Are There Horses in Super Mario World?

Few video game classics come close to Super Mario World. Released in 1990 for the Super Nintendo, it was an instant hit, selling over 20 million copies worldwide, and players still play it today.

Now we all know Mario’s story and what the world looks like. You have Yoshi’s, Turtles, and Mushrooms, but what about horses? Are there any horses in the Mushroom Kingdom?

Well, Super Mario World has many different levels, each with different creatures and levels of difficulty, which makes it even more fun to play.

But it seems like horse racing enthusiasts are obsessed with horses, and they are looking at whether the company has included any horses or horse elements in the game.

The Mushroom Kingdom’s Dino Star

When you first put the cassette in the console and boot up Super Mario World, you are dropped into Dinosaur Land, which is a vibrant place with all kinds of creatures. You have Koopas, Goombas, and of course, Yoshis.

Yes, this was the big debut of Mario’s green buddy and a life companion which started as an in-game character and evolved into a new story with its own Yoshi game.

So, why is Yoshi so important? Well, the mastermind behind the game Shigeru Miyamoto, originally wanted Mario to ride a horse. It was Super Mario Bros. 3 that introduced horseback riding to Mario’s world, but they looked out of place.

That’s why he created Yoshi, which was originally designed for Mario to ride this creature across the levels, which in some games is possible. Plus, at that time, Super NES rolled out, and the team pivoted from a western horse theme to a dinosaur theme, which is where Yoshi took the reins.

Does this mean that there are no horses in Super Mario World? Well, let’s go through all the levels and explore Mario’s world.

A Horse-Free Adventure

If we scan the 96 levels of Super Mario World—from Yoshi’s Island 1 to the Bowser showdown—we won’t spot a single horse. No wild stallions roam the plains of Donut Land, and no ponies prance through Chocolate Island. The closest you get might be the Charging Chucks, those football-player Koopas, but they’re more linebacker than Lippizaner.

Players recall Yoshis in green, red, blue, and yellow, but horses? Nada. The game’s focus stayed on its prehistoric pals, with Miyamoto and crew shaping Yoshi into a “cute” reptile after scrapping a more crocodile-like early design, per developer Shigefumi Hino’s reflections.

Sadly, for horse racing enthusiasts, there are no horses in Super Mario World. So, if you like horses or you are a fan of horse racing, Super Mario World isn’t the ideal game for you. I know that you are looking for some inspiration and something to fuel your horse racing passion while browsing through the 2025 Kentucky Derby odds, but if you want a Mario game with horses, the only option is Super Mario Bros. 3.

The Horse That Almost Was

Here’s the kicker: horses were on Miyamoto’s mind. That horse sketch from Super Mario Bros. 3—circa 1988—shows his intent, but tech limits and the Dinosaur Land concept sidelined it.

In a 2025 retrospective on Nintendo Life, Tezuka explained how Yoshi’s shell (not a saddle) became the compromise, tying him to the turtle family instead of equine roots.

So, while Super Mario World launched Yoshi into stardom—complete with his tongue-grabbing antics and egg-tossing skills—horses stayed in the stable. The game’s 2D sprite art, groundbreaking for its time with the Super NES’s Mode 7 scaling, never needed to render a galloper.

Horses in Mario’s Wider World

Okay, let’s zoom out—do horses show up anywhere in Mario’s universe around this era? Not in Super Mario World’s TV spinoff from 1991, Captain N and the New Super Mario World, where Yoshi and Oogtar (a caveman kid) hog the spotlight.

But fast-forward to later games, and horses trot in. By 2012’s Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Mario’s riding real horses in equestrian events, shaking the Wii Remote to gallop.

In 2017’s Mario Sports Superstars, cartoony horses with saddles and bridles star in racing modes—80 variations across balance, speed, power, and technique types.

Even Princess Peach: Showtime! (2024) has Peach atop a wooden horse in her Cowgirl stages. So, horses eventually join the franchise—just not in 1990.

Why No Horses in 1990?

Why the horse drought in Super Mario World? It’s partly tech, partly vision. The NES couldn’t handle Miyamoto’s horse dreams, and the Super NES’s power went to Yoshi’s animations—those smooth sprite swaps for eating and spitting.

Horses might’ve felt mundane next to fire-breathing Yoshis or cape-flying Mario. Online forums speculate it’s also about brand: Yoshi became Mario’s steed of choice, cementing a dino legacy over an equine one.

So, as of now, we have to satisfy our equine passion with the horse mini games in Mario Games, as they won’t take center stage anytime soon.