25 Songs About Horses, from Happy Trails to Old Town Road

What is the most famous song about horses?

"A Horse with No Name" by America and "Wild Horses" by the Rolling Stones are the most famous songs about horses. For cowboy fans, "Happy Trails" by Roy Rogers and Dale Evans is the classic, and "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X brought horses back to the top of the charts.

Cowboy and western songs about horses

1. "Old Paint", traditional: a cowboy's farewell song to his trusted horse.
2. "The Strawberry Roan", traditional: a tall tale about a horse no cowboy could ride.
3. "Back in the Saddle Again", Gene Autry: the theme song of the singing cowboy and his horse Champion.
4. "Happy Trails", Roy Rogers and Dale Evans: the sign-off song of the cowboy star and his horse Trigger.
5. "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky", Vaughn Monroe: a cowboy legend about phantom riders.
6. "Tennessee Stud", Jimmie Driftwood: the story of a man and his remarkable horse, later sung by Johnny Cash.
7. "Rawhide", Frankie Laine: the TV theme about a long cattle drive on horseback.

Rock and pop songs about horses

8. "Chestnut Mare", The Byrds: a cowboy chasing a wild mare.
9. "Wild Horses", The Rolling Stones: a tender ballad about a love nothing can pull apart.
10. "A Horse with No Name", America: a dreamlike ride through the desert.
11. "Wildfire", Michael Martin Murphey: a haunting story of a legendary pony.
12. "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree", KT Tunstall: a stomping, one-woman-band hit.
13. "White Horse", Taylor Swift: a fairy-tale romance that falls apart.
14. "Old Town Road", Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus: the country-rap record that spent 19 weeks at number one.

Country songs about horses

15. "Wild Horses", Garth Brooks: a rodeo rider torn between the circuit and the woman he loves.
16. "Amarillo by Morning", George Strait: a rodeo cowboy on the road to his next ride.

Songs from horse movies and TV

17. "Here I Am", Bryan Adams: from Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, about a wild mustang.
18. "You Can't Take Me", Bryan Adams: a defiant song from the same film.
19. "Galloping Home", Denis King: the stirring theme of The Adventures of Black Beauty.

Horse racing songs

20. "Camptown Races", Stephen Foster: an 1850 song about a day at the races.
21. "My Old Kentucky Home", Stephen Foster: sung by the crowd before every Kentucky Derby.
22. "Fugue for Tinhorns", from Guys and Dolls: three gamblers arguing over which horse will win.
23. "Run for the Roses", Dan Fogelberg: written for the Kentucky Derby.

Horse songs for kids

24. "The Old Gray Mare", traditional: a sing-along about a horse who is not what she used to be.
25. "Pony Boy", Bobby Heath and Charley O'Donnell: a 1909 song that kids still sing while bouncing on a parent's knee.

Why are there so many songs about horses?

For most of history, horses were how people traveled, farmed and went to war, so they naturally found their way into songs. Cowboy songs made the bond between a rider and a horse a symbol of loyalty and freedom, and later rock and pop songwriters used wild horses to sing about love that cannot be tamed and the urge to run free.

The story behind Old Town Road

Lil Nas X released "Old Town Road" in late 2018, and it spread quickly online. After Billboard removed it from the country chart, a remix with Billy Ray Cyrus took off, and the song spent a record 19 weeks at number one on the Hot 100 in 2019. It won two Grammys and introduced a whole generation to the image of the rap cowboy.

Songs for a Kentucky Derby party

For a Derby party, play "My Old Kentucky Home" before the race, just as the crowd sings it at Churchill Downs. Add "Run for the Roses", "Camptown Races" and "Fugue for Tinhorns" for the betting, and finish with "Old Town Road" once the hats come off. For gambling-themed songs, see our songs about luck.

Songs for a horse lover's birthday

For a horse-crazy kid, "Here I Am", "Happy Trails" and "Old Town Road" make a fun party playlist, and "Galloping Home" is perfect for a pony ride. For an adult rider, "Wildfire" and "Wild Horses" are classics. For more animal songs, see our songs about dogs.

Songs for saying goodbye to a horse

Losing a horse can feel like losing a member of the family. "Old Paint", "Wildfire" and "Happy Trails" are gentle choices for a farewell, and many riders share a slideshow of favorite rides set to one of them.

A song about their horse

A personalized song can celebrate a rider and their horse: the horse's name, the first ride, the shows and the trails they love, in a country, folk or pop style. It makes a great gift for a birthday, a competition win or a beloved horse's retirement.

How to create a personalized song

1. Choose a style from 14 genres: country, folk, pop and more.
2. Add the rider's name and their horse's name.
3. Share three memories from their rides together.
4. Review the lyrics and edit or regenerate them for free before any music is made.
5. Listen to 4 free 45-second previews and choose your favorite.

The full 3 to 4 minute song costs $24.99, or $29.99 for Premium with four full versions and editable lyrics. You get the MP3, a gift page and the lyrics as a PDF.

Give a rider and their horse a song of their own: create a song and hear four previews for free.