Christmas is coming again!
As we get closer, many are starting to think about their seasonal plans and a traditional Christmas pastime. For many, it’s simply watching films, cozied up by a fire. This blog is focused on some of our favourite equine films to watch during Christmas!
These friendly animals are often found in cinema as they’re majestic and powerful while loyal and loving at once. Whether you’re with your family celebrating or just getting cosy with your favourite warm Christmas drink, we’ve got a list of horse movies you can start binging this Christmas
National Velvet
Starting off the list with a classic, this 1944 film stars names such as Elizabeth Taylor and Mickey Rooney. A girl named Velvet Brown from a small town in Sussex becomes the owner of a rambunctious horse and trains it for the Grand National Sweepstakes. She seeks out a retired and experienced Jockey for help and the two come across many obstacles, one of them being it’s illegal for girls to race.
This nostalgic film has a wide general appeal and is popular with adults and children and shows Elizabeth Taylor in her first starring role! (She was also given the horse as a birthday present once filming ended!)
The Knight Before Christmas
This 2019 Christmas romantic comedy stars Vanessa Hudgens and Josh Whitehouse. It brings the trope of a dashing Knight in armour on his horse into the 21st century in the literal sense. An English medieval Knight and his steed are transported into modern-day America where he meets and falls for a high school science teacher who’s lost her belief in love.
It’s a classic Christmas rom-com with a sugary sweet plotline and had plenty of charm for something to get you in the Christmas spirit, plus it’s easily found on Netflix!
The Black Stallion
Based on the 1941 children’s book of the same name, this film made in 1971 follows the story of a boy named Alec, who is shipwrecked on a deserted island with a wild Arabian stallion. While on the island, the two of them form a strong bond.
This classic film is great for both children and adults with its magical story and simple but entertaining dialogue and plot.
A Heartland Christmas
This film, based on the Heartland books, follows the story of two sisters named Amy and Lou, who hear about a group of starving horses, stranded, and trapped in an avalanche on Christmas day. The sisters head of to their rescue while their family worries about them at home.
This sweet, heartwarming film is great to get in the Christmas spirit with great characters and beautiful locations.
Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit is a 2003 American sports film co-produced, written and directed by Gary Ross and based on the best-selling 1999 non-fiction book.
The story follows the life and racing career of the horse, Seabiscuit, an overlooked racehorse who unexpectedly rose to victory in many races and became a media sensation during the great American depression.
This film starring Tobey Maguire, Elizabeth Banks and Jess Bridges has a 76% audience score on rotten tomatoes. It’s an inspiring, heart-warming story but you may want to keep tissues nearby.
The Christmas Stallion
Also known as The Winter Stallion, it’s a 1992 British film directed by Peter Edwards and starring Daniel J. Travanti. This film shows a sixteen-year-old girl being raised by her grandfather. The two share a love of horses which they raise together on their farm. However, after the grandfather’s death, her uncle must either sell the farm to a greedy land developer or allow Gwen to keep the farm.
While it sounds sad to start with, the film quickly goes in a much sweeter, heart-warming direction with a focus on the relationships between the characters.
Black Beauty
This classic story has had a recent retelling in cinema! This new adaptation features names such as Mackenzie Foy and Kate Winslet. It was meant to come out in cinemas during 2020, however, they were unable to do so with the Covid-19 Pandemic. It was brought by Disney and added to their streaming platform, Disney Plus instead.
The film follows Black Beauty as she’s rounded up and taken away from his family. He’s brought to Birtwick stables where he meets a teenage girl and the two form an unbreakable bond.
There’s bound to be something for whatever you’re looking for in a horse-themed film and plenty of choices too.
Are any of the movies above on your list, and what will you be watching this Christmas? Why not let us know by commenting on our Facebook page here!
