DMFE Rating: ¾☆☆☆☆ (0.75 out of 5 stars)
Caution: Possible Spoilers Ahead!
Young farm boy Scott “Scotty” Pirie is given a spirited Welsh pony, Taff, to help him travel the long distance to school. Through patience and determination, Scotty tames the pony and forms a deep, trusting bond with it.When the pony mysteriously disappears, Scotty is heartbroken. The animal later turns up in the possession of Josie Ellison, a wealthy girl who has been left disabled by polio. Renaming the pony Bo, Josie relies on it to pull her cart, giving her newfound independence and joy.
Scotty eventually recognizes Bo as his missing pony, sparking a bitter dispute between the two children and their families. The conflict escalates until it is taken to court, where a unique decision is made: the pony itself will choose its rightful owner. The pony chooses Scotty—but its clear affection for Josie leads to a compassionate resolution. The rivalry softens into understanding, and the children form a friendship.
First released on home video (VHS) in 1995. First released on DVD on July 1, 2007, as a Disney Movie Club Exclusive. Re-released on DVD on August 18, 2009. Aired on The Wonderful World of Disney on February 11, 1979 (Part 1) and February 18, 1979 (Part 2). As of March 2026, Ride a Wild Pony is not available on Disney+.
CAST & CREW
Director: Don Chaffey
Producer: Jerome Courtland
Executive Producer: Ron Miller
Screenplay: Rosemary Ann Sisson
Director of Photography: Jack Cardiff
Art Director: Robert Hilditch
Costume Designer: Judith Dorsman
Editor: Mike Campbell
Music: John Addison
Cast: Michael Craig (as James Ellison), John Meillon (as Charles E. Quayle), Robert Bettles (as Scotty Pirie), Eva Griffith (as Josie Ellison), Graham Rouse (as Bluey Waters), Alfred Bell (Angus Pirie) , John Meillon Jr. (as Kit Quayle), Roy Haddrick (as J.C. Strap), Peter Gwynne (as Sgt. Collins), Melissa Jaffer (as Mrs. Pirie), Lorraine Bayly (as Mrs. Ellison), Wendy Playfair (as Mrs. Quayle), Elizabeth Alexander (as Miss Hildebrand), Kate Clarkson (Jeannie Quayle), Phillip Ross, Jessica Noad (as Miss Elsie), Neva Carr-Glyn (Miss Gwyn), Martin Vaughan, Gerry Duggan (as Train Engineer), Harry Lawrence, Alex Foxcraft
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Executive Producer: Ron Miller
Screenplay: Rosemary Ann Sisson
Director of Photography: Jack Cardiff
Art Director: Robert Hilditch
Costume Designer: Judith Dorsman
Editor: Mike Campbell
Music: John Addison
Cast: Michael Craig (as James Ellison), John Meillon (as Charles E. Quayle), Robert Bettles (as Scotty Pirie), Eva Griffith (as Josie Ellison), Graham Rouse (as Bluey Waters), Alfred Bell (Angus Pirie) , John Meillon Jr. (as Kit Quayle), Roy Haddrick (as J.C. Strap), Peter Gwynne (as Sgt. Collins), Melissa Jaffer (as Mrs. Pirie), Lorraine Bayly (as Mrs. Ellison), Wendy Playfair (as Mrs. Quayle), Elizabeth Alexander (as Miss Hildebrand), Kate Clarkson (Jeannie Quayle), Phillip Ross, Jessica Noad (as Miss Elsie), Neva Carr-Glyn (Miss Gwyn), Martin Vaughan, Gerry Duggan (as Train Engineer), Harry Lawrence, Alex Foxcraft
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
MPAA Rating: G
Runtime: 91 minutes
Sound: Mono (RCA Photophone Sound Recording)
Format: Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio: 1.75:1
Genre(s): Adventure, Drama, Family, Live-Action (from movies.disney.com)
BOX OFFICE (from IMDb.com)
Runtime: 91 minutes
Sound: Mono (RCA Photophone Sound Recording)
Format: Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio: 1.75:1
Genre(s): Adventure, Drama, Family, Live-Action (from movies.disney.com)
BOX OFFICE (from IMDb.com)
Budget: $1,000,000 AUS (estimated)
Opening Weekend (U.S. & Canada): N/A
Gross (U.S. & Canada): N/A
Gross (Worldwide): N/A
RATINGS
Opening Weekend (U.S. & Canada): N/A
Gross (U.S. & Canada): N/A
Gross (Worldwide): N/A
RATINGS
My Rating: 0.75 (out of 5)
Rotten Tomatoes: N/A (Tomatometer) | 55% (Popcornmeter)
Metacritic: N/A (Metascore) | N/A (Popcornmeter)
IMDb: 6.1 (out of 10)
The Movie DB: 64% (User Score)
Letterboxd: N/A (out of 5)
Combined Rating: 48.75
MY THOUGHTS
Let’s talk a little about the good first, was there any? The movie genuinely tries to explore empathy, fairness, and compassion, especially through the conflict between Scotty and Josie. It does fit the earnest, family-friendly style of Walt Disney Productions in the 70s. The Australian setting gives it a different feel than other Disney films of its time. The movie was slow in its pacing, and at times I found myself checking the time remaining. The story was very predictable, and honestly, we didn’t learn much about the characters and how they got to where they were. It could have helped a little at the end of the day for me. Even if it didn’t work for me at all, I can appreciate its sincerity and the emotional idea at its core—it just never quite comes together. At the end, though, we see that two things can be true at the same time. The horse could have been Taff and belonged to Scotty, and the horse could have been Bo (or is it Beau?) and belonged to Josie.
Have you seen Ride a Wild Pony? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
Great care has been taken to be as accurate as possible when it comes to details in each of the entries I post. As with anything, mistakes can happen, dates can be wrong, information not readily available, etc. If you see a mistake, information that is incorrect or inaccurate, or missing information, please contact me at disneymovieandfilmencyclopedia@gmail.com so I can make corrections.
Rotten Tomatoes: N/A (Tomatometer) | 55% (Popcornmeter)
Metacritic: N/A (Metascore) | N/A (Popcornmeter)
IMDb: 6.1 (out of 10)
The Movie DB: 64% (User Score)
Letterboxd: N/A (out of 5)
Combined Rating: 48.75
MY THOUGHTS
Let’s talk a little about the good first, was there any? The movie genuinely tries to explore empathy, fairness, and compassion, especially through the conflict between Scotty and Josie. It does fit the earnest, family-friendly style of Walt Disney Productions in the 70s. The Australian setting gives it a different feel than other Disney films of its time. The movie was slow in its pacing, and at times I found myself checking the time remaining. The story was very predictable, and honestly, we didn’t learn much about the characters and how they got to where they were. It could have helped a little at the end of the day for me. Even if it didn’t work for me at all, I can appreciate its sincerity and the emotional idea at its core—it just never quite comes together. At the end, though, we see that two things can be true at the same time. The horse could have been Taff and belonged to Scotty, and the horse could have been Bo (or is it Beau?) and belonged to Josie.
Have you seen Ride a Wild Pony? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
Great care has been taken to be as accurate as possible when it comes to details in each of the entries I post. As with anything, mistakes can happen, dates can be wrong, information not readily available, etc. If you see a mistake, information that is incorrect or inaccurate, or missing information, please contact me at disneymovieandfilmencyclopedia@gmail.com so I can make corrections.
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