Did we miss your favorite film? Click “Submit a Comment” at the end of this article and share your picks for best horse flicks.

Don’t forget to check out 30 great horse books and 30 great horse songs.

30 of the Best Horse Movies

Sylvester In search of a hefty paycheck, cowgirl Melissa Gilbert enlists a former cavalryman to help her win a prestigious three-day event with her favorite bronco.

Spirit:  Stallion of the Cimarron As a wild stallion travels across the frontiers of the Old West, he befriends a young human and finds true love with a mare.

The Silver Stallion: King of the Wild Brumbies Russell Crowe plays a part in this movie about an Australian wild horse and the impact he has on a rural family.

Seabiscuit Based on the book by Laura Hillenbrand, this true story tells of the undersized Depression-era racehorse whose victories lifted not only the spirits of the team behind it but also those of the nation as well.

National Velvet Liz Taylor, as Velvet Brown, lives the dream we all had as children—win a horse in a lottery and turn him into a champion. In this case, young Velvet disguises herself as a boy and wins England’s famous Grand National steeplechase on her beloved Pie.

The Man From Snowy River An entertaining and visually stunning Australian western about a born horseman who single-handedly rounds up a herd of wild horses and pursues a rich rancher’s daughter.

War Horse This war drama directed and produced by the legendary Steven Spielberg follows Joey, an Irish Hunter horse raised by a British teenager as he is sold to the British Army. Along the way, Joey encounters various people throughout Europe before and during World War I.

International Velvet This is a sequel of sorts to “National Velvet.” A family tragedy brings Velvet’s niece, Sarah, to England. Sarah joins forces with a descendant of the great Pie and eventually makes the British three-day event team where she finds Olympic glory and true love.

The Horsemasters In this horse movie, enthusiastic equestrians work long and hard to earn British Horse Society certification.

Hildalgo Set in 1890, this is the story of a Pony Express courier (Viggo Mortensen) who travels to Arabia to compete with his horse, Hidalgo, in a dangerous race for a big prize.

The Electric Horseman In his pre-whispering days, Robert Redford starred in this story about a former rodeo cowboy who abandons the Las Vegas stage and takes off into the desert astride a former Derby winner.

A Day at the Races The Marx Brothers go to the races. Enough said.

Champions This testament to the strength of the human spirit is based on the life of English steeplechase jockey Bob Champion who was stricken with cancer at the age of 31 but never wavered in his dream of winning the Grand National.

The Black Stallion Returns In this sequel to “The Black Stallion,” Alec Ramsey travels to the Middle East to rescue his kidnapped horse.

Black Beauty Several versions have been created based on Anna Sewell’s classic horse book. In this movie, Beauty tells his own story about leaving his wonderful first home and being passed through indifferent and abusive owners before finally being reunited with the boy he loved.

The Story of Seabiscuit The 1949 film version of the unlikely champion, complete with a perfect Hollywood ending. Seabiscuit, a colt no one believes in, rises from the claiming ranks to become one of most successful racehorses of the 1930s.

Secretariat This Disney film tells the story of Secretariat, largely considered to be the greatest racehorse of all time. Diane Lane stars as his owner, Penny Chenery, as she makes history with “Big Red.”

Shergar A true tale about the Irish Thoroughbred who was kidnapped by the IRA and never seen again.

Phar Lap This movie chronicles the life of the much-loved Australian racehorse Phar Lap, who raced to stardom in the 1930s, and the gentle groom who loved him. Despite having to carry increasing amounts of weight, the horse is unbeatable.  Phar Lap’s tale ends tragically when he dies under mysterious circumstances soon after winning his most important race—the Agua Caliente Handicap in Mexico.

Miracle of the White Stallions During World War II, the Lipizzan Stallions of the famous Spanish Riding School were in danger of being destroyed. They are rescued by General George Patton and the U.S. Army.

Let It Ride A cab driver learns about a horse race that’s going to be fixed. Succumbing to the temptation, he wins big, then bets it all on a horse named Hot to Trot.

Into the West Two gypsy boys growing up in poverty in Dublin, Ireland, are led on an adventure into the Connemara by a mysterious white horse.

The Horse Whisperer This romance movie centers on the relationship between a workaholic mother, an injured daughter, a frightened horse and the “horse whisperer” who touches their lives.

The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit A businessman uses a show horse ridden by his daughter as a advertising promotion for a stomach-ailment remedy.

Flicka Starring country singing legend Tim McGraw, this is a story of how a young girl claims a wild horse as her own. Such gallantry proves to the girl’s father (McGraw) that she is capable of one day taking over the family ranch.

Dreamer Cale Crane (played by young Dakota Fanning) catalyzes the rescue and rehabilitation of Sonador, a racehorse with a broken leg.

Ride Like a Girl This biological sports drama is based on the true story of Michelle Payne, who became the first female jockey to win the legendary Melbourne Cup in 2015.

Casey’s Shadow A young boy and his Quarter Horse-training father raise and train a foal that takes them all the way to the All American Quarter Horse Futurity.

The Black Stallion Based on the Walter Farley children’s book of the same name, The Black Stallion is a film about a young boy who, after surviving a shipwreck, is stranded on an island with a mysterious black horse. The pair form a powerful bond that helps them, once rescued, to race against and beat the fastest horses in the country.

All the Pretty Horses A coming-of-age tale based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy. Young Texas rancher John Grady Cole, played by Matt Damon, gets more adventure than he can handle when he heads to Mexico after the death of his father.

