[2026] Western songs about horses: A roundup of famous tracks featuring horses

Wildflowers and Wild HorsesLainey Wilson

Lainey Wilson – Wildflowers and Wild Horses (Official Music Video)

Lainey Wilson, a singer-songwriter from Louisiana, USA, has been drawing attention with her distinctive “Bell Bottom Country” style.

She’s an artist whose sound blends the vibe of ’70s rock with modern country in a compelling way.

The track here is from her 2022 album Bell Bottom Country.

It layers images of wildflowers blooming in barren land with wild horses running free, singing of a strong will to forge a path even in harsh conditions.

The song was also featured in a Wrangler jeans commercial and won Music Video of the Year at the 2024 CMA Awards.

It’s a powerful anthem that gives you a push forward while taking pride in your roots.

Wild HorsesThe Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones – Wild Horses (Acoustic / Lyric Video)

This is a song by the legendary British rock band, The Rolling Stones.

It’s included on the classic album Sticky Fingers, released in April 1971.

With a sound that incorporates elements of country rock and a distinctive tack piano tone, it’s a ballad that truly resonates.

Using wild horses as its motif, the theme expresses uncontrollable emotions and a sense of distance, and is said to reflect the loneliness of life on tour at the time.

There’s also a famous anecdote that The Flying Burrito Brothers—featuring Gram Parsons, who was close to the Stones—released their own version on an album in 1970, ahead of the Stones’ release.

In 1996, an acoustic re-recording was issued as a single from the album Stripped.

It’s a track you’ll want to savor alone on a quiet night.

A Horse With No NameAmerica

A Horse with No Name

America is a folk rock band formed in London, known for a sound that evokes the breeze of the U.S.

West Coast.

After achieving major success in the 1970s, they released the single “A Horse With No Name” in 1972.

Depicting a traveler riding a nameless horse through the desert, the song captivates with its soothing, repetitive rhythm and arid atmosphere, and it’s also included on their debut album, America.

It topped the U.S.

charts in March 1972 and is also famous for being featured in the TV drama Breaking Bad.

Why not give it a listen when you want to step away from the noise of the city and spend a quiet moment? It’s an unfading classic that enriches time spent in silence.

One Horse TownBlackberry Smoke

Blackberry Smoke – One Horse Town (Official Acoustic Video)

Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Blackberry Smoke brings classic Southern rock into the present.

Featured on their August 2012 album The Whippoorwill, this song bears an idiomatic title meaning “a small country town.” Set in a rundown place where there’s scarcely more than a single horse, it paints a poignant portrait of the lives of those who stay.

The song-first ensemble and the weathered timbre of the harmonium really sink into your heart.

In November 2019, it was also released as a music video to accompany a live film from their hometown, underscoring how special this track is to the band and their fans.

It’s a gem to soak in quietly on nights when you’re worn out by everyday busyness or want to reflect on your roots.

HorsesMaggie Rogers

Maggie Rogers – Horses (Official Video)

Singer-songwriter Maggie Rogers was discovered by Pharrell Williams and quickly rose to stardom.

She’s gained popularity with her unique sound that fuses folk and electro.

Horses is an emotive track included on her album Surrender, released in July 2022.

There’s an anecdote that when the emotional weight of the process nearly made her put down the pen, her co-creator Kid Harpoon encouraged her to “finish it to the end,” helping bring the song to completion.

The arrangement, which begins with a quiet guitar-and-vocal intro and expands into a grand soundscape as the drums come in, is truly goosebump-inducing.

The depictions of horses serve as metaphors for emotion, showcasing her talent as a deft lyricist.

Chestnut MareThe Byrds

The Byrds – Chestnut Mare (Audio)

The Byrds, the great band based in Los Angeles that laid the foundations of folk rock.

This is a classic country-rock song from their album (Untitled), released in October 1970.

It tells a story about a man chasing and trying to tame wild horses, drawing you in with its dramatic structure that alternates between spoken narration and singing.

It was originally written for an unproduced musical, and the shimmering sound of Roger McGuinn’s 12-string guitar vividly paints scenes of the open wilderness.

In 1971, it reached No.

19 on the UK charts.

Its open, expansive sound that evokes vast nature makes it perfect for a weekend drive.

Seven Horses in the SkyThe Pebbles

The Pebbles – Seven Horses In The Sky

This is a signature number by The Pebbles, a rock band from Belgium, opening with an intro that resounds like powerful hoofbeats.

Released as a single in 1968 and included on their 1969 album “The Pebbles,” it features a uniquely psychedelic and fantastical lyrical world that depicts a purple horse galloping across the sky.

The pop melody intertwined with beautiful piano lines whisks listeners away on a mysterious journey through the heavens.

It ranked high on the Belgian charts at the time and helped bring the band international recognition.

Perfect for when you want to forget the everyday and sink into a fantastical mood, or when you’re in the mood for a slightly strange story.

Be sure to experience its vividly colorful, dreamlike sound.