Horses of Hollywood

Despite the prevalence of horses in some of Hollywood's biggest movies of all time, their role in cinema has gone largely unsung. In fact, film might not exist without horses. Motion picture technology can trace its origins back to photographer Eadweard Muybridge, whose early photos of a running racehorse were used to demonstrate the medium's potential.

In Horses of Hollywood, Roberta Smoodin gives equine film stars the credit and recognition they have long deserved. Smoodin goes behind the scenes to feature the trainers, actors, and directors who brought some of our favorite horses into the spotlight. From silent movie horses like Gallant Bess, to John Wayne and his four-legged sidekicks, to the origins of the "horse girl" trope in National Velvet, to equine actors in Ridley Scott films, Horses of Hollywood ensures that no self-proclaimed horse whisperers detract from the real stars of the show. Smoodin—who was for many years a horse breeder and caretaker—explains what went right and amiss in films featuring horses, including factual discrepancies and unrealistic depictions of human-equine relationships. She discusses filmmakers, celebrities, and film crews who mistreated equine actors and failed to utilize these marvelous animals in more expressive ways.

At every turn, Smoodin offers a reverence and adoration for Hollywood's horses that is often reserved for human celebrities, balancing this perspective with humor and her own firsthand knowledge. Bringing horses' personalities to the forefront, Horses of Hollywood serves as a veritable hall of fame and honors the vital, intertwined history of motion pictures and equine legends.