68 Great Horse Quotes For Riders And Horse Lovers

“A horse, a horse! My kingdom for a horse!” wrote William Shakespeare in Richard III, at a time when wars were fought in the saddle and a king was naked without a good horse. However, today’s horse owner is more likely to relate to the quote, “If you want a stable relationship, get a horse.“

There are hundreds of quotes celebrating how amazing horses are and our special relationship with these animals. We have collected 68 of our favourite horse quotes to share with you. Gather around and enjoy these inspirational, wise, and witty words offered by those who have known and loved horses.

Quotes on Heaven and Horses

• “When the Almighty provided the wind with hooves and the lightning with a bridle, he called it a horse.” – Author unknown.
• “Heaven is high and earth wide. If you ride three feet higher above the ground than other men, you will know what that means.” – Rudolf C. Binding.
• “God forbid that I should go to any heaven in which there are no horses.” – R.B. Cunningham Graham.
• “No heaven can heaven be, if my horse isn’t there to welcome me.” – Author unknown.
• “You can see what man made from the seat of an automobile, but the best way to see what God made is from the back of a horse.” – Charles M. Russell.
• “The air of heaven is that which blows between a horse’s ears.” – Arabian proverb.
• “It is the horse’s gift to connect us with Heaven and our own footsteps.” – Ronni Sweet.

The Special Relationship Between Horse and Rider

• “You and your horse. His strength and beauty. Your knowledge and patience and determination and understanding and love. That’s what fuses the two of you into this marvellous partnership that makes you wonder… What can heaven offer any better than what I have here on earth?” – Monica Dickens.
• “There is no secret so close as that between a rider and his horse.” – Robert Smith Surtees.
• “At its finest, rider and horse are joined not by tack, but by trust. Each is totally reliant upon the other. Each is the selfless guardian of the other’s well-being.” – Author unknown.
• “There are many wonderful places in the world, but one of my favourite places is on the back of my horse.” – Rolf Kopfle.
• “No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle.” – Winston Churchill.
• “A good rider can hear his horse speak to him. A great rider can hear his horse whisper.” – Author unknown.
• “A horse can lend its rider the speed and strength he or she lacks – but the rider who is wise remembers it is no more than a loan.” – Pam Brown.
• “Every time you ride, be it a leap towards achieving your dreams, a step closer to mastering a skill, or a gallop away from your fears.” – Author unknown.
• “A pony is a childhood dream. A horse is an adulthood treasure.” – Rebecca Carroll.

Horse Quotes of Praise and Respect

• “I am still under the impression that there is nothing alive quite so beautiful as a horse.” – John Galsworthy
• “The horse, with beauty unsurpassed, strength immeasurable, and grace unlike any other, still remains humble enough to carry a man upon his back.” – Amber Senti.
• “Horses are angels with hooves, sent to Earth to teach us about love, trust, and patience.” – Pam Brown.
• “A horse gallops with his lungs, perseveres with his heart, and wins with his character.” – Tesio.
• “When you are on a great horse, you have the best seat you will ever have.” – Winston Churchill.
• “There is something about riding down the street on a prancing horse that makes you feel like something, even when you ain’t a thing.” – Will Rogers.
• “We have almost forgotten how strange a thing it is that so huge and powerful and intelligent an animal as a horse should allow another, and far more feeble animal, to ride upon its back.” – Peter Gray.
• “I can make a General in five minutes, but a good horse is hard to replace.” – Abraham Lincoln.

Horse Quotes about Care and Companionship

• “Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down like a game of solitaire. It is a grand passion.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson.
• “Taking care of a horse is not just a duty, it’s a heartfelt responsibility.” – Author unknown.
• “A horse doesn’t care how much you know until he knows how much you care. Put your hand on your horse and your heart in your hand.” – Pat Parelli.
• “The horse you get off is not the same as the horse you got on. It is your job as a rider to ensure that as often as possible, the change is for the better.” – Author unknown.
• “I call my horses ‘divine mirrors’—they reflect back the emotions you put in. If you put in love and respect and kindness and curiosity, the horse will return that.” – Allan Hamilton.
• “A stubborn horse walks behind you, an impatient horse walks in front of you, but a noble companion walks beside you.” – Author unknown.
• “Many people have sighed for the ‘good old days’ and regretted the ‘passing of the horse’. But today, when only those who like horses own them, it is a far better time for horses.” – C.W. Anderson.

Quotes on the Healing Power of Horses

• “God made doctors to help heal the body. But he made horses to help heal the soul.” – Author unknown.
• “There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.” – Winston Churchill.
• “There is no better place to heal a broken heart than on the back of a horse.” – Missy Lyons.
• “Hoof beats and heartbeats – is there any difference between the two?” – Author unknown.
• “Horses lend us the wings we lack.” – Pam Brown.
• “A canter is a cure for every evil.” – Benjamin Disraeli.
• “A man on a horse is spiritually, as well as physically, bigger than a man on foot.” – John Steinbeck.

