History Main / RearingHorse

* Mr. Bison from ''Film/StreetFighter'' is featured in a painting that is just the above-mentioned ''Napoleon Crossing the Alps'' [[http://s9.postimage.org/l951nxll9/tumblr_ly3dzy2w_Er1qghhwyo1_500.jpg after a switcheroo]].

* In "[[Literature/SixteenThirtyTwo The Wallenstein Gambit]]", a Grantville American is leading the defense of Prague (on a borrowed horse) one of the other Americans tells him to do this to inspire his troops. He flat out refuses (being a decent rider, but a 50-odd year old jeweler) he does agree to wave his plumed hat.

* The ''Series/{{Zorro}}'' TV series, naturally. A shot of Tornado rearing with Zorro concludes the opening credits. And in many episodes, Zorro salutes his pursuers before disappearing in the night.

** Porsche also gave a rearing horse on their logo, which comes from the coat of arms of their home city of Stuttgart. Funnily enough, one theory about the badge used by the fighter pilot who inspired the Ferrari logo is that he borrowed it from a design on a downed enemy plane — which had the Stuttgart coat of arms.

* ''Literature/BlackBeauty'' sometimes displays this trope on the front cover.
** Humorously downplayed with the pony Merrylegs -- when he's had enough of children clambering on him, he rises up so they slide off his back onto the grass.

* The ''Series/{{Zorro}}'' TV series, naturally. A shot of Tornado rearing with Zorro concludes the opening credits. As do many episodes, with Zorro saluting his pursuers before disappearing in the night.

* The Ferrari logo is arguably the most famous example. Its adoption comes from Enzo Ferrari meeting the parents of a World War I veteran who used to paint a prancing horse on his planes, after winning the Targa Florio. They suggested that painting the horse on his cars would bring him good luck, and the rest is history.

* Spanish Riding School in Vienna trains horses and riders to do awesome tricks like this. It requires tremendous strength and balance on the part of the horse to do it safely, which is why these moves represent the high point of a long training career.

* ''Film/{{Highlander}}''. Connor [=MacLeod=]'s first sight of The Kurgan is when he rides up clad in [[DarkIsEvil dark]], [[SkeletonsInTheCoatCloset bone-like]] armour on a black horse which rears before Connor, who can only gasp "Mother of God!" at the sight of this terrifying BlackKnight. Connor catches a glimpse of him earlier too, as a silhouette on a clifftop whose horse rears in response to a [[AStormIsComing bolt of lightning.]]

* ''Film/{{Highlander}}''. Connor [=MacLeod=]'s first sight of The Kurgan is when he rides up clad in [[DarkIsEvil dark]], [[SkeletonsInTheCoatCloset bone-like]] armour on a black horse which rears before Connor, who can only gasp "Mother of God!" at the sight of this terrifying BlackKnight.

* In ''Discworld/GoingPostal'', Moist Von Lipwig and Boris the horse get themselves splashed all over the front page of the newspaper in this pose.

* Happens in ''[[Film/TheLordOfTheRings The Return of the King]]'' when Aragorn and his army are at the Black Gates at the end of a RousingSpeech. According to the DVD Commentary, [[ThrowItIn this happened entirely by accident, but Viggo Mortensen stayed on the horse and it looked good so they kept the shot.]]

* ''Film/SleepyHollow'' has this occur several times with the Headless Horseman's steed.

* The Ferrari logo.

* ''Franchise/TheLoneRanger'' and his horse, Silver.

* In the second opening of the first season of ''Anime/SailorMoon'', the steed that Tuxedo Mask appears on [[http://www.sailorgalaxy.de/tl_files/gallery/anime_screenshots/Opening-ending-eyecatch/Season1_opening3/SailorMoon_opening3%20%2873%29.JPG strikes this pose.]]

* It is not uncommon to see [[http://www.tresor-de-momes.fr/Images/lucky%20luke%20sur%20jolly%20jumper.jpg Jolly Jumper rearing with his cowboy on his back]], on covers or splash pages of ''ComicBook/LuckyLuke''.

