The series was received positively. Emily Ashby of
Common Sense Media described the series as "sweet," arguing that the series treads lightly on "factual strife between new settlers and the indigenous population," and said the series "raises issues, such as migration and assimilation" while saying that Lucky was a heroine who showed "courage, selflessness, and a tireless sense of adventure." Ashby further argued that the series has stories that are "humorous and heartwarming" and themes which reflect the "changing atmosphere of the 19th century American West." Dave Trumbore of
Collider, said that the series is less about social commentary and more about a girl, her horse, and "real, complicated friendships and life lessons learned in a refreshingly sincere manner." Ashby also called the "Riding Academy" seasons of the series "geared toward tweens" and praised the series for having a "diverse group of characters," female characters who are self-confident, and characters "coping with challenges of growing up." She also noted these seasons show "healthy self-awareness and emotional maturity for tween viewers," argued that unlike the "Spirit Riding Free" seasons doesn't "touch on themes of the historical time." Ashby also reviewed "Spirit Riding Free: Spirit of Christmas" and "Spirit Riding Free: Ride Along Adventure" specials. The first special she called a "so-so holiday horse tale warms with timely themes" and criticized for "relegating the animals to mere afterthoughts," while calling it emotionally-laden and having themes perfect for a focus on Christmas. The second special she was more critical of, saying its "lengthy story tangents" result in a "laborious interactive story," called it an "exercise in guessing which choice might lead to the exit most quickly," but noted that this involves much "realistic" peril for the young protagonists. Other reviewers gave a mixed reception. Mandie Caroll, also of Common Sense Media, called the two "Pony Tales" seasons "fun" and noted that while the series does not substantially confront "the actual history of westward settlement," it does focus on cheating, conflicts within friendships, and doing what's right, while criticizing these collections as somewhat disorganized. In contrast, Dave Trumbore of
Collider argued that the series tames the message from the 2002 film, noted that in the early seasons of the series mainly focus on the "class divide," offering a sense of adventure rather than social commentary, and noted that while the animation is uneven, it is "an adventurous, kid-friendly series." Armaan Babu of
Meaww was more positive, calling the series "one of the most wholesome and inspiring shows on Netflix," arguing that while it is aimed at one young girls, saying it is written well enough to connect with those of all ages, with the protagonists growing "into mature and responsible young adults." Babu also noted that part 2 of the series dealt with heavier topics than part 1, and praised the series for being filled with characters who are "constantly, and genuinely supportive of each other." ==References==