Something about horses inspires many sports teams worldwide to use them on their logos. Why? Well, it all comes down to symbolism.

Horses are pretty athletic animals and carry a lot of symbolism. They represent power, raw emotion, freedom, endurance, speed, fighting spirit, etc.

All these things make them perfect as a logo for a sports team. 

Additionally, horse racing is much older than most popular sports today, and the founders were often inspired by horse racing events when naming a team. So, if you are also into horse racing, and you are already checking the best horse racing bet for today, let’s inspire you with some horse logos from other sports.

Over the years, we’ve seen some pretty iconic horse sports logos. Unfortunately, some of them are a thing of the past, as teams wanted something simpler and more minimalistic, but others stayed close to their horse heritage. 

Let’s observe some of the best sports teams with a horse logo.

1. Denver Broncos (NFL)

I don’t think you can get more horse vibes than the Denver Broncos. This is one of the most iconic horse logos in sports history, and the best thing is that they’ve stayed with the horse elements in the logo ever since the beginning. They’ve had five design changes since 1960, and what started as a cartoonish character riding a wild horse ended up with a sleek horse head design that has stuck with the team since 1997.

A fiery orange mane and piercing eyes embody speed and aggression. It’s not just a logo; it’s a call to battle. The Broncos’ branding is so strong that merchandise sales consistently rank among the NFL’s top 10.

2. Indianapolis Colts (NFL)

Okay, we know what you are going to say. This is not a horse logo; it is a horseshoe. Yes, we get that, but the logo still carries that horse symbolism, even though there isn’t an actual horse on the logo.

The birth of this logo was quite confusing. It started as a horse jumping through a fence but looked odd. The horse had his legs up in the air and didn’t look right. They updated their logo to a horseshoe in 1979 and have stuck with it.

This logo is the epitome of minimalism done right. The simple horseshoe design represents luck and stability—qualities every football team needs. It’s been a symbol of the Colts since their Baltimore days and remains a fan favorite.

3. Cal Poly Mustangs

This might be a smaller football team representing California Polytechnic State University, but it is still a logo worth mentioning. 

They play their games at Mustang Memorial Field, and maybe that’s why they decided to have a running horse as their logo.

It is a youthful and exciting design, and the horse makes the logo pop out even more.

4. Dallas Mavericks (NBA)

This is another iconic horse logo that has remained essentially unchanged throughout the years. And why would it change if it is already great? This logo started with the big letter “M” with a cowboy hat but ended with an aggressive horse design and a basketball in 2001.

The Mavericks’ logo features a sleek, stylized horse intertwined with a basketball, embodying the spirit of the Old West and modern athleticism. The horse nods to Dallas’s ranching heritage, while the dynamic design fits the high-octane nature of NBA basketball. 

Their branding underwent a significant upgrade in 2001, ditching the cowboy hat for a futuristic horse head—a move that brought in a more modern, aggressive feel. Fun fact: Mavericks' merchandise sales spiked after their 2011 championship win.

5. Los Angeles Chargers (NFL)

While the Chargers don’t use a horse directly in their primary logo, their mascot is Boltman, symbolizing a lightning bolt. However, their name, "Chargers," resonates with equestrian imagery—think of cavalry charging into battle. The team's galloping spirit is a subtle yet effective nod to horse symbolism, often highlighted during games with thunderous horse sound effects at the stadium.

6. Detroit Pistons (NBA)

The Pistons briefly embraced a horse motif during the late 1990s when their logo featured a fiery, snarling horse head. This version symbolized a horsepower nod to Detroit’s auto industry and the muscle behind its vehicles. 

I think we can all agree that the Pistons logo looked much better in the past with the horse version, right? I mean, it is simple and minimalistic now, but there isn’t much passion you can feel when seeing the logo.

Though the logo was polarizing among fans, it remains a favorite for nostalgia lovers and collectors. The Pistons have returned to a more traditional basketball-focused logo in recent years, but the "horsepower era" remains a memorable chapter in their branding history.

7. Stampeders (CFL)

Here, we have a professional Canadian football team based in Calgary, and they’ve always embodied a logo of a horse silhouette running.

It kind of looks like Ford's Mustang logo, but it has a red circle, which was actually removed after the 2019 redesign.

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