While most people can appreciate the beauty and athletic nature of race horses, some people are true horse fanatics. It doesn’t matter whether their love is centered around riding horses, or watching horse races, all that matters is that they keep this industry around for future generations. Interestingly enough, there are many celebrities that are also quiet horse lovers. Here are some that may surprise you.
Rob Gronkowski
Rob Gronkowski is a star in the NFL. As one of the best tight ends of all time, he had a major role in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ recent Super Bowl victory, and he continuously brings favorable American football betting odds to the team throughout the season. It’s safe to say he knows a winner when he sees one, so when he heard about a horse named after himself, he knew he had to get involved.
The racing horse was named Gronkowski because it reminded its trainer of the lumbering frame of the NFL tight end. As Rob Gronkowski began following the horse’s progress, he soon realized that it was on its way to the Belmont Stakes. It was around this time in 2018 that Rob Gronkowski contacted the owner about buying a partial stake in the horse, which he successfully did for an undisclosed amount.
The horse impressed handicappers around the world when he entered the race with 69-1 odds, and ended up taking 2nd place overall. Since then, he has been successful in many more races making this a great buy for Rob Gronkowski.
Jamie Foxx
When it came time for director Quentin Tarantino to select a lead for his film Django Unchained, he had a few actors in mind. The role would involve a lot of stunts, and called for a capable horseback rider. These requirements helped Jamie Foxx beat out the competition.
Foxx is a skilled rider who has his own horse named Cheetah. This is actually the same horse that he rode in the film. He grew up around horses in his hometown of Terrell, Texas, and a few years before the filming of Django Unchained he bought his own horse and started to learn to ride. Director Tarantino was so impressed by his skills he knew he would be perfect in this role.
Madonna
Madonna didn’t start riding horses until later in life, but she certainly has made it a full-time obsession. She first took up the passion during her marriage to Guy Richie when she was forty years of age. Since then, it has become a consistent part of both her life and her art. She has used horse imagery and equestrian elements in her international tours and music videos. Her love for horse riding is so deeply embedded that not even a serious accident in 2009 can keep her out of the stables.
Jeremy Irons
The academy award winning actor may primarily be known for his roles in Assassin’s Creed and Batman vs Superman, but he is also an accomplished horse rider and it has been his lifelong passion. He began riding horses at a very young age, and at 13 years old he was enrolled at Sherborne School where he was able to practice in between his studies. This skill came in handy numerous times in his career, like in the 2005 historical drama Elizabeth I. He owns his own horse named Paddy that he keeps at his home in Ireland.
Bella Hadid
2016’s Model of the Year had another passion before she got started in the fashion industry. From the time she could walk she was riding horses and for many years she wanted to be an Olympic equestrian. Her mother Yolanda encouraged this hobby and passed down all of her own knowledge and skills on the sport. Hadid began training at Far West Farms in California, eventually receiving national awards for her abilities. While she had the Olympics in her sight, she eventually gravitated towards her modeling career. Though her Olympic dreams may be over, she still indulges in her love for horses and riding. She has her own horse named Blue that she visits at her family’s farm in Pennsylvania.