Want to find out more about horse movies? Here are more resources on horses in film:

“Out of the Wild” to Bring Mark Rashid’s Horsemanship to the Big Screen For the horse trainer known for his respect and consideration of the horse, Mark Rashid’s journey of seeing his first novel, “Out of the Wild,” transformed into a feature film has been a lot like his horsemanship. Continue Reading >>

5 Classic Must-See Horse Movies Let’s step back into the past and revisit horse movies from the 1940s-1960s that still portray timeless messages and provide inspiration for contemporary horse enthusiasts. Continue Reading >>

Rider Insider: The Best Horse Movies We’re recruiting your help in updating this list. Are there any classics that we missed? Are there some newer titles that deserve recognition? Continue Reading >>

Horse Movies Given Center Stage at the Equus Film Festival The inaugural New York City Equus Film Festival took place in Harlem, showcasing 119 films that were narrowed down from the 149 that were entered. Continue Reading >>

From Derby Dream to Silver Screen “50 to 1,” the new major motion picture about Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird, opens in theaters March 21, 2014 in New Mexico and will then expand across the country. Continue Reading >>

Friesians in Film The Friesian’s magnetic beauty is a perfect fit for the silver screen, and many movie and TV-show directors seek out these horses for their commanding presence. Continue Reading >>

Movie Review: Moondance Alexander Horse lovers are so desperate for films that accurately portray their lifestyle that they anxiously await the release of every horse flick. Often they are disappointed, as will probably be the case with Moondance Alexander. Continue Reading >>

Training Horses for the Silver Screen As a lifelong horse-crazy person, I feel qualified to be a critic of riders in TV shows, movies and advertisements, and I always wonder about the training that happens behind the scenes. Continue Reading >>

This article is a web exclusive for Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post 30 Best Horse Movies appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Towslee’s horse-crazy life started with backyard horses in Washington state.

“We always had horses from the time I can remember,” she says. “I was riding from before I could walk.”

She competed in hunter/jumper events until her junior year in high school, then convinced a racehorse breeder that she knew how to break colts.

“I lied and said I’d done it before, and fumbled my way through it, breaking a set of colts for her,” Towslee recalls. “Her husband trained racehorses, and I ended up going to the racetrack after that and grooming horses. Later that year, I started galloping them.”

Big Screen Serendipity

She spent the next decade as a gallop girl and assistant trainer at racetracks around the country. While in New Mexico outriding and galloping horses on tracks, breaking horses, and running a training stable, Towslee stumbled upon stunt horse training. Or, rather, it stumbled into her.

“I got into it completely by accident,” she says. “A friend of ours had been working on a movie job, and they needed some horses that looked like racehorses but were broke. All of my outriding horses were old racehorses, so they could still gallop around, but you’d say whoa and they’d put on the brakes. They were perfect because it was a racehorse-based teen drama, Wildfire. I started wrangling and renting horses to them and doing stunts.”

Wildfire ended after four seasons, and Towslee moved on to managing a breeding farm. She turned down a couple of stunt horse trainer jobs because she felt obligated to the breeding farm owners.

Then The Lone Ranger (released in 2013, starring Johnny Depp) came calling.

“I thought if I didn’t make the jump in careers then, I probably never would,” she recalls. “So, I went ahead and took a leap. I [left] my job and my house at the same time. I bought a travel trailer and went to work on movies, and I’ve been doing it ever since.”

The Highs and the Lows

As a stunt horse trainer on the set of The Lone Ranger, Towslee worked with Bobby Lovgren, one of the most well-known movie horse trainers.

“There was a lot of liberty trick horse work,” says Towslee. “The movie had some complex stunt sequences that had to be worked out, and the director wanted as little computer-generated stuff as possible. The Lone Ranger’s horse, Silver, had to be on rooftops and jump from building to building. Silver [also] had to be in a tree over the Colorado river, so they built us one. Bobby had trained the horse to stand on a rail, so it looked like he was standing on a branch. Silver had to jump up into a train car and run through it while the Lone Ranger was shooting, so they built us a train car that was big enough.

“It was a process keeping things safe,” she adds. “You have to be pretty creative to figure out how you are going to get what they want to see on camera.”

The cast, crew, and of course the stunt horse trainers travelled to spectacular filming spots, including Canyon de Chelly, Monument Valley, and several locations in New Mexico.

But lest you think working as a movie stunt horse trainer is all teaching horses tricks in spectacular scenery, there are downsides to the work. Think white horses working in red sand.

“We had five white horses—I spent a lot of time washing [them],” Towslee laughs. “We were in Monument Valley in all that red sand, and there were windstorms. Our white horses turned pink, and when you’d wash them, they’d turn orange. And it was cold, so you couldn’t really give them good baths. It was just awful. I think they digitally fixed it; we couldn’t get them clean!

“We would be working all night and doing rain scenes, freezing our butts off,” she adds. “But you also get to do some really cool stuff as well and meet some really neat people.”

Horse wrangling work on A Million Ways to Die in the West and The Magnificent Seven, which included 140 cast horses, followed.

Stunt Horse Trainer Gangboss

Towslee’s first gig as wrangler gangboss came in the 2017 film, Hostiles. A gangboss runs the wrangler crew, trains the movie horses, gives the actors riding lessons, and handles the horses and actors on set.

“I would say the most important component to being a gangboss is communicating with the assistant director’s department, relaying that information to the wranglers, then getting them organized to achieve what the director wants to see,” says Towslee. “A lot of it is making sure everything’s safe for the horses around the cameras and making sure the actors are alright. Then we have other wranglers that are handling the background horses. Any time there’s a horse on set, we’re there.

“Quite often, we’re really close—if the camera sees half of the actor and half of the horse, we’re probably on our knees helping hold the horse still. It’s not always glamorous,” she adds with a laugh.

Towslee is one of just a handful of female stunt horse wrangler gangbosses in the industry.

“I wouldn’t say it’s necessarily a disadvantage being female, but there is [also] no advantage to it,” Towslee says. “And it does have its challenges. I’ve been very lucky that my boss, Clay Lilley, has always had my back. Some of the cowboys have been in the business longer than me, although they have been very supportive of me. I very much respect their opinions.”

It’s easy to respect anyone who has the skills to work at this level—in other words, an accomplished horseman. Galloping scores of racehorses and breaking and training horses for decades goes a long way toward helping one speak horse.

