Many kids around the world are passionate horse lovers. Likes family horse movies. So, it makes sense that some great horse movies are ideal for kids to watch.
NOTE: Each movie below includes film ratings from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).
Rated G means General Audiences, and Rated PG means Parental Guidance Suggested. Of the 12 Best Horse Movies for Kids movies below, 8 are Rated G, and 4 are Rated PG.
Also listed for each movie below are the age recommendations from Common Sense Media , the leading source of entertainment and technology recommendations for families.
Of the 12 movies below, 2 are recommended for ages 6+, 6 are recommended for ages 7+, 3 are recommended for ages 8+ and 1 is recommended for ages 10+.
Also Check: The Best Horse Show on Netflix
12 Top-Recommended Horse Movies for Kids
The horse has been a beloved movie icon for decades.
From the classic The Black Stallion to today’s Secretariat, these animals are inspiring filmmakers and capture kids' attention like never before with their intriguing personalities!
Check out these very best horse movies that your entire family will enjoy.
- National Velvet
National Velvet is a 1944 American Technicolor sports movie based on the 1935 novel, of the same name, by Enid Bagnold.
The movie tells the story of Velvet Brown (Elizabeth Taylor), a 12-year-old horse lover who wins Pie, a wild and gifted horse, in a town raffle.
With the help of Michael Taylor (Mickey Rooney), a former horse jockey, Velvet trains Pie for The Grand National, a horse race in Liverpool, England.
Rated: G
Age Recommendation: 7+
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-rS6TZquas
Check out this video for other amazing horse movies on Netflix.
- Misty
Misty is a 1961 American family drama movie based on the 1947 award-winning children’s novel Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry.
The movie revolves around brother and sister orphans, Paul Beebe (David Ladd) and Maureen Beebe (Pam Smith), who fall in love and bond with Phantom, a wild horse, and Phantom’s foal Misty.
Rated: G
Age Recommendation: 6+
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6UANcj6TRM
- Justin Morgan Had a Horse
Justin Morgan Had a Horse is a 1972 American western family drama movie adapted from the 1945 children’s historical novel, of the same name, by Marguerite Henry.
The movie is about the history of the Morgan Horse, one of the oldest horse breeds in the United States.
Justin Morgan Had a Horse star, Don Murray, as Justin Morgan, a poor musician, and teacher who was the owner of Figure, a bay stallion who became the sire of the Morgan horse breed.
Rated: G
Age Recommendation: 6+
READ MORE: Drama Horse TV Shows
- The Black Stallion
The Black Stallion is a 1979 American adventure movie based on the 1941 classic children’s novel, of the same name, by Walter Farley.
The movie tells the story of Alec Ramsey (Kelly Reno), a young boy who bonds with a wild Arabian stallion named Black when they are stranded on a deserted island.
After they are rescued, Alec becomes a jockey and trains the horse with the help of Henry Dailey (Mickey Rooney), a retired jockey.
Rated: G
Age Recommendation: 8+
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGp9u56FJKs
Here are some horse racing movies.
- Black Beauty
Black Beauty is a 1994 American drama movie based on the 1877 novel, of the same name, by Anna Sewell. The movie is narrated by a black stallion named Black Beauty (voiced by Alan Cummings).
The movie tells the life of Black Beauty, starting with his happy and relaxed childhood on a farm in the English countryside.
Rated: G
Age Recommendation: 7+
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpZ3yZhsWZE&t=27s
- Ready to Run
Ready to Run is a 2000 family, sport, Disney Channel Original Movie. The movie is about Corrie Ortiz (Krystle Po), a 14-year-old energetic horse lover.
She dreams of becoming a jockey and quickly discovers she can communicate with horses.
With the help of horse trainer Hector Machado (Nestor Serrano), Corrie decides to train her horse, Thunder Jam (TJ), and helps him overcome his fear of the starting gates at the horse racing tracks.
