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!