“You do have to know horses: how they’re going to react to a situation and whether they’re going to be bothered by it, or whether you can use a situation to get the desired action,” explains Towslee. “You must know what drives a horse.

“Another thing is being a person that really pays attention to what’s going on around you all the time and can spot things that are going to cause a problem,” she continues. “Movie sets are incredibly busy, and there’s a lot of moving parts. We have actors on horses in very tight situations sometimes. You need to always have your head on a swivel.”

Favorite Co-Stars

If pressed, Towslee will name Sam Elliott as her favorite actor to work with.

“I worked briefly with him years ago, and now for the past five months on the series 1883 [a prequel to the hit show Yellowstone]. What a wonderful man. He possesses a certain humility and grace.”

But any conversation inevitably turns back to her horses.

“Pistol, a Quarter Horse, is fantastically talented as a movie horse,” she says of a horse she recently worked with while filming a series. “He’s like a Border Collie, he’s so darn smart.”

King, a Friesian cross, is another favorite who has been in half a dozen movies and doubled the main horse on News of the World.

Some of the horses know they’re performing.

“[Some can be] a bit of a ham,” says Towslee. “You have some stunt horses that you use for years and years. They’ve done umpteen Indian raids and bank and stagecoach robberies, and they just keep going. It never shakes them up. They’re in a whole league of their own.”

However, the work isn’t all fast-paced cowboy shootouts.

“Your background horses are basically walking from A to B all day long or standing tied to a hitching rail,” she explains. “A movie set has all these moving parts that are often very close to horses, so they have to be super tolerant of stuff.”

Temperament is the No. 1 trait Towslee and her boss look for in potential movie horses.
“Sometimes you’ll get a horse who you think is going to be perfect for the movies, and as soon as they set foot on a movie set, they’re like, ‘Nope! Can’t do it!’” she says.

“There’s a different energy to a movie set, with so many people and equipment and cameras. You try and introduce the horses to it slowly, but only your very best ones ever end up with actors [riding] them. They’re really special, the ones that make good cast horses.”

Variety is the Spice

No day as a Hollywood stunt horse trainer is the same.

“That’s probably one of the things I like most about it,” says Towslee. “I’m not good at things that are incredibly repetitive. Every day is different; it keeps your mind busy. I really enjoy that, plus the fact that I get to work with animals every day.

“The funny thing is, way back when, I always thought, ‘Wouldn’t that be cool to work with movie horses?’ And just out of the blue, I’m doing that.”

The post Hollywood Stunt Horse Trainer appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

In the 10th episode of The Horse Illustrated Episode of Horses in the Morning, sponsored by Title Sponsor Straight Arrow Products, hosts Glenn the Geek and Sarah Evers Conrad chat with Coagi Long, president of Equine Affaire for a preview of Equine Affaire Ohio, which happens April 7-10; Emily and Sarah Harris of Sisters Horsing Around share about their journey with their adopted Mustangs; and Eric Bendick, talks about his role as writer and producer of Nature: American Horses, set to air on PBS.

Hosts: Sarah Conrad, Digital Content Editor of Horse Illustrated & Young Rider and Glenn the Geek, host of Horses in the Morning

Title Sponsor: Straight Arrow Family of Brands

There’s an App for that!  Check out the new Horse Radio Network app for iPhone and Android. Follow Horse Radio Network on Twitter or follow Horses In The Morning on Facebook.

Coagi Long, president of Equine Affaire, Inc, Previews Equine Affaire Ohio

Coagi Long, president and owner of Equine Affaire, Inc., has more than 18 years of experience with the company in a variety of areas. She joined Equine Affaire in 2003 as a member of the Marketing Department, where she facilitated numerous promotional projects. She also served as program director and as vice president and executive producer from 2006 to 2018. Coagi manages the extensive program of clinics, seminars, and demonstrations and coordinates the Fantasia performers and production for each Equine Affaire. She also oversees the company’s website, manages the production elements of each event, and supervises the day-to-day operations of Equine Affaire. Coagi graduated from The University of Findlay with a BS dual major in marketing and equestrian studies and a minor in operations and logistics management. She has primarily concentrated on dressage and hunt seat, earning several intercollegiate titles in both disciplines. She competes in dressage, and trains and breeds Warmbloods at her farm in West Mansfield, Ohio.

More Information on Equine Affaire Ohio and Massachusetts

◆ Official Website: www.equineaffaire.com
◆ www.facebook.com/equineaffaire
◆ www.instagram.com/equineaffaire
◆ www.twitter.com/equineaffaire

Emily and Sarah Harris of Sisters Horsing Around

Emily and Sarah Harris are the sister duo of “Sisters Horsing Around,” which includes their YouTube channel, website, and social media accounts (see below). Sisters Horsing Around is a fun, engaging, informative and educational resource for horse information. As multi-discipline riders, Emily and Sarah have had a variety of experiences, and they are passionate about sharing the joys of horses. They call themselves the “Equestrian Guides” and want to help non-equestrians explore the amazing world of horses. For those that are equestrians, they want to help broaden their interests in different disciplines. They do this by creating content that can be enjoyed and understood by anyone. They also endeavor to bridge the gap between those outside the horse world and those in the horse world and bring equestrian sports into the limelight in an interesting and understandable way.

Additional Information: Catch the first Sisters Horsing Around interview on the Horse Illustrated Episode of Horses in the Morning

Links for Sisters Horsing Around

◆ Official Website: www.sistershorsingaround.com
◆ www.youtube.com/SistersHorsingAround
◆ www.instagram.com/SistersHorsingAround
◆ www.facebook.com/SistersHorsingAround
◆ www.twitter.com/SistersHorsing
◆ www.pinterest.com/SistersHorsingAround

Eric Bendick, Writer and Producer of Nature: American Horses

Eric Bendick is a director, producer and writer whose work explores connectivity, conflict and wonder at the intersection of the human and natural world. Eric has led filming expeditions in many of the last wild places, such as the Florida Everglades, the Grand Canyon, the Great Bear Rainforest, and the most remote spot in Yellowstone National Park. His work has aired on PBS, National Geographic, Smithsonian and the History Channel, as well as streamed online for  numerous  platforms. Eric is a current grantee of the Redford Center.  His productions have garnered an  Emmy, Webby and numerous other awards and accolades from major film festivals around the world.   He is the writer and producer of PBS’s Nature: American Horses, which airs on February 23, 2022, and then streams online afterward.

