History Main / HorsingAround

* ''Film/TrueLies'' has a wonderful example when the police horse Arnie is using to chase a perp flat out refuses to jump a gap between skyscrapers.

* TruthInTelevision since horses are still animals. Very big, powerful animals. Aside from the obvious danger of a kick or a nasty bite (which can be severe enough to disable or even kill), they can also spook or bolt if they're stung or startled, leaping or galloping off in a panic. When that happens getting dumped is almost inevitable. Worse, some horses have a ''nasty'' habit of lying down suddenly to roll in the grass... while you're still on them. The results can be fatal. So if your horse goes down suddenly... ''IMMEDIATELY'' get off the horse. Goes double if it's in the water.

* There's a WesternAnimation/PinkPanther cartoon where he's trying to mount a horse who doesn't want to be ridden. Another has him as Paul Revere looking for a horse, and the only one available is on the British side.

* WesternAnimation/{{Donald Duck}}'s steed in "Dude Duck".

** Phoebus' horse, Achilles, from ''WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'' when he was told to "sit". His face seemed well smug. Self-satisfied maybe?

** According to ''Literature/WitchesAbroad'', Jason Ogg the Lancre blacksmith has the secret of the Horseman's Word used to quieten bloody-minded stallions. It involves a swift smack between the eyes to get the beast's attention, followed by the threat of [[GroinAttack the stallion finding his "goolies" between the anvil and a big hammer]]. Even the most fractious stallion calms down around Jason.

Horses can be real bastards. Tensing up as you fasten a saddle only to relax and leave the rider upside down, biting hands, "spooking" and racing off with their rider, kicking anyone stupid enough to get south of their arses, and [[OhCrap if they lie down suddenly...]] get off quick, they're about to roll. And as for [[HairTriggerTemper camels...]]

[[caption-width-right:350:''Tally-ho!'']]

** Binky, the pale horse of Death, is very accomodating to his owner and Susan, but any horse-thief who takes an interest in the pure white horse with silver tack is going to find themselves in a [[GroinAttack very precise]] world of pain.

** ''WesternAnimation/SleepingBeauty'': Prince Philip's horse, Samson, was very stubborn until the climax, and had to be bribed by carrots to do his human's bidding, and even then he bungles it and charges straight into a puddle.

** ''WesternAnimation/{{Tangled}}'': Maximus won't let Flynn Rider ride him. It may have something to do with [[TheJavert him being the Captain of the Guard's horse, and Flynn being a wanted criminal]]. [[spoiler: Until the end, when they team up to rescue Rapunzel.]]

** The Prince's horse in ''WesternAnimation/SleepingBeauty'', who until the climactic scene was very stubborn and had to be bribed by carrots to do his master's bidding, and even then the horse bungles it and charges straight into a puddle.
** Phoebus' horse from ''WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'' when he was told to "sit". His face seemed well smug. Self-satisfied maybe?
** Pegasus on ''WesternAnimation/{{Hercules}}'' is usually gentle with Herc. Megara, on the other hand...
** Maximus from Disney's ''WesternAnimation/{{Tangled}}'' won't let Flynn Rider ride him. It may have something to do with him being the Captain of the Guard's horse, and Flynn being a wanted criminal. [[spoiler: Until the end when they team up to rescue Rapunzel.]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/SpiritStallionOfTheCimarron'' has an entire sequence where soldiers attempt to "break" the resistant title tharacter. Fittingly enough, the background music is "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2NjhCnun3Q Get off of my Back.]]" Later in the movie, Spirit is just as resistant and rebellious to a kinder Native American, but eventually warms up to him. {{Justified|Trope}} in that he was taken from the wild and treated harshly.
** Horsey people in general tend to have a MisaimedFandom towards Spirit considering he's unrideable.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheRoadToElDorado'' has Altivo, who may have inspired Maximus above; they're both suspiciously intelligent white warhorses who were stolen from their owners and got very ''very'' angry about it. Altivo, in this case, originally belonged to UsefulNotes/HernanCortez.

* Appa of ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''. When a ten-ton bison decides something (entering a cave, leaving without backup, etc.) is a bad idea, it ain't happening.
* The WesternAnimation/{{Classic Disney Short|s}} "How To Ride A Horse" starring WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}} is built entirely on this trope. Note that Walt Disney (and a lot of his animators) were avid polo players.

* Averted in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime''. Epona is a trusted horse that follows the player any time she is summoned. However, unless you learned Epona's Song from Malon in the pre-Ganon Hyrule, Epona won't let you ride her. When you beat Ingo in a race with her, the rancher is utterly flummoxed that anyone could "tame that wild horse".
* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'': Link can tame wild beasts (usually but not always horses) to use as mounts, but as they are wild, they don't obey right at first. At first they will actively try to throw him off, and even after he calms them into letting him ride, they will often disobey instructions and try to go do their own thing. Link has to work with them and train them before they act like loyal steeds, and some are more rebellious than others.

[[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused with]] ''JustForFun/HorsinAround''.

[[folder:Anime/Manga]]

[[folder:Film - Animated]]

[[folder:Film - Live Action]]

[[folder:Live Action Television]]

[[folder: Music ]]

[[folder: Tabletop Games ]]

[[folder: Video Games]]

[[folder: Webcomics]]

[[folder: Web Original ]]

* When the title character of ''Auntie Mame'' marries a southern oilman, and pretends to know more than she does about horsemanship and fox hunting, his family tries to sabotage the marriage by getting her to ride a bucking brute named Meditation. She [[spoiler:survives in a slapstick way.]]

* Creator/GeorgeOrwell got the inspiration for ''Literature/AnimalFarm'' after watching a young boy cruelly whipping a horse, as Orwell realized just how badly it would go for the boy if [[TheDogBitesBack the horse had lashed out at him]].

* ''WesternAnimation/TheRoadToElDorado'' has Altivo, who may have inspired Maximus below; they're both suspiciously intelligent white warhorses who were stolen from their owners and got very ''very'' angry about it. Altivo, in this case, originally belonged to UsefulNotes/HernanCortez.

* The [[FluffyTheTerrible inappropriately named]] Peachblossom in ''Literature/ProtectorOfTheSmall'' is so unruly none of the knights want him. Keladry, with help of TheBeastmaster Daine, eventually wins him over. He remains temperamental, though, and only allows her near him. Neal calls him a 'monster' because every time Neal goes near him, Peachblossom tries to bite'' him.

* The horse girls of ''Anime/UmaMusume'' are known to do this, with many quirks based on their real life counterparts. Seiun Sky, for instance, is seeing [[https://pasteboard.co/HmzHmc8.png needing a push]] to get into the starting gate like her real life version did.

* The horse girls of ''Series/UmaMusume'' are known to do this, with many quirks based on their real life counterparts.

* One of the most famous of horses that taken to UsefulNotes/WorldWarI was [[http://beersheba100.com.au/stories/bill.html Bill The Bastard]] - a notoriously bad tempered horse, known for throwing and injuring anyone who attempted to ride him, until he met Major Michael Shanahan who befriended him. Bill then was famous for several exploits, including helping Shanahan rescue four Australian soldiers - galloping away with all five men on him. Bill also saved Shanahan when Shanahan was shot during the charge at the Battle of Beersheba, very carefully carrying him to the nearest medical station that Bill new - a veterinary facility.