Horse Quotes on Freedom and Escape

• “In riding a horse, we borrow freedom.” – Helen Thompson.
• “For one to fly, one needs only to take the reins.” – Melissa James.
• “A horse is the projection of people’s dreams about themselves – strong, powerful, beautiful – and it has the capability of giving us escape from our mundane existence.” – Pam Brown.
• “When riding a horse we leave our fear, troubles, and sadness behind on the ground.” – Juli Carlson.
• “A horse loves freedom, and the weariest old work horse will roll on the ground or break into a lumbering gallop when he is turned loose into the open.” – Gerald Raftery.
• “The essential joy of being with horses is that it brings us in contact with the rare elements of grace, beauty, spirit, and freedom.” – Sharon Ralls Lemon.

Quotes on the Wisdom of Horses

• “Whoever said a horse was dumb, was dumb.” – Will Rogers.
• “You learn the most about yourself from horses.” – Unknown.
• “No one can teach riding so well as a horse.” – C.S. Lewis.
• “From horses, we may learn not only about the horse itself but also about animals in general, indeed about ourselves and about life as a whole.” – George Gaylord Simpson.
• “There is much we can learn from a friend who happens to be a horse.” – Aleksandra Layland.
• “No philosophers so thoroughly comprehend us as dogs and horses.” – Herman Melville.
• “Horses change lives. They give our young people confidence and self-esteem. They provide peace and tranquility to troubled souls. They give us hope.” – Toni Robinson.
• “The best teacher is the horse. It will never judge you, and it will never lie.” – Unknown.
• “The horse finds a hold on the rider in the reins – not the other way around.” – Unknown

Humourous Horse Quotes

• “Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people.” – W.C. Fields.
• “The hardest thing about riding…is the ground!” – Unknown.
• “How to ride a horse: Step One – Mount the horse. Step Two – Stay mounted…” – Unknown.
• “He knows when you’re happy. He knows when you’re comfortable. He knows when you’re confident. And he always knows when you have carrots.” – Unknown.
• “I’d rather ride on a Mustang, than in one.” BaileyAnn Neal.
• “No, I don’t need a knight in shining armour. I am perfectly capable of riding my own horse.” – Unknown.
• “There is more to life than horses…there are ponies too!” – Unknown.
• “You must be rich because you have a horse.’ ‘No, I’m poor because I have a horse.” – Unknown.

Poetic Horse Quotes

• “Ask me to show you poetry in motion and I will show you a horse.” – Unknown.
• “The wind whispers in my ear, a secret that I hold so dear. It talks of horses, hills, and trees, of riding in the summer breeze.” – Margaret Cagle.
• “I have seen things so beautiful they have brought tears to my eyes. Yet none of them can match the gracefulness and beauty of a horse running free.” – Unknown.
• “Horse thou art truly a creature, for thou fliest without wings and conquers without a sword.” – Unknown.
• “When I bestride him, I soar, I am a hawk: he trots the air; the earth sings when he touches it; the basest horn of his hoof is more musical than the pipe of Hermes.” – William Shakespeare, Henry V.
• “For through his mane and tail the high wind sings. Fanning the hairs, who wave like feather’d wings.” – William Shakespeare, Venus and Adonis.
• “Where in this wide world can man find nobility without pride, friendship without envy, or beauty without vanity? Here where grace is laced with muscle and strength by gentleness confined” – Ronald Duncan.

FAQs

What are the best quotes about your horse being your best friend?

Two popular quotes about your horse being your best friend are:

• “Your horse is your best friend. You can tell them anything and no one else will ever know.”
• “My horse inspires me. My horse guides me. My horse is my best friend?”

What are popular horse quotes about riding a horse?

Movie cowboy John Wayne said: “Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.”

Two other favourite horseriding quotes are: “If your horse says no, you either asked the wrong question or asked the question wrong (Pat Parelli) and “A horse is like a violin; first it must be tuned, and when tuned it must be accurately played.” (Unknown).

Are there good jokes about horses?

There are loads of jokes and witticisms on the subject of horses. Here are two fun ones:

• “Why did the horse go behind the tree? Because he wanted to change his jockeys!”
• “What do you call a horse that lives next to your house? A Neeigh – bour!”

Final Thoughts

Did any of these beautiful horse quotes speak to you? Lifelong riders will surely relate to the quote, “Stay away from a horse long enough and you’ll start tapping your fingers to the beat of a trot.” If you are a beginner rider, the more time you spend in the saddle and caring for your companion, the more many of these quotes will make ‘horse sense.’

For the Strathorn family, these wisdoms capture the intelligence, charm, and wonder of our friends on the farm and remind us – as if we needed reminding! – why we love horses and horseback riding so much.