Additional Information: Listeners can view the documentary at www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/about-american-horses/26867. And, they can watch on PBS, www.pbs.org, or the PBS Video app.

Links:

◆ Official Website: www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/about-american-horses/26867
◆ www.pbs.org/nature
◆ www.facebook.com/PBSNature
◆ www.twitter.com/PBSNature
◆ www.instagram.com/pbsnature
◆ www.youtube.com/naturepbs
◆ www.tiktok.com/@pbsnature

Title Sponsor

We want to thank our Title Sponsor, the Straight Arrow Family of Brands, makers of Mane ‘n Tail, Cowboy Magic & Exhibitor’s, with over 100 years of grooming excellence. For more information about your favorite products, please visit www.straightarrowinc.com and find Straight Arrow Products at a tack shop near you!

The post Podcast Episode #10: Equine Affaire Ohio, Mustang Adoption, and <i>Nature: American Horses</i> for February 22, 2022 from Title Sponsor Straight Arrow Products appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Mustang. Morgan. Appaloosa. Quarter Horse. Each of America’s horses has a unique story to tell. From New England homesteads to cattle ranches in Wyoming to tribal lands in the Mountain West, see how the horse is part of this nation’s history in Nature: American Horses, premiering Wednesday, February 23 at 8 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings), www.pbs.org/nature and the PBS Video app, with narration by Bill Pullman.

Discover the origin story of American horses, which can be traced all the way back to the 50-million-year-old fossil beds of Polecat Bench, Wyo. From these ancient beginnings, Equus spread around the globe, but mysteriously went extinct in North America. Arriving aboard ships of Spanish explorers, horses reclaimed the continent after a 10,000-year absence. With their return, the stage was set for a new generation of American breeds and a lifelong partnership with humans.

“Horses helped shape the landscape of our nation,” said Fred Kaufman, executive producer for Nature. “Their stories are a fascinating look at how their history and our history are inseparable.”

A combination of natural selection, selective breeding, and chance created the wide spectrum of more than 100 American horse breeds we know today. Emerging from regional patterns of work, culture, tradition and geography, these signature breeds each made their mark on the nation. Meet the Appaloosa, bred and revered by the Nez Perce tribe; the American Quarter Horse, perfectly trained to work the open range; the Morgan Horse, whose underdog story is legendary; and the wild Mustang, whose close bonds within their community shed insight into their relationships with humans. Witness vivid scenes of incredible horsepower, whether they are cutting cows in a sagebrush sea, galloping through autumn foliage in New England or racing across the Pony Express Trail.

For 40 years, Nature has pioneered a television genre that is now widely emulated in the broadcast industry, bringing the natural world to millions of viewers. The series has won more than 700 honors from the television industry, the international wildlife film communities and environmental organizations, including 20 Emmys and three Peabodys. Consistently among the most-watched primetime series on PBS, Nature continues to innovate through original digital programming, such as the new podcast Going Wild with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant and digital series Animal IQ and Crash Course: Zoology. Nature’s award-winning website, www.pbs.org/nature, features full episodes, short films, digital series, behind-the-scenes content, news articles, educational resources and more.

Nature is available for streaming concurrent with broadcast on all station-branded PBS platforms, including www.PBS.org and the PBS Video app, available on iOS, Android, Roku streaming devices, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast and VIZIO. PBS station members can view many series, documentaries and specials via PBS Passport. For more information about PBS Passport, visit the PBS Passport FAQ website.

Nature: American Horses is a production of Grizzly Creek Films and The WNET Group in co-production with Terra Mater Factual Studios. The program is written and produced by Eric Bendick. Thomas Winston is producer, and the show is narrated by Bill Pullman. Fred Kaufman is executive producer, and Bill Murphy is series producer. Janet Hess is series editor. Danielle Broza is digital content and strategy lead.

Support for Nature: American Horses was provided by Kitty Hawks and Larry Lederman, The Hite Foundation and The Sun Hill Family Foundation.

Series funding for Nature is also made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, The Arnhold Foundation, The Fairweather Foundation, Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III, Kathy Chiao and Ken Hao, Charles Rosenblum, Filomen M. D’Agostino Foundation, Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust, Leonard and Norma Klorfine, Sandra Atlas Bass, Colin S. Edwards, Gregg Peters Monsees Foundation, Koo and Patricia Yuen, and public television viewers.

More Information

• www.pbs.org/nature
• www.facebook.com/PBSNature
• www.twitter.com/PBSNature
• www.instagram.com/pbsnature
• www.youtube.com/naturepbs
• www.tiktok.com/@pbsnature
• Use hashtag: #NaturePBS

The post <i>Nature: American Horses</i> Brings the History of the Nation’s Horse to Life appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

In the sixth episode of The Horse Illustrated Episode of Horses in the Morning, sponsored by Title Sponsor Straight Arrow Products, hosts Glenn the Geek and Sarah Evers Conrad talk to Emily and Sarah Harris of Sisters Horsing Around; Steven Latham, producer and co-director of The Mustangs: America’s Wild Horses film; and Colton Woods about the sustainability of the horse industry and his training philosophies.

Hosts: Sarah Conrad, Digital Content Editor of Horse Illustrated & Young Rider and Glenn the Geek, host of Horses in the Morning

Title Sponsor: Straight Arrow Family of Brands

There’s an App for that!  Check out the new Horse Radio Network app for iPhone and Android. Follow Horse Radio Network on Twitter or follow Horses In The Morning on Facebook.

