A triptych of images of animated Disney horses: Samson from Khan from Mulan, Maximus from Tangled, and Mayor Brian Winddancer from Zootopia 2.

Enchanting Disney Equines to Celebrate the Year of the Horse

By Courtney Potter

Lunar New Year officially gallops in on Tuesday, February 17, kicking off the Year of the Horse. It’s sure to be filled with a vibrant energy—symbolizing adventure and momentum… much like the graceful animal it’s named after. Which got us to thinking: There are so many incredible and iconic horses throughout the animated worlds of Disney—now’s as good a time as any to celebrate a few of our favorites!

(There are, obviously, many more Disney-related horses, both animated and live-action… be sure to tell us some of your own faves over on our D23 Facebook, Instagram, and Threads!)

An image of Samson from the 1959 animated Disney film Sleeping Beauty. He is peering through some trees next to Prince Phillip.

Samson (Sleeping Beauty, 1959)

Samson is Prince Phillip’s loyal steed—and he’s with Phillip when they first hear Briar Rose’s dulcet tones in the forest. Initially hesitant to change their predetermined course and investigate, Samson is convinced to go along with the new plan by the promise of extra food. (We, too, are easily swayed by tasty treats.) Later, he is there by Phillip’s side after the prince battles the Maleficent dragon, and then heads to the castle to give the princess True Love’s Kiss.

An image of Samson from the 1959 animated Disney film Sleeping Beauty. He is peering through some trees next to Prince Phillip.

Frou-Frou (The Aristocats, 1970)

Voiced by Nancy Kulp, Frou-Frou is the palomino horse owned by Madame Bonfamille (voiced by Hermione Baddeley) who becomes pals with Duchess (voiced by Eva Gabor) and the kittens. Despite the size difference, she’s a faithful friend to Duchess and helps save her from the greedy whims of Edgar the butler (voiced by Roddy Maude-Roxby).

An image of Philippe from the 1991 animated Disney film Beauty and the Beast. He is standing in a snowy wooded clearing with Belle, and they are surrounded by wolves.

Philippe (Beauty and the Beast, 1991)

Philippe is a Belgian draft horse that belongs to Belle (Disney Legend Paige O’Hara) and her father Maurice (voiced by Rex Everhart). When Philippe accompanies Maurice (and his invention) to the fair, he’d much rather take the usual, brightly lit path… but Maurice insists on the darker, foggier path—leading them right towards the Beast’s (voiced by Robby Benson) castle! Later, Belle helps keep a pack of wolves away from Philippe before the Beast saves them both.

An image of Khan from the 1998 Disney animated film Mulan. Mulan is riding on the back of Khan as the pair are galloping down a snowy hill, with many soldiers in the distance behind them.

Khan (Mulan, 1998)

One of Mulan’s loyal companions, Khan may be incapable of human speech—but Mushu (voiced by Eddie Murphy) sure seems to understand him. Pity, though, because Khan is not a fan of the energetic little dragon. All told, Khan is fairly rigid and no-nonsense—but he does help Mulan (voiced by Disney Legend Ming-Na Wen) save Shang (voiced by BD Wong) during the avalanche and even bows respectfully to Mulan at the end of the film.

An image of Bullseye alongside Sheriff Woody and Jessie from Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 2. The trio are running on a vinyl record that’s playing on a “Woody’s Round-Up” record player.

Bullseye (Toy Story franchise)

First appearing in Toy Story 2, Bullseye is a vintage toy horse that’s part of Al McWhiggin’s (voiced by Wayne Knight) private collection—and he’s the first Woody’s Round-Up toy Sheriff Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) meets when he arrives at Al’s apartment. While he’s obviously a horse, his personality skews towards that of a puppy… and he’s a devoted friend, especially to Jessie (voiced by Joan Cusack).

An image of Angus from the 2012 Disney and Pixar animated film Brave. Merida is riding Angus, and they are in a dark clearing surrounded by runes and mist.

Angus (Brave, 2012)

Angus is a Clydesdale and Princess Merida’s (voiced by Kelly Macdonald) faithful steed in 2012’s Brave. While he can be stubborn, or even occasionally frightened, he’s also Merida’s most trusted companion—and she allows no one else in the castle to care for him. A few facts about the name Angus: It’s not only a kind of cattle, it’s also the name of a county and government council area of Scotland.

An image of Maximus from the 2010 Disney animated film Tangled. He is standing alone in the woods, looking perplexed; in front of him, attached to a tree branch, is a small poster.

Maximus (Tangled, 2010)

Despite not being, y’know, human, Maximus was by far the kingdom guard’s most efficient member and posed quite a threat to criminals. So when the crown of Princess Rapunzel (voiced by Mandy Moore) was stolen by notorious thief Flynn Rider (voiced by Zachary Levi), it’s Maximus who embarks on a mission to apprehend the criminal. Underneath that tough exterior, though, Maximus has a heart—something Rapunzel is able to bring out of him.

An image of Mayor Winddancer from the 2025 Disney animated film Zootopia 2. He is standing behind a podium giving a press conference; several animal reporters surround the podium, holding microphones up towards him.

Mayor Brian Winddancer (Zootopia 2, 2025)

The newest horse on our list is Mayor Winddancer (voiced by Patrick Warburton)—a charismatic but clueless stallion (and former actor) who dreams of being as heroic in real life as the characters he once portrayed on TV. We won’t spoil things in case you haven’t seen the film yet (and if you haven’t, why not?!)… but all we’ll say is that Winddancer may get that chance to be valiant after all.