Rated: G
Age Recommendation: 8+
Also Check: The Best Horse Movies on Netflix
- Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron is a 2002 American animated Western movie. The movie follows Spirit (voiced by Matt Damon), a spirited and wild Kiger mustang stallion.
During the American Indian Wars, Spirit was captured by a man named The Colonel (voiced by James Cromwell), the leader of the United States Calvary.
Spirit is later rescued and befriended by a young Lakota Native American boy named Little Creek (voiced by Daniel Studi).
Rated: G
Age Recommendation: 7+
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPJ4EQ2Eh9I
- Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story
Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story is a 2005 American sports drama movie inspired by the real-life Thoroughbred racehorse named Mariah’s Storm.
The movie focuses on horse trainer Ben Crane (Kurt Russell) and his daughter Cale Crane (Dakota Fanning).
The father and daughter rescue and care for a horse named Sonador (means dreamer in Spanish), who suffered a broken leg during a race.
Rated: PG- Brief mild language
Age Recommendation: 7+
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzTOUGXx3LU
CHECK: Horses on Yellowstone Season 4
- Racing Stripes
Racing Stripes is a 2005 American sports comedy movie. The movie features Stripes (voiced by Frankie Muniz), a circus plains zebra who thinks he is a horse and dreams of racing in the local derby.
When Stripes is accidentally abandoned, Stripes is adopted by horse trainer Nolan Walsh (Bruce Greenwood) and trained by Nolan’s daughter Channing Walsh (Hayden Panettiere).
Rated: PG- Mild crude humor and some language
Age Recommendation: 7+
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL64Q_JM5qw
- Flicka
Flicka is a 2006 American family adventure drama movie loosely based on the 1941 novel, My Friend Flicka by Mary O’Hara.
The movie follows the story of Katy McLaughlin (Alison Lohman), who dreams of one day running her father’s, Rob McLaughlin (Tim McGraw), Wyoming ranch.
Katy adopts and tames a wild Mustang named Flicka to prove to her father that she can take over the ranch in the future.
When Rob decides to sell Flicka, Katy schemes to get Flicka back by entering him in a dangerous race.
Rated: PG- Some mild language
Age Recommendation: 10+
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwybqZxdsts
- Moondance Alexander
Moondance Alexander is a 2007 American comedy-drama movie.
The movie showcases Moondance Alexander (Kay Panabaker), a 15-year-old who is dealing with the death of her father and her overprotective mother, Gelsey Alexander (Lori Loughlin).
When she comes across an escaped Pinto horse named Checkers, she forms a bond with his owner, Dante Longpre (Don Johnson), and trains Checkers for the county horse show competition.
Rated: G
Age Recommendation: 7+
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DLXTf4vuD8
- Secretariat
Secretariat is a 2010 American biographical sports drama movie. The movie portrays the life of Secretariat, a Thoroughbred racehorse who won the Triple Crown in 1973.
When Penny Chenery (Diane Lane) takes over the horse stables from her ailing father, Christopher Chenery (Scott Glenn), she realizes that she knows very little about horses.
Penny enlists the help of Lucien Laurin (John Malkovich), a veteran horse trainer, and fosters Secretariat to become the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years.
Rated: PG- Brief mild language
Age Recommendation: 8+
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKmuvjL2cVw
Here's a video recap of the best horse movie for kids.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNBQNyzv1bE
Conclusion
Your kids (and you too) will definitely enjoy these awesome Best Horse Movies for Kids. Be sure to let us know in the comment section which was your favorite watch.
What are your favorite horse movies for kids? Please share below!
Resources
- Motion Picture Association. Film Ratings | Motion Picture Association. Motion Picture Association. Published 2018. https://www.motionpictures.org/film-ratings/
- Horse Movies for Kids | Common Sense Media. www.commonsensemedia.org. Accessed April 6, 2022. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/horse-movies-for-kids
- Horse Breed Info | List of Horse Breeds | Types of Horse Breeds with Pictures | petMD. Petmd.com. Published 2019. https://www.petmd.com/horse/breeds