Horse Videos, Fact and Fiction
Horse Crazy
Back cover: When ruthless horse thieves
try to rustle a magnificent wild mustang named "The General" it takes the courage of three horse
crazy kids to outwit them and bring them to justice. After watching a movie called "The Wild Mustangs
of Nevada," fourth graders, Stoney, Tyler and Tyler's nosy sister Sam, follow their dream of capturing
their own horse by stowing away in a car headed for Nevada. When the car breaks down in the desert,
the would-be cowboys are discovered and set out on their own. And so begins an adventure of a lifetime,
as the threesome must outsmart, out wrangle and out lasso the bad guys and return The General to
his rightful owner. An exciting story for the entire family, Horse Crazy will capture your imagination
and lasso your heart.
Little Horse That Could
Review from Amazon.com: This is the
best horse video I've ever seen ! My horse-crazy 4 year old loves it so much she wants to watch
it every day. I enjoy watching it as well. It is the story of a three-day event horse. It covers
basic horse care, training, planning for events, and actual participation in two events. A winner.
-Jane Parker
Eyewitness Horse
Editorial Review from Amazon.com: If
we stop to think about horses, these beautiful animals become all the more amazing. Our culture
once relied on them just as we now rely on cars ("horseless carriages"), but now only a few people
know much about them. Eyewitness: Horse sets out to rectify that, and the video is a delight for
everyone with an interest in the natural world. DK Vision dazzles us with their trademark brilliant
graphics, showing horses' evolution, their cousins like zebras and donkeys, and how the modern horse
coevolved with another species--our own! Fascinating and engaging for all ages, Eyewitness: Horse
makes perfect family viewing and once again shows that learning can be fun.
You Can Train Your Horse
To Do Anything
Personal Review: This video tells you
lots of different ways to train your horse to do absolutely anything you want it to do.
Maximizing Your Western
Pleasure Horse
Amazon.com Review: For Western Pleasure
riders and exhibitors, Hokana has produced a two-set video package, "Maximizing Your Western Pleasure
Horse". Full of clearly presented professional instruction, the videos demonstrate exercises to
teach a horse to better use its body, by improving flexibility, stride, reach, and use of shoulders.
Methods to improve the riders seat are clearly presented, as are ways to present the horse to the
judge in the best way possible. The first video runs 1 hour 40 minutes. The second has a running
time of 39 minutes. "In order to achieve balance and perfection from your horse, you must be equally
balanced with beat, rhythm and flow as a rider. These tapes will help you improve your riding skills
and therefore improve your horses performance.
Spirit - Stallion of the
Cimarron
Amazon.com Review: Horse lovers young
and old will celebrate this utterly enjoyable and marvelous-looking animated film. The titular stallion
runs free in the Cimarron (New Mexico) wilderness until a series of men try to master the proud
horse, leading to adventures through a U.S. Cavalry fort, Native American settlements, and a railroad
camp. Despite a heavy dose of political correctness and realism (the animals don't talk; we only
hear Spirit's internal monologue, voiced by Matt Damon), directors Kelly Asbury and Lorna Cook give
their hero many only-in-a-movie moments, including an action sequence rivaling any of Rambo's escapes.
The stirring mix of 2-D and 3-D animation is absolutely stunning and aptly fueled by composer Hans
Zimmer's synthesized score. The film earns one demerit for '80s rocker Bryan Adams's abundant songs--a
different singer could have brought more to the film. Rated G but there is some rough treatment
of horses shown, so nix the sensitive preschoolers.
The Horse Whisperer
Amazon.com Review: After a devastating
riding accident, a young girl and her beloved horse are both left with serious physical and emotional
scars. Determined to help, the girl's desperate mother (Thomas) puts her busy, big-city life on
hold and travels west to seek out the "Horse Whisperer." When she meets this rugged, down-to-earth
rancher (Redford), she discovers his extraordinary gift with animals also touches the lives of the
people around him!
National Geographic: The
Noble Horse
Amazon.com Review: The Noble Horse is
a spellbinding journey through the ages, beginning with the origins of the animal some 60 million
years ago. Superb writing and stunning photography ignite this history lesson: "Spark of ancient
myth, pride of king and conqueror; history was forged to the beat of its hooves...." At the documentary's
center is a modern horse race in Mongolia, where horses are so revered that the national drink is
fermented mare's milk. The narrative touches on an exclusive riding school in Spain, the fluctuating
state of wild horses in the U.S., and the breaking of a wild horse in northern California. The epilogue
is the story of Carousel, an aging horse that helped its handicapped rider win a blue ribbon in
the 1996 Paralympics. Just 60 years before the first moon landing, the world was driven by horsepower.
This video could make you believe it still is. - Valerie Nelson
Brumby: Horse Gone Wild
Amazon.com Review: The Brumbies of Australia
are magnificent creatures, a symbol of the wilderness and a nostalgic link to the past. They are
also an environmental threat and an object of cruelty.
A Young American Rider
Amazon.com Review: "A Young American
Rider" follows the progress of an 11-year old girl and her pony through the rigors of horse showing
on the highest level. The viewer learns first-hand of the responsibilities involved in caring for
a pony and the work that is required of the rider, her trainers and her family to succeed. Addison
Phillips, the featured rider, is modest, vibrant and passionate about her sport; her love for her
pony and the world in which they compete is fully evident. I highly recommend the video to anyone
who cares about horses or competitive sports. The production values are high: wonderful camera work
and consistently informative narration. This is an excellent family video.
Horses - Close
Up and Very Personal
Review: No annoying narrator gets in
the way of the peaceful, non-intrusive music or splendid images of horses and the people who care
for them in this video. It is educational--it presents kids with opportunities to compare and contrast
types of horses and their bodies as well as close-up looks at how horses function, head to toe.
But more important, kids will like it for the same reasons adults may enjoy videos--not because
it's educational, but because it's simply enthralling. It really feeds the appetite of a horse-loving
kid--and grown-up!
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