Emily and Sarah Harris of Sisters Horsing Around

Emily and Sarah Harris are the sister duo of “Sisters Horsing Around,” which includes their YouTube channel, website, and social media accounts (see below). Sisters Horsing Around is a fun, engaging, informative and educational resource for horse information. As multi-discipline riders, Emily and Sarah have had a variety of experiences, and they are passionate about sharing the joys of horses. They call themselves the “Equestrian Guides” and want to help non-equestrians explore the amazing world of horses. For those that are equestrians, they want to help broaden their interests in different disciplines. They do this by creating content that can be enjoyed and understood by anyone. They also endeavor to bridge the gap between those outside the horse world and those in the horse world and bring equestrian sports into the limelight in an interesting and understandable way.

Additional Links for Sisters Horsing Around:

◆ www.instagram.com/SistersHorsingAround
◆ www.facebook.com/SistersHorsingAround
◆ www.twitter.com/SistersHorsing
◆ www.pinterest.com/SistersHorsingAround

For the article about our Equitana coverage, click here. Facebook Lives from Equitana feature:

◆ Susan Friedland of Saddle Seeks Horse
◆ Heather Wallace of The Timid Rider
◆ Certified Horsemanship Association CEO Christy Landwehr
◆ The Social Responsibility of Equestrian Influencers Panel Part 1 and Part 2 (featuring Sisters Horsing Around, interviewed in the podcast)
◆ Positive reinforcement trainer Shawna Karrasch
◆ The demo from Shawna Karrasch (mentioned in the podcast)
◆ Carriage Association of America’s Publication Manager Kathleen Haak
◆ A demo from Colton Woods (interviewed in the podcast).

Steven Latham with The Mustangs Film

Steven Latham is the producer and co-director of The Mustangs: America’s Wild Horses, which takes audiences on an odyssey throughout America to places few people have seen or even know about. There are more than 80,000 wild horses on our public lands and more than 50,000 in government corrals. This feature documentary is executive produced by Robert Redford, Patti Scialfa Springsteen and Jessica Springsteen. The film features songs by Bruce Springsteen, Emmylou Harris and Willie Nelson and an original song written by Diane Warren and performed by Blanco Brown.

Steven also created and produces the award-winning series, Shelter Me, which tells stories that celebrate the human-animal bond. The episodes have been hosted by John Legend, Jane Goodall, Kristen Bell, Jon Hamm, Hilary Swank, Allison Janney, Edie Falco, Jane Lynch, Wendie Malick, Daymond John and Katherine Heigl.

Steven began his production company with a film series he created with Barbra Streisand called, The Living Century, which focused on people who were at least 100 years old. He also produced and directed for the science series, NOVA, and made the only film about the TED Conference. Prior to launching his company, he worked at Ketchum, Grey, Paramount Pictures, PolyGram Television, and Universal Worldwide Television.

Additional Links about The Mustangs Film

◆ The Official Trailer
◆ The Mustangs Film website
◆ www.facebook.com/TheMustangsFilm

Colton Woods of Colton Woods Horsemanship

Colton Woods is a husband, horseman and entrepreneur dedicated to helping others develop themselves, their horses and businesses to be the best they can be. Horsemanship to him is not just a way to train a horse—it is everything we do with our horses and in our own lives. He grew up in a family of international business, and even lived in China for two years, and brings a whole new perspective and way of building horse training businesses to the horse world. Through his Professional Horseman’s School, his Business Mentorship for Horse Trainers, podcast The Heart of Horsemanship, teaching clinics and at expos as well as training select horses for clients, Colton is truly changing lives in the horse industry. He knows it is time we have the tough conversations, we challenge industry traditions and he lives it out. One of his favorite quotes is, “To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing” by Elbert Hubbard.

Additional Links about Colton Woods

◆ Colton Woods Horsemanship website
◆ FREE BOOK: “Be A Leader Worth Following by Colton Woods” with a SPECIAL OFFER for Horses in the Morning Listeners
◆ The Professional Horseman’s School
◆ www.facebook.com/coltonwoodshorsemanship
◆ www.instagram.com/coltonwoodshorsemanship
◆ www.youtube.com/coltonwoodshorsemanship
◆ TikTok.com/@coltonwoodshorsemanship

Title Sponsor

We want to thank our Title Sponsor, the Straight Arrow Family of Brands, makers of Mane ‘n Tail, Cowboy Magic & Exhibitor’s, with over 100 years of grooming excellence. For more information about your favorite products, please visit www.straightarrowinc.com and find Straight Arrow Products at a tack shop near you!

The “Magic” in Cowboy Magic comes from the bond between you and your horse. Cowboy Magic celebrates every moment with you, from quiet chats in the pasture to the adrenaline rush of competition. We want to invite you to embrace your “Magic Moment” with your horse by sharing your favorite photos with Cowboy Magic on social media using #CowboyMagicMoment.

The post Podcast Episode #6: Sisters Horsing Around, Colton Woods, and The Mustangs film for October 26, 2021 from Title Sponsor Straight Arrow Products appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

In the second podcast episode of The Horse Illustrated Episode of Horses in the Morning, brought to you by Title Sponsor Fields of Grace by author Cara Whitney, hosts Glenn the Geek and Sarah Evers Conrad talk to Elaine Bogan, director of the new DreamWorks Animation movie, Spirit Untamed; U.S. Olympic Dressage Team member Steffen Peters, who already has an abundance of experience on the international stage; and Margo Shallcross, the former trainer of Cass Olé, one of the horses that played The Black Stallion.

Hosts: Sarah Conrad, Digital Content Editor of Horse Illustrated & Young Rider and Glenn the Geek, host of Horses in the Morning

Title Sponsor: Field of Dreams by author Cara Whitney

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Guests

Elaine Bogan is the director for the DreamWorks Animation movie Spirit Untamed, which came out in theaters on June 4, 2021. After receiving her Bachelors in classical animation at Sheridan College, Bogan found her home in story, which has translated into a challenging and successful career. She has been a story artist with DreamWorks Animation since 2005 on a wide range of feature films and television series, and began directing for the studio in 2011. Elaine Bogan became DreamWorks Television’s first female director while working on the series Dragons: Riders of Berk. Her debut episode was nominated for a 2014 Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement in Directing in an Animated Television/Broadcast Production. She went on to direct episodes of the Emmy-nominated Trollhunters and 3Below, both part of Guillermo del Toro’s Tales of Arcadia trilogy. While the movie is now out in theaters, it will also be available on Premium Video On Demand platforms starting on June 25 for families to watch at home.

