There is something magnificent about a horse ( or horses) and the music it has inspired.
I don’t think it is so much its structure or bones but rather its grace and mainly the
architecture of its rhythms be it a walk, trot, or best yet, a full out gallop. (Think about it.
How many movies about oxen or chameleons have inspired such great music?? )

It is that clippity clop movement that leads into a full stride that introduces strumming
rhythmic guitars, percussion, and eventually a strong theme. I.E. Morricone’s The Men
From Shiloh. Horse music is almost “icongraphic” in some cases. Sometimes if I rent a
dull movie I hit fast forward until the riding begins, and it is often the riding that heralds
large land themes and action themes. Poledouris: Lonesome Dove for both types of
themes. Bernstein’s Hallelujah Trail for a wide open land theme.

Specific music inspired by the horse:
Bruce Rowland’s The Man From Snowy River, Return to Snowy River and
Phar Lap
Jerry Goldsmith Bucking Broncos from Wild Rovers
John Scott’s Shergar
Others? Help me out. How’s National Velvet?

I really didn’t care for Newman’s music for The Horse Whisperer except when Redford
and lady went riding. Horse music. Tiomkin cuts loose in riding scenes in Giant and The
Unforgiven. Morricone strums a lot of guitars when Eastwood rides in the Spaghetti
westerns. Goldsmith with guitars and banjos knows when horses Take a Hard Ride, and
Bernstein always scores the cadence of horses in Big Jake. The first new theme I noticed
in The Two Towers was when the white horse arrived and the heroes rode off. New
movies still compose for the horse as well as the man.

Where did this all come from? Well, yesterday I saw the trailer for a new Toby McGuire
movie SEABISCUIT, and the trailer used the heroic theme from Rudy. Spirit Stallion’s
trailer used the work out music from Rudy. Both worked. Now I’m hoping for an
exciting score for this new movie. I see Randy Newman has been picked. I hope he has
some horse sense and composes something thematic, rousing, and noble. In other words,
horse music.

NP Take a Hard Ride

Lou, I don't know The Overlanders. I'll look for the video. Sounds like my kind of music.