The prancing horse was the symbol on Italian World War I ace Francesco Baracca 's fighter plane , and became the logo of Ferrari after the fallen ace 's parents , good friends with Enzo Ferrari , asked him so , to continue his tradition of sportsmanship , gallantry and boldness . The prancing horse was the symbol on Italian World War I ace Francesco Baracca 's fighter plane , and became the logo of Ferrari after the fallen ace 's parents , good friends with Enzo Ferrari , asked him to continue his tradition of sportsmanship , gallantry and boldness .