Links: 

• The Official Movie Website: https://www.dreamworks.com/movies/spirit-untamed

Steffen Peters came to the United States in 1984 from his native Germany to work for trainer Laurie Falvo in San Diego. He became a U.S. citizen in 1992. He has been one of the country’s top international dressage competitors ever since, having represented the U.S. at four Olympic Games, four FEI World Equestrian Games, and two Pan American Games, and now he is headed to his fifth Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, in July 2021.

Peters rode his KWPN gelding, Udon, to Team Bronze in his first Olympic outing in 1996. With Legolas 92, he won Team and Individual Gold at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto and Team Bronze at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. With his longtime mount, Ravel, the KWPN gelding owned by Akiko Yamazaki, he won the FEI World Cup in 2009 and two Individual Bronze medals at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington. He has been recognized for his accomplishments with three USEF Equestrian of the Year titles, in 2008, 2009, and 2011.

Peters has built a phenomenal record with his current top horse, Suppenkasper, a KWPN gelding owned by Yamazaki and Four Winds Farm. They were undefeated in 2020 through the Adequan Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Fla., and the CDI 3* at Desert Dressage in Thermal, Calif. The pair kicked off 2021 in the same winning fashion, winning the FEI Grand Prix and Grand Prix Special CDI 4* at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF) week 3 and the FEI Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle CDI 5* during week 7 of the festival.

Links: 

• SPetersDressage: Operated by Steffen Peters and his wife, Shannon, a U.S. Dressage Federation Bronze, Silver, and Gold medalist and three-time National Championships competitor

Margo Shallcross was introduced to the world of Arabian horses in 1964. Shallcross joined Anderlea Arabians in Albion, Iowa, as head trainer and farm manager in the 70s. Her responsibilities included training, breeding, and showing Anderlea’s horses. In 1977, she became the head trainer and farm manager at San Antonio Arabians, home of Cass Olé. Cass Olé starred in two movies, The Black Stallion and Return of The Black Stallion. She showed the famous stallion at liberty at numerous national and international venues, including the U.S. and Canadian Arabian National Shows, the White House, and the Washington International Horse Show. She also presented Cass during T.V. appearances. In 1983, she opened her own training facility, Fancy Free Arabians, which she ran until 2006. There, Shallcross offered training, lessons, breeding, and showed clients’ horses at the local, regional and national levels.

Shallcross, who has been judging Arabians since 1990, is a Senior National Judge with the USEF Arabian Division, the Pinto Association, the American Miniature Horse Association and the American Miniature Horse Registry. She has judged numerous national and international world competitions, including shows in Venezuela, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Belgium, Denmark and Canada.

Links: 

• Official Site of The Black Stallion

Title Sponsor

We want to thank our Title Sponsor, Fields of Grace by author Cara Whitney. Draw closer to God down on the farm. From her horse farm in Nebraska, Cara Whitney—wife of Dan Whitney (aka “Larry the Cable Guy”)—shares humorous and touching stories featuring her horses, cows, and rascally dogs. In Fields of Grace, Cara shows us that it’s always a good time to share the love of Jesus with your neighbor. Look for Fields of Grace everywhere books are sold.

Premier Sponsor

We would also like to thank our Premier Sponsor, Straight Arrow Products. Mane ‘n Tail’s newest premium product line, Ultimate Gloss, will leave your horse’s mane, tail, and coat with an award-winning shine. If you are looking for a formula that gets down to the skin, releasing dirt, dander, and build-up from your horse’s coat, then Ultimate Gloss is your go-to bathing solution. Made with natural ingredients, Ultimate Gloss provides a gentle way to leave your horse with a high-gloss, long-lasting shine. Discover the secret behind the “Boss of Gloss” by visiting the website at www.ultimategloss.com.

The post Episode 2: Spirit Untamed, Olympic Preview, and Insider Stories of The Black Stallion for June 22, 2021 from Title Sponsor Fields of Grace by Cara Whitney appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Meet the horses of DreamWorks’ new movie, Spirit Untamed, with actress McKenna Grace, who plays Abigail Stone in the movie. An epic adventure about a headstrong girl longing for a place to belong who discovers a kindred spirit when her life intersects with a wild horse, Spirit Untamed is the next chapter in the beloved story from DreamWorks Animation.

Lucky Prescott never really knew her late mother, who was a fearless horse-riding stunt performer from Miradero, a small town on the edge of the wide-open frontier. Lucky has grown up in an East Coast city under her Aunt Cora’s watchful eye, but when Lucky presses her luck with too many risky escapades, Cora picks up stakes and moves them both back with Lucky’s father in Miradero. There, she meets Spirit, a wild Mustang who shares her independent streak, and befriends two local horseback riders, Abigail Stone and Pru Granger.

When a heartless horse wrangler and his team plan to capture Spirit and his herd and auction them off to a life of captivity and hard labor, Lucky enlists her new friends and bravely embarks on the adventure of a lifetime.

The movie features Jake Gyllenhaal, Julianne Moore, Isabela Merced, Eiza Gonzalez, Marsai Martin, and McKenna Grace. The movie is directed by Elaine Bogan.

After you meet the horses of Spirit Untamed above, visit https://www.dreamworks.com/movies/spirit-untamed.

Further Reading

• New Series Inspired by Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron Comes to Netflix

The post Meet the Horses in DreamWorks’ Spirit Untamed Movie appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

When Anna Sewell wrote the novel Black Beauty in 1877, her goal was to call attention to the desperate plight of London carriage horses. Nearly 150 years later, Black Beauty is still an inspiration to those who care about horses—like Ashley Avis, the writer and director of the new Disney+ film, Black Beauty.

