Horse Girls: Where Are They Now?

How the horse girl phenomenon persists, and what it says about girls in our culture

By Hannah Dove

Coming back home for Thanksgiving break, I sat down my two middle-school aged cousins Nadya and Maya and asked them, point blank, if horse girls were still a thing. A flicker of something flashed on both faces—was it recognition? Fear? They both agreed that the horse girl phenomena was still alive and well—girls who, for all intents and purposes, live and breathe horses. I asked them why they thought these girls were so obsessed; Maya explained that maybe, they like running on all fours, but Nadya said something else that stuck with me: “Horses are pretty and majestic and free—and maybe those girls just want to be like that.” 

These are the horse girls. These are their stories.

Liv (Minnesota)

I would say what marked me as a horse girl was first participating in pretending to be a horse at recess… I actually got into the horse interest through cats. My friend Cecilia and I were big into cats in general, and then we found out about the Warrior Cats books and would act out scenes from them at recess… I think being a horse girl 1) requires being part of a community of horse girls, which my friends stopped being in middle school, and 2) is like a piece of personality formation. 

Kasia (Missouri)

I have no idea where my obsession of horse came from—probably a combination of ADHD hyper-focus and the fact that my favorite toy as a really young kid was this plastic horse I brought out to the sandbox. For me, being a horse girl was a solitary endeavor, but for people who actually had the opportunity to ride (and were able to find friends who shared their interests) it could absolutely be a community endeavor. Although I still like horses and ride when I have the opportunity (which is very rare), I no longer consider myself a “horse girl.” I don’t ride regularly, I’m not really involved in that type of community, and my main interests now lie elsewhere.

Joely (Minnesota)

It wasn’t one specific moment—it was like I was always so in love with horses that I would only wear my horse t-shirts. I played with myself a lot as a kid, and I would just pretend I was a horse and run around in the backyard like a horse. I think it all started with my aunt from Minneapolis—she was my idol, and she would come down once a week to bring me a new VHS to watch. I would always request an informational video about different breeds of horses. That, and watching Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen ride horses, I was obsessed with them too—all the horse movies were the most interesting movies, so the horse was the most interesting animal. 

Emily (Illinois)

I became a horse girl maybe around age 7 or 8, if at all—[horses are] a big part of my life, but it’s not my only focus. I’m really big into dogs as well, and I’m involved with a lot of other groups other than riding. I don’t really think of being a horse girl as a proper endeavor, but if I had to choose, being a horse girl is probably more based in community than solitariness. I don’t think I’ve ever considered myself a horse girl though. Yes, it’s a big part of my life, and always has been, but it’s never been something I’ve actually labeled myself as.

Michelle (Illinois)

 I’ve always loved horses… My mom was really into horses when she was little so that probably influenced me a little, but anyone who spends a decent amount of time with them would probably get the infatuation. They’re big, but they’re like really big dogs—they all have their own personalities and tendencies, and the trust that comes with working with them is what draws me the most. It’s awesome to be able to have that kind of connection with something that’s THAT much bigger than you. I do love horses, and I can see myself following that passion now and for the rest of my life.

Everybody asks what horse girls are but never really why they are horse girls: what person, place, and/or event was such a catalyst that these girls decidedly revolved their identities around this singular animal. A common thread runs through each story of these girls lives: whether it was an idol they grew up admiring or a group they wanted to be a part in, being a horse girl allowed them to develop a personality that all at once defied the harsh criticisms of the elementary school playground and built up their own esteem in what they loved—which were horses.