16 Horse Cartoon Characters

Maximus from Disney’s 2010 Tangled might be the funniest horse ever animated. He acts more like a police dog than a horse. Sniffs out criminals. Sword fights. Disapproves of Flynn Rider with the energy of a stern judge.

He starts the movie hunting Flynn and ends up as the unofficial third member of the main trio. Maximus’ refusal to break character is the bit, and the bit is excellent. Easily my favorite of the modern Disney horse cartoon characters.

Spirit is the wild mustang at the center of DreamWorks’ 2002 animated film “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron.” He’s the rare animated protagonist who doesn’t talk. All of his thoughts come through narration (by Matt Damon) and his expressive animation.

The movie follows him fighting to protect his herd from human encroachment in the American West. It’s gorgeous. It’s emotional. The Bryan Adams soundtrack absolutely slaps. Eventually spawned the Netflix spinoff “Spirit Riding Free.”

Pegasus is the bright blue winged horse from Disney’s 1997 Hercules. Loyal. Playful. Protective. He acts like an oversized golden retriever for most of the movie, then occasionally pulls off legitimately heroic flying stunts in the third act.

Hercules has Pegasus. Aladdin has Abu. Mulan has Mushu. Disney really nailed the “iconic non-human sidekick” formula in the 90s, and Pegasus is one of the all-timers.

Bullseye is Woody’s loyal toy horse from Toy Story 2 and 3. Doesn’t say a word the entire time. Doesn’t need to. The animators gave him so much expressive personality through his eyes and body language that he steals every scene he’s in.

The way he runs, the way he gets excited, the way he sulks. Pure Pixar character work. Bullseye is proof that you don’t need dialogue to be iconic.

Khan is Mulan’s loyal black horse in Disney’s 1998 animated classic. He carries her through war, through training, through some of the most beautifully animated landscape shots in any Disney film. And he gives Mushu the kind of side-eye that only a deeply unimpressed horse can give.

Khan’s expressiveness is genuinely some of the best non-verbal character work in 90s Disney. Every reaction shot lands.

BoJack Horseman is the washed-up sitcom-actor horse at the center of Netflix’s 2014 to 2020 animated series. Voiced by Will Arnett. Lives in the Hollywood Hills. Constantly battling depression, addiction, and the long shadow of his own bad decisions.

The show is a comedy. The show is also one of the most devastating, honest, beautifully written explorations of mental health and self-destruction in animation history. BoJack is one of the most complex famous horse cartoon characters ever created. Not exaggerating.

Quick Draw McGraw is the anthropomorphic cowboy sheriff horse from the 1959 Hanna-Barbera classic. He patrols the Wild West with his Mexican burro sidekick Baba Looey, attempts to capture outlaws, and occasionally transforms into his masked alter-ego “El Kabong.” Yes, really.

A foundational Hanna-Barbera character. If you grew up on Saturday morning reruns, his catchphrases are still in your head.

Angus is the massive Shire horse who carries Merida through the Scottish Highlands in Pixar’s 2012 “Brave.” He’s huge. He’s powerful. He’s also surprisingly gentle and emotionally attuned to his rider’s mood.

The relationship between Angus and Merida is one of the most underrated parts of Brave. He’s the perfect companion for a princess who refuses to be tamed.

Philippe is Belle’s loyal Belgian draft horse in Disney’s 1991 classic. He’s the one who actually finds the Beast’s castle. Twice. Belle would be nowhere without him.

He shows up. He runs home in a panic. He leads Belle to her father. Philippe is doing most of the actual plot work in Beauty and the Beast and gets almost no credit. Justice for Philippe.

Buck is the overconfident, slightly delusional horse from Disney’s 2004 “Home on the Range.” Voiced by Cuba Gooding Jr. with maximum bravado. He thinks he’s destined for greatness. He thinks he’s the smartest cowboy horse in the West. He’s neither, but he commits to the bit so hard you root for him anyway.

Home on the Range is a divisive Disney film, but Buck’s character work is genuinely funny throughout.

Mudsdale is the Ground-type Draft Horse Pokemon introduced in Gen 7 (Sun and Moon). Big, muscular, calm, and known for absurd levels of strength and endurance. Its ability, Stamina, actually buffs its defense every time it gets hit. Tank mode permanently activated.

If you’re a Pokemon fan who loves heavy hitters, Mudsdale is a fan favorite for good reason.

Frou-Frou is Madame Adelaide Bonfamille’s elegant carriage horse in Disney’s 1970 “The Aristocats.” Refined. French. Slightly judgmental of everyone around her. The role is small, but she’s part of the rescue of the cats from the villainous butler Edgar.

A great deep-cut Disney horse character that doesn’t get enough love.

Captain is the gray horse with the red British military blanket in Disney’s 1961 “101 Dalmatians.” He works alongside the Colonel (a sheepdog) and Sergeant Tibbs (a tabby cat) to rescue the puppies from Cruella de Vil.

A great example of a Disney supporting horse character. Disciplined, dependable, and surprisingly committed to puppy rescue operations.

Flicka is the young wild mustang at the heart of “Flicka: The Animated Series.” Based on the classic Mary O’Hara novel and the various film adaptations, the show focuses on the bond between Katy and her horse.

A more grounded, slower-paced take on the horse-rider story compared to flashier movies like Spirit. Worth a watch if you love that subgenre.

Mr. Horse is the deadpan recurring character from the 90s cult animated series “The Ren & Stimpy Show.” His entire personality is one catchphrase: “No sir, I don’t like it.” Said in the same flat, unimpressed monotone every single time.

A perfect background character for a chaotic show. Mr. Horse is unbothered. Mr. Horse is unimpressed. Mr. Horse is forever.

Black Beauty is the title character of Anna Sewell’s 1877 novel and has been adapted into animation multiple times since. The 1978 Hanna-Barbera special and the 1995 animated film both brought the story to younger audiences.

Beauty is the original horse-told-from-the-horse’s-perspective story. His journey through different owners (some kind, some cruel) basically invented the modern emotional horse narrative. Without Black Beauty, there’s no Spirit, no Flicka, no horse-and-girl genre at all.