Horses are truly incredible creatures that have worked for us for generations. They’ve also been a great source of entertainment over the years, whether it’s been as companions that we’ve ridden or horses that we’ve watched blaze around the track. You may have even enjoyed online sports betting and placed some wagers on your favorite horses through horse racing betting websites.
But what if you just want to kick back, relax and watch a good story about horses? Don’t worry, we’ve put together our four favorite horse-related TV shows that you can watch in the US so you can do exactly that.
1. Heartland
Released: 2007
Number of seasons: 15
Where to watch: Netflix
This is a Canadian family drama that follows the story of a family working on a horse ranch. Tragedy hits the family hard from the first episode, and they must band together in order to save their ranch and their family.
This series is based on the “Heartland” series of books by Lauren Brooke and has developed a large following all over the globe. This incredible show about family, life and, of course, horses, has recorded over 230 episodes in its 15 seasons and is also the longest-running one-hour drama to be produced in Canada.
Needless to say, the show has enough content to keep you busy for a while, so if you’re looking for great storytelling with a bit of romance, drama, tragedy and some good old-fashioned family values, all set against the backdrop of a horse ranch, you can’t go wrong with this much-loved show.
2. Wildfire
Released: 2005
Number of seasons: 4
Where to watch: Prime Video/Vudu
“Wildfire” is a family drama with a slightly grittier feel than “Heartland,” with the show kicking off with protagonist Kris Furillo getting caught and arrested for stealing a car. After spending time in juvenile detention, she’s given a chance to start things over at the Raintree Ranch after a volunteer and trainer recognizes the connection she has with horses. Here she meets Wildfire, a fiery horse with the potential to be an incredible racer. After finding out her new home has some financial troubles, she works her way up to becoming a jockey so that she and Wildfire can save the ranch.
As you’d expect from this kind of show, “Wildfire” delivers on the drama, romance and complex relationships that will keep an audience engaged for its full four-season run. It may not break the mold, but fans of this genre will undoubtedly find themselves entertained from start to finish.
3. The Adventures of the Black Stallion
Released: 1990
Number of seasons: 3
Where to watch: Prime Video
While many of us are familiar with the “Black Stallion” series of books, the first of which was published in 1941, fans of this series also know about the TV series “The Adventures of the Black Stallion.” This show followed the story of a young horse racer, Alec Ramsay, his trainer, Henry Dailey, and his iconic horse, The Black, as they navigate through life on the farm and racing.
What made this show a bit different from many other horse-themed shows was that The Black was an extremely temperamental horse that would only allow Alec to ride him, and would become aggressive with others. This was a departure from the portrayal of the mellow nature many horses had on TV at the time.
However, despite the untamed nature of the lead horse, this show was still family-focused and offered viewers a good old-fashioned time over its 78 episode runtime.
4. Horseplayers
Released: 2014
Number of seasons: 1
Where to watch: Prime Video
Thoroughbred handicapping is the ability to predict the winners of a race and is considered such an art or skill that a production company decided to create a reality TV show based on the subject. This show was called “Horseplayers” and viewers were introduced to a number of handicappers as they competed to try and secure a place at the National Handicapping Championship. But that was not all that was at stake. They also competed against each other to make the most accurate horse racing predictions and ultimately take home a $1 million prize for being the best handicapper on the show.
While perhaps lacking the mainstream appeal of the other shows, this series will undoubtedly appeal to folks who take their betting seriously and who you are likely to find at or wagering on horse racing events or horse racing tournaments.
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