Giddyap! Musicians on Horseback
With many people opting to enjoy a Western aesthetic in 2024, from fringed jackets to cowboy hats to shimmering boots — and a plethora of artists offering up country-influenced music — it’s no surprise that all things equestrian have re-entered the spotlight as of late. Plus, there is the longtail, massive influence of the hit television series Yellowstone over the past half-decade in inspiring many to kick up their boots and trade the city for the country for a while.
Horses have long represented grace and strength, and have featured prominently in artists’ creative scopes, including on the covers of Beyoncé’s Renaissance and Cowboy Carter, as well as Missy Elliott’s Respect M.E., Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band’s Against the Wind, and Bruce Springsteen’s Western Stars. Of course, numerous country albums have featured horses, such as Shania Twain’s Queen of Me and Willie Nelson’s A Horse Called Music.
Given artists’ hectic and on-the-go touring schedules, often spending hours upon hours in buses, aboard planes and inside music venues, it’s no surprise that horses and the open spaces of the outdoors would be a timeless draw for musicians. Their four-legged equine friends make no demands for new music, endless social media content or various event appearances, representing a slower-paced companionship.
Beyond the expected cascade of country artists who have long professed their love for horses, we rounded up photos of several artists — including purveyors of pop, country, rap and more — to highlight stars’ passion for horses.
This collection features artists including Beyoncé, Bad Bunny, Andrea Bocelli and more.
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Shania Twain
Image Credit: Michael Buckner/Getty Images Shania Twain rides up the Las Vegas Strip on horseback to greet fans on to The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on Nov. 14, 2012, in Las Vegas.
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Carole King
Image Credit: Jim McCrary/Redferns Carole King rode a horse on a beach for the ‘Thoroughbred’ album cover in 1976.
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Image Credit: Olivia Bee Migos photographed Feb. 13, 2017, at Sunset Ranch Hollywood in Los Angeles.
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Madonna
Image Credit: Arnaldo Magnani/Getty Images Madonna smiles as she rides a horse outside the ‘Late Show With David Letterman’ studio Oct. 20, 2005, in New York City.
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Bad Bunny
Image Credit: Eric Rojas Bad Bunny during his 2024 Most Wanted Tour in Salt Lake City, Utah.
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George Strait
Image Credit: Warner Bros./courtesy Everett Collection Isabel Glasser and George Strait in Pure Country in 1992.
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Billy Idol
Image Credit: Dan Callister/Getty Images Billy Idol proves that he is still class act even on a horse at the circus event held at the LA Sports Arena on July 21, 1999, in Los Angeles.
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Kesha
Image Credit: David Needleman Kesha photographed Sept. 13, 2019, at Malibu Canyon Ranch in Calabasas, Calif.
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Olivia Newton-John
Image Credit: Anwar Hussein/WireImage Olivia Newton-John films her first music video for her 1975 pop single “Follow Me” from the album ‘Have You Never Been Mellow’ in England circa 1975.
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Paul McCartney & Linda McCartney
Image Credit: Jim Sugar/Corbis/Getty Images Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney, atop her appoloosa horse, pose in front of a castle near Dover in 1979.
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Andrea Bocelli
Image Credit: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images Andrea Bocelli arrives in New York City on horseback to celebrate Trinity Broadcasting Networks’ premiere of THE JOURNEY: A Music Special on March 23, 2023, in New York City.
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Lemmy Kilmister
Image Credit: Michael Putland/Getty Images Lemmy Kilmister on horseback on May 10, 1974.
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Kenny Loggins
Image Credit: Lester Cohen/Getty Images Kenny Loggins rides his horse at the beach circa 1985 in Los Angeles.
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Johnny Cash
Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Johnny Cash rides a horse circa 1975.
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Joan Baez
Image Credit: Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Joan Baez riding a horse in Switzerland circa 1973.
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Mick Jagger
Image Credit: Bettmann Archive/Getty Images Mick Jagger on horseback on the set of ‘Ned Kelly’ in 1969.
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Ginger Baker
Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Ginger Baker poses for a photo on his horse circa 1975.
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Tanya Tucker
Image Credit: Lynn Goldsmith/Corbis/VCG/Getty Images Tanya Tucker on horseback circa 1978.
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Robbie Williams
Image Credit: TMAX/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images Robbie Williams and Kaya Scodelario are seen while he’s riding a horse for his music video “Candy” on Aug. 17, 2012, in London.
