Supermodels Are Horse Girls, Too
We all knew a horse girl growing up, and she probably looked like this: long braid, braces, and a horse-themed room. She also may have galloped on all fours like a horse sometimes (if this brings to mind a memory of a certain Vine, you are not alone). The archetype of a horse girl is so ubiquitous that it has become a meme—which is long overdue in my opinion, as I could’ve been sending them for years to my horse girl sister.
But if you've been following the likes of Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, and Edie Campbell, you may have noticed that equine friendships go far beyond the stereotypes. In fact, they're quite chic, bringing Halloween birthday party looks and cute lifestyle moments to the next level, all while providing a bond as deep as one with a dog or cat. Though none of the below models fit the typical horse girl label, all have revealed that they, too, are just horse-obsessed girls at heart.
Kendall Jenner is best known as the resident supermodel of the Kardashian clan, but she also loves horses. She got her first pony at age ten and rode a lot in her teens, and is now rediscovering her love of riding after years of focusing on modeling. Most recently she bridged her love for fashion and horses together in the Stella McCartney Fall/Winter 2023 campaign, where she layed bareback on a horse.
Image courtesy of Stella McCartney.
Bella Hadid has been riding since childhood. She and her siblings grew up on a ranch in California, and Bella began riding competitively in her teens. Tragically, she had to give up her dreams of riding in the 2016 Olympics due to her Lyme Disease diagnosis, but she hasn’t given up her love of horses and riding.
Image via Instagram / @bellahadid
The Hadid siblings spent their early childhood on a California ranch, so they all grew up riding horses. Like her sister Bella, Gigi rode competitively in her teens and regularly shares throwbacks of her show-jumping days on Instagram.
Image via Instagram / @gigihadid
It’s obvious where Bella and Gigi’s love for horses comes from: their mom. Dealing with a recent divorce and the struggles associated with Lyme disease, Yolanda Hadid chose to leave LA and move to a farm in Pennsylvania, where she keeps not only horses but other farm animals, too.
Image via Instagram / @yolandahadid
British model Edie Campbell isn’t just a model, she’s also an accomplished horse girl. She’s been riding since she was five, and is a talented event rider and jockey.
Image via Instagram / @ediecampbell
Kate Upton was a very talented equestrian rider in her youth, winning many championships at the American Paint Horse Association.
Image via Instagram / @kateupton
Amanda Murphy is a bit of a Renaissance woman: model, radiology technician, and equestrian. She began riding in middle school, working two jobs in high school to afford lessons. She still regularly rides her horses, often riding bareback—a habit she developed when she had to learn to ride without a saddle when she couldn’t afford it.
Image via Instagram / @amandajeanmurphy
Swedish model Frida Gustavsson is also a horse lover, having modeled Massimo Dutti’s equestrian collection.
Image via Instagram / @fridagustavsson
Not only is Martha Stewart a former model (and TV personality, convicted felon, and BFF of Snoop Dogg, of course), but she is also an equestrian, having her own horse farm in New York.
Image via Instagram / @marthastewart