A modern-day reimagining of Sewell’s timeless classic, Disney’s Black Beauty is the story of a wild horse who is rounded up and separated from her equine family. The horse ends up at a Mustang training ranch, where she meets a teenage girl named Jo Green. The two forge an unbreakable bond that carries Beauty through the different chapters, challenges and adventures of her life.

True to the novel, the film version of Beauty tells her own story (voiced by Kate Winslet). While Sewell wanted readers to understand the plight of carriage horses, Avis wants viewers to grasp the hardships suffered by America’s Mustangs. While researching Mustang advocacy groups, such as the American Wild Horse Campaign and Lifesavers World Horse Rescue, Avis came to under how and why wild horse are rounded up on public lands.

“The issue needs to be better illuminated, and I thought that our contemporaneous version could make a difference for wild horses,” she says.

The film includes an actual helicopter roundup of Mustangs in Nevada. Avis and her husband, Edward Winters, who is the executive producer on Black Beauty, witnessed a roundup. She says they were shaken and ended up adopting two of the Mustangs from the roundup. They were also inspired to launch their own nonprofit, The Wild Beauty Foundation, which is dedicated to the protection of wild and domestic horses in North America through film, education, rescue and adoption.

Equine Actors

While the roundup depicted in the film was real, the rest of the horse action was carefully scripted. More than 20 horses were cast to play Beauty at various stages of her life, with four off-the-track Thoroughbreds portraying Beauty at her main age in the film.

Each horse was cast for specific behaviors, which the trainers focused on developing. One mare, Jenny, had a quiet, whimsical nature and is most often seen bonding with the main character of Jo Green in the film.

“Jenny does all the work with the actor,” says liberty horse trainer Cody Rawson-Harris, who worked on the film. “She is required to do short calls, lay downs, head nods, looks left and right, pull faces, prick her ears and a bit of a rear.”

Spirit, the other horse heavily featured in the film, was often used for scenes with long-distance running.

“Spirit, who is my personal favorite, plays Black Beauty when she’s wild,” says Avis. “As her name suggests, she’s very spirited.”

Spirit’s temperament created a challenge when attempting to film one scene where Beauty gallops through a canola field filled with vibrant yellow flowers.

“Spirit galloped so fast, the drone [that was filming] literally couldn’t keep up with her,” says Avis. “It took us a number of takes to get the shot because Spirit was racing at a speed nobody expected.”

Casting horses that can perform as expected while also having a similar look can be a challenge. Most of the horses playing Black Beauty were not actually black and had to be painted to look the part. Horse-safe henna dye was used to replicate Beauty’s signature black color, and a white star was hand painted onto each horse’s forehead.

The makers of Black Beauty are hoping to send an important message with the film that ultimately leads to a better understanding of the plight of wild horses.

”Our movie is not didactic, but there is a message of hope that transcends Beauty’s hardships and her journey,” says producer Jeremy Bolt. “Our film is not a documentary—it’s a piece of emotional entertainment—but there’s no harm in shining a light on a very, very valid and important cause.”

The post Disney+ Version of <i>Black Beauty</i> Shines a Light on the Plight of America’s Wild Horses appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Most little boys grow up playing cowboys, especially when they grow up on a ranch. So, when actor Booboo Stewart was offered the role of a native loner in the newest Neo-Western thriller movie, Let Him Go, it was a full-circle moment.

You may have seen Stewart battling mythological creatures as part of the Twilight saga and X-Men: Days of Future Past. In Let Him Go, Stewart plays Peter Dragswolf, a lone young man who is a survivor of the Indian Residential Schools, a real program established in the United States with the aim to assimilate Native American children into American culture. The main characters, George and Margaret Blackledge, played by Academy Award winners Kevin Costner and Diane Lane, are out to find their only grandchild and widowed daughter-in-law and rescue them both from a dangerous family living off-grid in the Dakotas. Stewart’s character befriends the Blackledges, even though he’s wary of companionship.

“(Peter’s) past is one of extreme hardships,” explains Stewart. “Because of all he’s been through, he’s excluded himself and lives on the outskirts of town.”

Stewart did a lot of research into the residential schools, which were active from the late 1800s to the 1980s in order to get in touch with his character and to understand his isolated lifestyle. Working alongside horses wasn’t much of a stretch for the actor, thanks to a childhood spent on his family’s ranch.

The 26-year-old actor was born Nils Allen Stewart, Jr., in California. His dad, Nils Allen Stewart, Sr., is a professional stuntman, and his younger sister, Trent Heaven “Fivel”, is also an actress. Stewart teamed up with Fivel and another sister, Maegan, to form the Disney hip-hop/pop group TSC (The Stewart Clan). The family, along with mom Renee, spends a lot of time together on the ranch still.

“It’s such a blessing to have grown up playing in the dirt…” he says. “Having the ranch to get away from the city life makes a great balance.”

One particular horse has a special place in Booboo’s heart. “His name is RimRock,” says Stewart. “He’s definitely one of the sweetest horses.”

Stewart continues to talk about how the Paint gelding is a truly gentle horse, sharing the pair’s special connection. “He has taught me so much about patience and how to communicate without words.”

Stewart was honing his horsemanship he used for the movie Let Him Go for years, growing up on horseback when he wasn’t in the studio. “I definitely showed the most horsemanship in this film than I have before,” says Stewart. “But I feel like I have so much more to show. I’d love to have the opportunity to ride throughout an entire film and do a military or Western film.”

The experience of working alongside a pair of screenplay legends like Costner and Lane can make any young actor’s knees shake. “I definitely had a lot of nerves going into the shoot,” Stewart admits. “They are such legends.”

Stewart took the opportunity of working with the pair to soak up as much knowledge and experience he could, spending time between movie shoots for Let Him Go getting to know Costner and watching the cast perform when he wasn’t on camera.

