Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Horse Girl (2020). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
Sarah is a shy and introverted young woman whose life is marked by a profound sense of solitude. She leads a quiet existence, earning a living at a local crafts store while spending her free time visiting her mother’s grave—a poignant reminder of her mother’s tragic suicide just a year prior. In addition to her somber visits, she finds solace at the horse stable, where her beloved childhood horse, Willow, is boarded. However, her frequent visits become a source of annoyance for the stable owners, who struggle to understand her deep attachment.
On the day of her birthday, Sarah’s roommate Nikki discovers her alone and decides to inject some life into the occasion by inviting Darren, the roommate of her boyfriend Brian, over for what was intended to be a double date. The evening takes an unexpected turn as the four indulge in marijuana and drinks. As they converse, Sarah becomes increasingly fascinated by Darren’s revelations about his life and past relationship. Unfortunately, the gathering is abruptly disrupted when Sarah suffers from a nosebleed. After the date, she experiences a peculiar dream where she finds herself lying on a stark white canvas, surrounded by a man and woman, both oblivious to the unsettling environment.
The next morning, Nikki awakens to find Sarah curled up on the living room floor, and eerie scratch marks mar the wall nearby. When Darren returns to collect his car, he musters the courage to ask Sarah out on a date—a moment that sends her heart racing. However, while at work, Sarah suffers another nosebleed, and as she recovers, she spots a man outside who bears an uncanny resemblance to the figure from her haunting dream. Adding to her rollercoaster of emotions, Sarah spends time with her childhood friend Heather, who has been grappling with the aftereffects of a traumatic brain injury sustained in a riding accident, leading to her persistent seizures and memory lapses.
As Sarah’s life unfolds, she is soon beset by a series of bizarre occurrences that blur the lines between reality and something far more sinister. While driving home one evening, she finds herself inexplicably transported from a red light near a water facility to her kitchen, the tap running as if time itself had slipped away. Alone in her apartment, she begins to hear indistinct voices echoing through empty rooms, and in a shocking turn, her car mysteriously vanishes from the garage.
In a surprising twist, her wealthy stepfather Gary informs Sarah that her car has turned up at a tow yard due to the registration still being under his name. They visit the yard together, and the tow driver reveals that the car was found abandoned near the very water facility where Sarah experienced her disorientation. Later that night, Sarah sleepwalks outside, waking up by a telephone booth, seemingly lost yet again. After her return, she notes that only minutes have elapsed, raising her suspicions further.
At work, her boss, Joan, concerned about Sarah’s family history of mental health issues, suggests she seek professional help. This fuels Sarah’s paranoia, leading her to believe that she is caught in a cycle of alien abductions. The resemblance she bears to her deceased grandmother terrifies her, as she begins to suspect she could be a clone. As days pass, she starts tracking down the man from her dream, Ron, discovering he runs a plumbing store. In a fit of desperation during a date with Darren, she confesses her fears about being a clone and demands he drive her to her mother’s grave to dig up DNA. Disturbed by her erratic behavior, Darren leaves, fearing for his safety.
After a surreal shower experience that sees her transported back to work, Joan grows increasingly worried and contacts the police. Subsequently, Sarah is committed to a psychiatric hospital, where she awakens to find her room’s door left ajar. She seizes the opportunity to escape, venturing out to various locations, including the crafts store—where she steals fabric to create protective suits for herself and Willow. However, her confrontation with the stable owner sends her fleeing once more. Seeking solace, she visits Darren, and in a moment of intimacy, they share a passionate encounter, only for him to mysteriously vanish afterwards.
In a deep dive into her subconscious, Sarah constructs a fabric doorway and steps into a white room reminiscent of her previously unsettling dreams. Within this eerie environment, she witnesses shadowy figures tending to unconscious individuals, including herself and the other figures she had seen in her dreams. A sudden leap through a window transports her into Heather’s bedroom, reuniting them in slumber. Yet, upon waking, Sarah discovers herself back in the hospital, leading to the grim realization that her recent experiences were merely figments of her imagination. Recognizing another patient as the woman from her dream, Sarah engages her in conversation, learning that they share dream elements that hint at their potential alien encounters. This revelation exhilarates Sarah and convinces her that she is not mentally ill, prompting an approving discharge after 72 hours.
Upon returning home, Sarah chooses to wear her grandmother’s dress, then cunningly abducts Willow from the stable. Together, they journey into the woods where, standing in a serene clearing, Sarah lies on the ground and awaits the inevitable moment. Moments later, a spaceship appears before her; she is levitated into the sky, marking her ultimate disappearance into the unknown.
Follow the complete movie timeline of Horse Girl (2020) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
Sarah's Quiet Life
Sarah, a shy and introverted woman, lives a quiet life working at a crafts store. She often visits her mother's grave, who died by suicide the previous year, indicating her struggle with grief and loneliness.
The Birthday Invitation
On her birthday, Sarah's roommate Nikki finds her alone and invites Darren, her boyfriend's roommate, over for a double date. The date features marijuana and drinks, allowing Sarah to momentarily escape her quiet existence.
Sarah's Disturbance
During the date, Sarah experiences a nose bleed that interrupts the evening. This marks the beginning of a series of bizarre events that start to intrude upon her life, indicating deeper issues at play.
The Bizarre Dream
Following the date, Sarah has a strange dream where she lies in a white room, alongside a man and a woman. This dream foreshadows her later experiences and hints at her fragmented psyche.
Unexplained Time Loss
After another nose bleed, Sarah loses track of time while driving, finding herself inexplicably back in her kitchen. This event exemplifies her growing confusion and the surreal nature of her experiences.
The Stolen Car
Sarah discovers her car has been stolen, leading Gary, her wealthy stepfather, to inform her that it has been located at a tow yard. This incident adds to her sense of being unmoored and in crisis.
Sleepwalking
In a further episode of sleepwalking, Sarah finds herself standing outside a telephone booth with no memory of how she got there. This incident highlights her escalating instability and disconnection from reality.
Diagnosing the Problem
At work, Sarah's boss Joan suggests she visit a doctor, given her family's mental health history. This moment serves as a critical turning point, indicating that Sarah's mental state is in serious jeopardy.
Cloning Fears
Sarah becomes convinced that she is a clone due to her appearance resembling her deceased grandmother. This paranoia demonstrates her deteriorating mental state and growing fear of her identity being compromised.
The Descent into Paranoia
During a date with Darren, Sarah shares her beliefs about being a clone and insists on digging up her mother's grave for DNA. This unsettling act highlights her spiraling paranoia and desperate search for truth.
Psychiatric Hospitalization
After a series of alarming events, Sarah is admitted to a psychiatric hospital where she wakes in the middle of the night to find her door unlocked. This moment of escape marks a pivotal point in her chaotic journey.
The Fabrication of Protective Suits
While escaping the hospital, Sarah steals fabric from her workplace to create protective suits for herself and her horse, Willow. This act symbolizes her desperation and a misguided attempt to protect herself.
The Dream Realm
Sarah constructs a doorway from fabric, entering the white room of her dreams where she witnesses shadowy figures. This pivotal event suggests a blurring of the lines between reality and her dream world.
Sharing Dreams
In the psychiatric hospital, Sarah meets another patient who shares similar dreams. This revelation leads Sarah to believe they are both aliens abducted, reinforcing her delusions and desire for connection.
Departure to the Unknown
In the film's climax, Sarah steals Willow from the stable, walking into the woods where a spaceship appears. This moment signifies her final embrace of the unknown, culminating in her levitation into the sky.
Explore all characters from Horse Girl (2020). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.
Sarah (Alison Brie)
Sarah is a complex and introspective character haunted by her past, including her mother's suicide. Her introverted nature reflects her struggles with social interaction and personal relationships, particularly in her confusing dynamics with Darren and her roommate, Nikki. As the narrative progresses, her psychological state deteriorates, leading her to bizarre and unsettling conclusions about her identity and reality.
Nikki (Debby Ryan)
Nikki serves as a contrasting character to Sarah, being more socially active and outgoing. Her concern for Sarah becomes apparent as she navigates their friendship amidst Sarah's troubling experiences. Nikki's attempts to reach out highlight themes of support and understanding in friendships.
Darren (Matthew Gray Gubler)
Darren acts as a pivotal figure in Sarah's life, representing a potential romantic connection that becomes confusing due to Sarah's deteriorating mental state. His reactions to Sarah's unusual behavior reveal the complexities of relationships affected by mental health challenges.
Heather (Meredith Hagner)
Heather, Sarah's childhood friend, adds depth to the narrative as a character who also struggles with trauma, albeit in a different form. Her experiences with memory loss and seizures create a bond with Sarah, reflecting the theme of shared struggles and the ways in which trauma can shape friendships.
Learn where and when Horse Girl (2020) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.
Time period
The film unfolds in contemporary times, reflecting modern societal perspectives on mental health and the complexities of personal relationships. It explores themes of isolation and internal struggle in an age where technology and science continue to intersect with personal belief systems, such as the idea of alien abduction.
Location
Crafts Store, Horse Stable, Psychiatric Hospital, Woods
The crafts store is where Sarah spends her working hours, engaging in creative activities while grappling with her mental state. The horse stable holds significant emotional weight for her, being a place of childhood memories and connection to her deceased horse, Willow. The psychiatric hospital represents a moment of crisis for Sarah, as she seeks help for her increasingly troubling experiences. Lastly, the woods symbolize a retreat into nature and the unknown, where the final transformation occurs.
Discover the main themes in Horse Girl (2020). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
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Identity
Sarah's journey involves a deep exploration of identity, particularly as she grapples with the possibility of being a clone of her deceased grandmother. This theme underscores her struggles with self-perception and the search for meaning in her life amidst trauma and loss.
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Reality vs. Delusion
The film examines the thin line between reality and delusion, as Sarah's experiences often blur the boundaries of her mental state. Through vivid dreams and hallucinations, the narrative questions what is real and how mental health can alter perception.
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Mental Health
Mental health is a central theme in the story, represented by Sarah's experiences with therapy and hospitalization. It portrays the struggles faced by individuals with mental health issues, emphasizing the importance of understanding, support, and awareness in society.
Unravel the ending of Horse Girl (2020) with our detailed explanation. Understand the final scenes, character fates, and unresolved questions.
The ending of Horse Girl is highly ambiguous and thought-provoking, blurring the lines between reality, memory, and sci-fi elements like time travel and alien abduction. Throughout the film, Sarah’s experiences suggest she might be caught in a looping cycle caused by alien abductions that also involve confusing her sense of time and identity. In her final scenes, she appears to have traveled back in time, or perhaps been placed in a different point in her life by the aliens. This is evidenced when she returns to her childhood home and transforms herself to resemble her grandmother, Helen, implying that she might actually be her grandmother reincarnated or trapped in a time loop.
After making herself look like Helen, Sarah takes Willow the horse into the woods and lies down as lights from the sky illuminate the scene. In the final moments, she’s lifted into the sky, suggesting she’s being abducted again by the aliens, possibly to continue her journey in another dimension or time. The film hints that these abductions aren’t always happening at the same time in Sarah’s life—they seem to send her back to earlier points, creating a loop where she keeps reliving and rewinding her experiences. This is supported by the fact that Sarah emerges days earlier than expected during her mental hospital stay, indicating she’s been looped through time by the aliens.
The nature of Sarah’s reality remains uncertain, partly due to her unreliable perspective—she often confuses her hallucinations with real events. While some parts of her story could be imagined or her mind’s distortion, others suggest her experiences were real encounters with extraterrestrial beings. The recurring motif of her looking identical to her grandmother, combined with her belief that she’s her grandma and her final act of returning to her childhood home, strengthens the idea that she is caught in a bizarre time loop. Ultimately, the ending leaves us questioning whether Sarah has been living a series of delusions, or if she has truly been cycling through different points in her memory and history, manipulated by alien forces. It’s a haunting finale that invites viewers to ponder the mysterious nature of perception, identity, and the possibility of otherworldly influence on her consciousness.
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