[[SomewhereAnEquestrianIsCrying In real life]], it's a Very Bad Thing, and ''only'' experienced trainers should even get on a horse with a rearing habit (although there is a difference between an actual rear and several of the dressage moves known as the "Airs Above the Ground")[[note]]one is on command, and one is not. This difference is important. There is an important physical difference too, to do with the angle above the horizontal at which the torso is held: in the Airs, the horse remains well-balanced and in control of its movements, with the body held low over bent legs so it'll fall forward. In a rear, everything goes up near-vertically on a very narrow base, and is prone to toppling, especially if the horse is agitated. [[/note]]. It is very easy to cause a rearing horse to fall over backwards on top of the rider, which can easily lead to serious injuries or even death. [[note]]When it comes to shooting these moments in films, stunt horses can be trained to rear on command; as this is a commanded behavior rather than a panic response, it's more controlled and less dangerous. It's still generally not recommended for inexperienced riders.[[/note]]

[[SomewhereAnEquestrianIsCrying In real life]], it's a Very Bad Thing, and ''only'' experienced trainers should even get on a horse with a rearing habit (although there is a difference between an actual rear and several of the dressage moves known as the "Airs Above the Ground")[[note]]one is on command, and one is not. This difference is important. There is an important physical difference too, to do with the angle above the horizontal at which the torso is held: in the Airs, the horse remains well-balanced and in control of its movements, with the body held low over bent legs so it'll fall forward. In a rear, everything goes up near-vertically on a very narrow base, and is prone to toppling, especially if the horse is agitated. [[/note]]. It is very easy to cause a rearing horse to fall over backwards on top of the rider, which can easily lead to serious injuries or even death.

* Deconstructed in ''Literature/TheSaddleClub''. At one point, Lisa tries out a new horse who ends up being incredibly badly behaved; when he rears up one day while she's riding him, she realizes his issues are beyond her skills to resolve. The seriousness of the behavior is driven home a few scenes later, when he does in fact overbalance and fall backwards, mangling his saddle -- a saddle that Max and Lisa had just pulled a younger rider out of moments earlier. [[note]]Lisa had tried to warn the younger rider that the horse in question was dangerous, but he didn't listen and tried to ride him anyway; Lisa ran to get Max, but by the time they got back, the rider was already on and the horse was rearing.[[/note]]

* ''Series/GetSmart''. The same gag is used at the end of the episode riffing ''Literature/ThePrisonerOfZenda'', involving Max of course.

** Likewise when Daenerys has her WhiteStallion killed as a blood sacrifice in an attempt to save her husband's life, the horse rears and whinnies in fright as she leads it into the tent where the sorceress waits.

* Spoofed in the Danish series ''1864'' in a scene where an artist is painting a picture of an officer on a rearing horse, while said officer posing in his studio on a wooden horse (which is not rearing, of course).

* In ''Manga/PokemonSpecial'', Platinum's just evolved [[HellishHorse Rapidash]] strikes this pose after Platinum mounts it and declares [[spoiler:her intention to protect the three Lake Guardians with Diamond and Pearl despite her father's protests]].

** In "Last Christmas", SantaClaus (yes, ''that'' Santa) does this on Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer after doing a BigDamnHeroes.

** The horse the cheetah rides in "Survival". Yes, ''the horse the cheetah rides.'' Note: During filming, the stunt man couldn't get the horse to rear, or do anything else, but the actress playing Karra could. It turned out that the horse hated men.

** Likewise in "Baelor", Daenerys has her WhiteStallion killed as a blood sacrifice in an attempt to save her husband's life. The horse rears and whinnies in fright as she leads it into the tent where the sorceress waits.

* ''Series/{{Angel}}''. VampireHunter Holtz makes a BigEntrance in a flashback to Rome 1771. Likely it was the presence of evil vampire Angelus that caused the horse to rear.
* ''Series/GameOfThrones''. Inept squire Podrick Payne finally manages to get control of his horse after losing control of it during a ChaseScene, only for the horse to rear and throw him into the river. The knights who've been chasing Pod ride up and find him not only without a horse, but without a weapon (given that his axe is strapped to the horse). [[BigDamnHeroes Only Brienne's intervention saves his life]].

* This is a maneuver frequently used in ''[[Literature/TheThreeMusketeers Twenty Years After]]'' to save the rider.

* ''Literature/BlackBeauty''. It's on the freaking cover!

* Parodied during the credits of the first season of ''Series/{{Blackadder}}''. After a montage of Blackadder riding his horse swiftly across the countryside to dramatic music, the horse rears up... and Blackadder falls off.