The rise of cowboy ink: why horse girl tattoos are everywhere

“There’s something deeply romantic about the cowboy culture and aesthetic,” says Ze, the owner of Reverse Cowgirl Studio in Bethnal Green, who named her studio after her long-standing love for Western films. Ze lists “cowboy boots, hats, horseshoes and shootout scenes” as her top performers when it comes to Western-themed tattoos and attributes the current popularity to the independence and rebelliousness associated with these images. “I also see a lot of my clients celebrate softness and emotion through the reimagination of cowboys within their designs,” she adds. Whether it’s serene prairie landscapes or chaotic shootout scenes, her clients use these designs as a canvas to create their own stories.

Horse tattoos have long been a traditional motif in tattooing, often seen alongside classic designs like anchors, swallows and skulls. While the new wave of horsey ink represents general ideas of freedom and nostalgia, these old-school tattoos were selected for very specific symbolism. Pharaoh’s Horses, a depiction of three horses in motion, holds particular significance due to their symbol of strength, power, and fear – thought to be an embodiment of the human spirit. Similarly, the horseshoe is an iconic symbol of luck. It’s said to have evolved from the pivotal role of horses in the Roman Empire, steeped in centuries of superstition. 

So what’s behind the popularity of this trend? In an age plagued with climate anxiety, recession and warfare, these tattoos embody a yearning for a bygone era, one associated with abundant adventure and freedom. Dubbed The Romantic West, historic accounts of this period of American history are often described by writers in idyllic terms. They recount the abyss of the great plains, the ability to start anew and leave everything behind. Fitting, considering tattoos themselves are seen as a common form of reinvention. “These tattoos are a sexy symbol of the nomadic, unstoppable, rebellious self, and people enjoy reminding themselves of that inner freedom,” says Ze.

“This fascination with horses can be interpreted as a search for escapism, a yearning for a way out of our disillusioned and fragmented digital world,” says Rhianna Cohen, creative director at creative strategy studio MØRNING. This desire is evidenced by internet trends such as trad wife and prairie girl, which communicate a longing for simplicity in an overtly capitalistic society. “The mass appeal of Nara Smith’s TikToks is that they transport viewers to a romanticised past” Cohen says. “This renewed fascination speaks to our deep desire to romanticise our silly little lives.”