Studies show that classical and country music can be soothing to animals, including horses. Known to exhibit relaxed behavior when listening to certain music styles, horses are known to enjoy music just like humans. And while many horses show signs of stress when listening to rock and jazz music, one social media-famous horse was filmed completely rocking out to pop star Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk.”

In a social media video shared to TikTok, a gorgeous horse named Charlie completely rocks out to Mars’ 2014 hit. Charlie’s so into the tune that he thrusts his head back and forth like a true head-banging horse.

“Charlie at it again listening to Bruno Mars,” Charlie’s human captioned the video, leading viewers to believe Charlie’s love of Bruno Mars goes back further than this clip.

“Get it, Charlie…I see you, boo,” joked one fan. Another wrote, “He has taste.”

“Grooves better than most people I know,” shared another.

Another noted, “He’s loving it.”

Related: Lily the Sweet Pup Steals the Show as Hero of Miniature Horses’ Bedtime Routine

How Music Affects Horses

While Charlie is clearly a fan of pop music, horses are generally known to be deeply affected by music. In addition to classical and country music, slow and melodic tunes can have a calming effect on equines, which can lead to more restful behavior.

One study even showed that racehorses who listened to the same piece of music every day performed better on the track.

Horses don’t just have good taste in tunes. Known to be deeply emotional animals, horses can form connections to music and may respond to certain types by becoming more energetic or more relaxed.

Research shows that loud and fast-paced music can cause stress in horses, which may result in stomping, head tossing, or snorting—and can even cause them to eat faster when listening to more stress-inducing music.

Charlie seems to be the exception as he happily rocks out to “Uptown Funk.” To be fair, it’s tough not to dance when Bruno Mars’ banger of a hit comes on the radio.

We’re curious where Charlie got his moves—a sentiment shared by a commenter who wrote, “If he wasn’t in that stall, I know he would have the steps to match.”

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This story was originally reported by Parade Pets on Nov 10, 2025, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add Parade Pets as a Preferred Source by clicking here.