, where his pleas for the stallion's return fall on deaf ears. When Alec learns that Ishak plans to enter the Black in an upcoming race, he settles for training the horse's new jockey -- for the time being.
- 17Roddy McDowall, James Bell, Jeff CoreyMy Friend Flicka is a 1943 coming-of-age film about a young boy, played by Roddy McDowall, who is given a young horse to raise. It is based on the popular children's novel by Mary O'Hara.
- 18Tom Burlinson, Martin Vaughan, Judy MorrisTommy (Tom Burlinson) works as a stable boy for horse trainer Harry Telford (Martin Vaughan). Telford takes a risk in leasing a gaunt horse named Phar Lap from his boss, Dave Davis (Ron Leibman), entrusting care of the animal to Tommy. But when Phar Lap begins an unexpected winning spree, Telford must fend off pressure from other racers and disgruntled gamblers -- not to mention the boss and his wife (Judy Morris), who have both taken a keen interest in the horse and its earning potential.
- 19Gabrielle Anwar, Michael Schoeffling, Cliff RobertsonThrilled by a performance she sees at a fair, Sonora (Gabrielle Anwar) tries to land a spot as a daredevil who rides horses off of high dives. With the help of Al Carver (Michael Schoeffling), whose father runs the show, Sonora works toward her goal. An injury to star rider Marie (Kathleen York) paves her way, and Sonora finds herself on the diving platform. Her life looks complete now that she and Al are in love, but Sonora is about to be thrust into a very trying chapter of her life.
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- 20Brian Dennehy, Bryan Marshall, Sigrid ThorntonThe Man from Snowy River II is a 1988 Australian drama film, the sequel to the 1982 film The Man from Snowy River. It was released in the United States as Return to Snowy River, and in the United Kingdom as The Untamed. Reprising their roles from the first film were Tom Burlinson and Sigrid Thornton - while Brian Dennehy appeared as "Harrison", instead of Kirk Douglas.
- 21Richard Romanus, Gerard Rudolf, Adil AbdelwahabThe Young Black Stallion is a 2003 made-for-IMAX family film from Walt Disney Pictures. Directed by Simon Wincer, the film is based on the 1989 novel of the same name by Black Stallion creator Walter Farley and his son Steven Farley. Noted for its beautiful scenery and wide-angle shots, the 49-minute movie was filmed on-location in the deserts of Namibia and South Africa. The film stars Biana G. Tamimi as Neera, a young girl who befriends a young black stallion, and Patrick Elyas as Aden, although his voice was dubbed by Eric Grucza, who, for his uncredited performance was nominated in 2004 for the Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Voice-Over Role. The film is Disney’s first production made specifically for IMAX theaters, and a prequel to the 1979 film The Black Stallion. The original film won an Academy Award for Best Sound Editing and received nominations for Film Editing and Supporting Actor Mickey Rooney, but it doesn’t appear Disney has such lofty expectations for The Young Black Stallion.
- 22Don Johnson, Kay Panabaker, Lori LoughlinMoondance (Kay Panabaker), a misfit at her school, anticipates another lonely summer. She unexpectedly finds an escaped horse named Checkers and returns him to his rightful owner, Dante (Don Johnson). Undeterred by Dante's gruff manner, she asks him for a job at the stable. While riding Checkers, she discovers he has a talent for jumping, and she convinces Dante to coach them for a prestigious competition.
- 23
Ruffian
Sam Shepard, Laura Bailey, Frank WhaleyRuffian is an American made-for-television movie that tells the story of the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame Champion thoroughbred filly Ruffian who went undefeated until her death after breaking down in a nationally televised match race at Belmont Park on July 6, 1975 against the Kentucky Derby winner, Foolish Pleasure. Made by ESPN Original Entertainment, the film is directed by Yves Simoneau and stars Sam Shepard as Ruffian's trainer, Frank Whiteley. The producers used four different geldings in the role of Ruffian. Locations for the 2007 film included Louisiana Downs in Shreveport, Louisiana and Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Ruffian was first broadcast on June 9, 2007 on the ABC television network. The DVD was released on June 12, 2007. Previously, ESPN Classic had broadcast a special on July 6, 2000 to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the death of Ruffian. - 24Clint Black, Lisa Hartman, Kacey RohlToby (Clint Black) and Flicka step in to help a stable owner (Lisa Hartman Black) and her daughter (Kacey Rohl) save their business from falling to a rival horse trainer who is stealing their clients.
- 25Teresa Palmer, Sam Neill, Sullivan StapletonMichelle Payne, first female jockey to win Melbourne Cup.More Ride Like a Girl
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- 26Mackenzie Foy, Kate Winslet, Claire ForlaniBlack Beauty is a 2020 drama film directed by Ashley Avis, based on the 1877 novel of the same name by Anna Sewell. A wild horse and a teenage girl forge an unbreakable bond which keeps them connected for a lifetime.
- 27Matthias Schoenaerts, Gideon Adlon, Bruce DernA violent convict is given the chance to participate in a rehabilitation therapy program centered around the training of wild mustangs.
- 28Dean Jones, Diane Baker, Lloyd BochnerFred Bolton (Dean Jones) is an advertising man facing pressure from both his boss, Tom Dugan (Fred Clark), and his daughter, Helen (Ellen Janov). He needs to satisfy Dugan with a great promotional campaign for the stomach remedy Aspercel, while also making good on his shy daughter's deep longing for a horse. Bolton convinces his boss to buy a horse and dubs it Aspercel, with the hopes it will become a champion, bringing attention to the product and, ultimately, saving Bolton's job.
- 29Arthur O'Connell, David Ladd, Anne SeymourMisty is the name of a 1961 film based upon Marguerite Henry's award-winning children's book Misty of Chincoteague, published in 1947. It was made with a budget of $705,000 and was directed by James B. Clark.
- 30Sarah Blackman, Preston Brant, K.C. ClydePatrick meets and becomes friends with Houston Jones, a horse trainer with a bad reputation. Patrick starts training to compete in the Derby Cup, but town bully and five-time champion Randy will do anything to win and keep Patrick and the pretty new girl, Jill, from being together.
