There are a few hallmarks of the country life that often show up in country songs. Some of these include farm and rural life, encompassing tractors and trucks. Another component of the country life is horses. Country music is influenced both by the American West and the South, and with that comes tales of cowboys and horses. Of course, not every country song that mentions horses is truly about cowboy culture, but the theme of horses has surely permeated country music for years. So saddle up, cowboys and cowgirls, and listen to the 12 best songs about horses.
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12. "Back in the Saddle Again," Gene Autry
Long before America sang about "A Horse With No Name," singing cowboy Gene Autry released his signature song "Back in the Saddle Again," about "ridin' the range once more" on horseback.
11. "White Horse," Taylor Swift
Featured on her sophomore album Fearless, Taylor Swift's "White Horse" rejects the old fairy tale of a Prince Charming riding up on a white horse in favor of a heavy dose of realism in the face of a broken heart.
10. "Horses are Faster," Ian Musnick
Singer-songwriter Ian Musnick captures the beauty of his home state of Wyoming in his song, "Horses Are Faster." With a longing fiddle introduction and plenty of acoustic instrumentation throughout the tune, Musnick sings of wanting to be closer to his loved one, and he hopes that faster horses can get him there. Overall, Musnick says the song was inspired by his home state, and he told American Songwriter he hopes listeners can find their own peace in the tune.
9. "Horses in Heaven," Kylie Frey
Horses are an important part of life for former rodeo queen Kylie Frey, so it's no surprise she would write a song about them. In her personal tune, "Horses in Heaven," Frey sings about her late grandfather who taught her how to ride horses and encouraged her throughout her life. Although her grandfather is no longer here, she imagines that he's still riding horses up in Heaven. Frey originally released the song as a solo track, and she added the strong voice of Randy Houser to a new version released in June of 2021. The music video for the new version details Frey's trip to sing the National Anthem at the National Finals Rodeo in Dallas, Texas, a goal her grandfather always knew she'd achieve one day.
8. "Old Town Road," Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus
It's hard to list songs about horses without mentioning the country rap tune "Old Town Road" that took over the world three years ago. In this tune, originally released as a solo track, Lil Nas X, joined by '90s country star Billy Ray Cyrus, sings a country-western tale about riding into town on his horse. The song features plenty of references to the cowboy life — from boots, to cowboy hats, to Wranglers. This song went massively viral, amassing countless accolades and topping the charts all over the world. The song is currently certified 16x Platinum in the US.
7. "Wild Horses," Garth Brooks
Not to be confused with the Rolling Stones song of the same name, Garth Brooks' 2000 single is from the perspective of a cowboy dealing with being addicted to the rodeo. In the tune, the cowboy calls his wife or girlfriend back home, promising her that he's done for good with the dangerous sport, but the wild horses keep pulling him back. At the end, the man in the song resigns to the pull of the rodeo and feels it's time to let his woman go.
6. "If Heartaches Were Horses," George Strait
George Strait compares heartaches to horses in this ultra-country ballad from his Troubadour album. In the song, Strait sings from the perspective of a cowboy whose woman is leaving. In the first verse he sings about spending his days in the "West Texas dust" while she packs to leave. There's a sense from Strait that he can't do anything to stop her from leaving, but he's still sad nonetheless. He concludes that "If Heartaches Were Horses," he'd simply ride off into the sunset and avoid all the pain.
5. "Save a Horse (Ride A Cowboy)," Big & Rich
Big & Rich famously mention horses in their 2004 song, "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)." In this rowdy tune, the equally rowdy duo sing about riding their horses into town to have some wild fun. While there, they hand out hundred dollar bills, impress some women and sing that all-too-memorable, slightly off-color tagline: "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy."
4. "High Horse," Kacey Musgraves
Everyone knows the old phrase, "Get off your high horse," and Kacey Musgraves uses inspiration from that phrase in her song "High Horse" from her Golden Hour album. In this tune, Musgraves sings about someone who is too big for their britches, so to speak, and she uses horse imagery, along with country and disco production, to make her point.
3. "Wildfire," Michael Martin Murphey
On "Wildfire," cosmic country star Michael Martin Murphey sings the heartbreaking tale of a young woman who died on a bitter cold winter night while searching for her lost pony, Wildfire.
2. "Faster Horses (The Cowboy and the Poet)," Tom T. Hall
Tom T. Hall's "Faster Horses (the Cowboy and the Poet)" centers on a young scribe who encounters an "old-time cowboy" who declares that the secret of life is "faster horses, younger women, older whiskey and more money."
1. "Tennessee Stud," Johnny Cash
Penned by Jimmy Driftwood, "Tennessee Stud" has been performed by various artists over the years, from Doc Watson to Chris LeDoux. But Cash's version of the harrowing saga of a man's journey across "the Arkansas mud" on the back of his Tennessee stud, earns the top spot on our list.
"The Tennessee Stud was long and lean/ The color of the sun and his eyes were green," Cash sings. "He had the nerve and he had the blood/ There never was a horse like the Tennessee Stud."
Honorable Mentions: "Let That Pony Run" by Pam Tillis, "Beer For My Horses" by Toby Keith and Willie Nelson, "If I Had a Boat" by Lyle Lovett, "Chestnut Mare" by The Byrds, "Ballad of a Runaway Horse" by Emmylou Harris, "No Reins" by Rascal Flatts, "Run For the Roses" by Dan Fogelberg
