are not just background elements in cinema; they were the very reason the medium was invented. In 1872, Eadweard Muybridge captured the first motion picture sequences—the famous Galloping Horse —to prove that all four hooves leave the ground simultaneously. Since that first "film," horses have evolved from literal engines of movement to complex, titled characters in their own right. The Essential Horse Filmography

War Horse (2011)

: Steven Spielberg’s epic follows a horse named Joey through the chaos of World War I. Animated Classics

Honorable Mentions:

Many films would not have existed without horses–think National Velvet, Black Beauty, and so many more. And there would certainly ... National Velvet Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron

Seabiscuit (2003)

: The highest-grossing horse film to date ($120M), telling the true story of an undersized Depression-era champion.

Animation Rankings

: Popular videos on YouTube like "Top 10 Horses in Animation" analyze beloved fictional steeds like ( ) and ( Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron