“Just Like Them Horses”: On Father’s Day, Reba McEntire Remembers the Man Who Taught Her How to Let Go with Love

Every year on Father’s Day, country music legend Reba McEntire takes a quiet moment to remember a man who never needed the spotlight — her late father, Clark McEntire.

A three-time world champion steer roper and proud Oklahoma rancher, Clark was known for his quiet strength, unshakable work ethic, and deep love for the land — and for his family. To the world, he was a cowboy. To Reba, he was a compass.

And when he passed away in 2014, Reba did what she always had when words failed her:
She sang.

A Song Too Personal for the Charts

“Just Like Them Horses” was never written to top radio playlists or dominate the charts. It was born in grief, first shared in the intimate space of a funeral — Clark McEntire’s funeral.

Originally penned by Liz Hengber and Tommy Lee James as a song about saying goodbye to a friend dying of cancer, Reba immediately connected to the lyrics when she heard it. At the time, her father was in his final days.

“The first time I heard it, I cried like a baby,” Reba once shared.
“I knew I had to sing it for Daddy.”

A Daughter’s Final Gift

On a quiet winter day in 2015, surrounded by family and close friends, Reba stood and performed the song at her father’s memorial service. The room was hushed. She didn’t sing it as a star. She sang it as a daughter.

“Go run free with the buffalo / Just like them horses…”

The lyrics carried the pain of parting, but also the beauty of release — the understanding that some souls were never meant to be fenced in. Just like the horses her father loved, his spirit was made for wide-open spaces.

There was not a dry eye in the room.

Why the Song Still Resonates

In 2016, Reba recorded the song professionally and released an accompanying black-and-white music video shot on her family ranch in Chockie, Oklahoma. The visuals — Reba in a flowing dress walking among wild horses — were visceral, timeless, and deeply symbolic.

Even though the song stemmed from her own personal loss, it touched millions.

“It’s not just about my Daddy,” Reba said.
“It’s about anyone you’ve ever had to let go of, but still carry with you.”

To this day, “Just Like Them Horses” is played at funerals, memorials, and remembrance ceremonies across the country — not because it’s dramatic, but because it’s honest.

Clark McEntire: The Cowboy Who Shaped a Legend

Clark never sought attention for himself. He didn’t push Reba toward stardom, but he stood firmly behind her — quietly proud, steadfastly supportive. When Reba sang on local radio as a teen, he was there. When she left for Nashville, he watched her go — not with fear, but with respect for her fire.

“He didn’t say ‘I love you’ often,” Reba has said.
“But he showed it in everything he did. In how he worked. In how he raised us.”

His values — humility, resilience, loyalty — became the bedrock of Reba’s career. They followed her into every stadium, every heartbreak song, every standing ovation.

A Father’s Day Without Words — But Not Without Meaning

For Reba, Father’s Day is not loud. It’s not a performance. It’s a reflection — often spent on horseback, on the land her father loved, or by the piano where music helps her remember.

“I still feel him near the horses,” she said.
“I still hear his voice when I walk the fenceline.”

And when she sings “Just Like Them Horses” — whether to a crowd of thousands or in the quiet of her living room — she’s not just remembering. She’s reliving.

She’s letting go again.
And holding on.

🎧 Listen to “Just Like Them Horses” — the song Reba sang at her father’s funeral, now a timeless comfort for anyone who’s ever had to say goodbye.