“Costner is amazing,” says Stewart. “He’s so kind, extremely generous and listens to everyone. He’s someone I really admire.”

Stewart is already back on set working on more projects, but he appreciates having the family ranch to find refuge when the hours are long. “Getting out on the trail is like pressing a reset button—it’s just so relaxing,” he says.

When asked if he had a dream horse he’d love to own, Stewart laughs and shows his devotion to RimRock. “I really love my guy,” he says. “I’d feel bad talking about another horse behind his back.”

 

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The post Movie “Let Him Go” a Full-Circle Moment for Actor Booboo Stewart appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

1. A Sunday Horse (2016)

This kicks off our list of 25 best horse movies. After a near-fatal accident, a determined rider named Debi from the wrong side of the tracks defies all odds to pursue her dreams of winning a jumping championship on a horse that experts thought was nothing special.

2. Albion: The Enchanted Stallion (2016)

A 12-year-old girl is transported by a black Friesian stallion to the mystical world of Albion, where she discovers that she alone is the key to saving an entire race of people.

3. Apple of my Eye (2017)

A tragic accident causes a young equestrian to lose her sight and her ability to connect with anyone or anything, until a Miniature Horse
named Apple is trained to be her companion and surrogate eyes.

4. Black Beauty (1994)

The movie version of Anna Sewell’s beloved book chron- icles Black Beauty’s life told through his own voice as he goes from a carefree life to many owners and hardships.

5. Cowgirls ‘n Angels (2012)

A girl joins rodeo trick riders and embarks on a tour with them in the hope that she will find her long-lost father along the way.

6. Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story (2005)

A trainer and his daughter (played by Dakota Fanning) rescue a horse with a broken leg. After rehabilitating the mare, Dreamer, she just might have another chance to return to racing after all.

7. Emma’s Chance (2016)

A young woman forms a bond with an abused show horse while completing her community service at a horse rescue ranch.

8. Flicka (2006)

Young Katy claims a wild horse as her own in an effort to prove to her father that she’s capable of one day running the family ranch.

9. Harry & Snowman (2015)

The true story of Dutch immigrant Harry DeLeyer and the plow horse he rescued who became his champion partner in show jumping.

10. Hidalgo (2004)

A down-and-out cowboy (played by Viggo Mortensen) and his horse travel to compete in a deadly horse race across the Arabian desert in 1890.

11. International Velvet (1978)

Velvet’s orphaned niece follows her dream of riding for the Olympic eventing team on her hose, Arizona Pie.

12. Miracle of the White Stallions (1963)

In 1945, the fate of Vienna’s famous Lipizzaner stallions hangs in the balance during World War II. American General Patton could save them, but he first asks to see them perform.

13. Moondance Alexander (2007)

A teenager named Moondance Alexander discovers a pinto pony named Checkers who she’s convinced is a champion jumper in disguise. Determined to help him reach his full potential, she talks the horse’s owner into training her and Checkers.

14. National Velvet (1944)

A jaded former jockey helps a teenage girl named Velvet (played by Elizabeth Taylor) prepare a wild but gifted horse for England’s Grand National Steeplechase. There’s just one catch: she has to pretend she’s a boy to ride in the race.

15. Seabiscuit (2003)

The true story of an unlikely racing underdog and his jockey Red Pollard, who team up to give hope to Americans suffering through the Great Depression.

16. Secretariat (2010)

The nation falls in love with housewife Penny Chenery and her 1973 Triple Crown-winning champion, Secretariat, in this true story. Chenery achieves amazing success in a male-dominated industry with the fastest and most beloved racehorse of all time.

17. Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002)

A Mustang stallion is captured as humans attempt to break his spirit. Throughout his struggles for freedom, he refuses to let go of hope that he’ll one day be reunited with his herd.

18. Sylvester (1985)

Charlie is a 16-year-old orphan struggling to raise her two younger brothers when she meets a rogue horse named Sylvester and trains him to become an eventing champion.

19. The Black Stallion (1979)

Young Alec Ramsey and a wild black Arabian stallion are the only survivors of a shipwreck. Alec must keep himself and the stallion alive as he gains the horse’s trust on a deserted island. After they are rescued, Alec learns that The Black might just be fast enough to beat champion racehorses.

20. The Greening of Whitney Brown (2012)

A spoiled teen is upset when her family loses all their money and has to move from the city to a new life in the country, but new possibilities open up when she befriends a Gypsy Vanner horse.

21. The Horse Dancer (2017)

When Samantha is removed from the Olympic gymnastics team due to her attitude, she’s sent to the Black River Horse Camp for the summer. While there, she learns the value of friendship as she discovers a penchant for the equestrian sport of vaulting.

22. The Man from Snowy River (1982)

If you’ve seen this one, you remember the ride down a steep cliff! New cowboy Jim is treated poorly by the more experienced hands, but wins the heart of the rancher’s daughter when he helps her break a high-strung colt and later saves her life.

23. The Silver Brumby (1993)

A mother tells her daughter a fable about the prince of the Brumbies (wild horses of Australia), who must find its place among its kind. One man (played by Russel Crowe) makes it his mission to capture and tame it.

24. Virginia’s Run (2008)

When a fisherman’s wife dies in a horseback riding accident, the devastated widower tells his daughters they can no longer ride. The younger of the two, Virginia, can’t shake her passion for horses, and cares for a young foal named Stormy behind her father’s back. When he tries to sell Stormy, the girl enlists a friendly horse trainer to try to change her dad’s mind.

25. Wild Hearts Can’t be Broken (1991)

And the final in our list of 25 best horse movies is based on a true story—1920s teenager Sonora Webster runs away from her foster home to join a carnival, where she gets a job as a stunt rider who leaps with her horse off a 40-foot drop into a tank of water. After losing her sight in an accident, she must learn how to jump blind.

This article on the 25 best horse movies originally appeared in the November/December 2019 issue of Young Rider magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post 25 Best Horse Movies appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.