Global Horse Culture

New film explores Escaramuza

A new film, currently in production, takes an inside look at the world of Escaramuza. Escaramuza means "skirmish", and the riding combines an unsettling blend of pretty girls in fancy clothes riding sidesaddle with fast-paced, heart-pounding drill team maneuvers. It is really a unique tradition!

I spoke to filmmaker Robin Rosenthal about the making of the film - read on below to see what she had to say about how she got into the world of Escaramuza and some of the challenges she and her husband faced in making the film.

Escaramuza: Riding From the Heart is looking for financial support to complete the editing and marketing of the documentary. The deadline for pledging your support is July 16th! Even small amounts are helpful. You can view the trailer and find out more about pledging to help support the completion of this unique documentary by using the widget below:

May we all still be riding at 100!

This is the trailer for a charming documentary about cowgirls. You have to love the great attitude and life experience of these ladies - one cowgirl featured in the trailer is over 100 years old and still riding!

There's more about the film, including photos, comments from readers, and stories about more cowgirls, at the filmmaker's blog.

An Intriguing Old Horse Movie

Bridlepath, an excellent horse blog, has a review of an old movie called "White Mane," featuring Camargue horses. I haven't seen it, but it looks quite interesting. Check it out here.

Movie Review: The Path of the Horse

This new DVD follows the quest of a competitive rider and trainer who is frustrated with how being in the adult competitive horse world has taken away the fun and relationship to the horse she remembers from childhood: the simple love of a little girl for her pony. She goes on a world-wide quest to meet horse people who have tried to change the relationship between horses and people into something more spiritual, more egalitarian, more balanced, or more sensitive.

On the most practical side she visits noted Western trainer Mark Rashid, who is one of the few people she meets who still uses the horse as a work animal, though he approaches training and riding with a profound sensitivity and awareness of the horse's needs and how the horse understands.

Some of the other horse people she visits, including Carolyn Reznick, Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling, and Alexander Nevzerov, are all people who dance with their horses, eschewing riding for the most part, and in the case of Nevzerov, proclaiming the bit and bridle pure cruelty. For some of these trainers, the relationship with the horse has become something of an art form, and riding or traditional "use" of the horse is an anachronism best abandoned.

The skill of the horse people (not all would call themselves 'trainers', and one is a painter) covered in the movie is remarkable, and the work they do with horses quite impressive. I do wish the video had put the narrator's quest into some context, perhaps touching a little more on the history and varieties of horsemanship and horse-human relationships.

The DVD will clearly appeal most to those with a spiritual or romantic inclination, rather than 'meat and potatoes' types. It is beautifully shot and produced, and full of beautiful horses and some impressive scenes. Just keep a hanky nearby for the more sentimental bits.

For the time being, "The Path of the Horse" can be ordered from the producer at Stormy May Productions.

Video Review: Tapadero

I just watched Tapadero, a 2005 movie about the vaquero tradition in California. It is a very interesting video if you are interested in cowboy culture, old California and the vaquero tradition. It covers the history of the vaqueros from their origins in old Mexico through the Spanish settlement of southern California to the modern day. Detailed attention is given to the style of saddles, the making of riatas (lariats), the use of the bosal and spade bit, the methods of roping, and other details of vaquero life. Influential trainers such as Bill Dorrance are also featured.

This might be too much detail for someone with only a general interest in horses, but is very engaging for those with a special interest in the old Western traditions. 

The video is nicely produced and packaged, and features a variety of vaquero-themed music in the soundtrack. It also features some amazing scenery from the old California ranches where the vaquero tradition developed and survives.

Singing to the Horses

I saw the sweetest scene in a film the other night. PBS is showing a three part series called Windsor Castle: A Royal Year. In episode 2 there are some scenes of the famous Windsor Greys (the horses that pull the royal coaches) in training. But the cutest thing was at Christmas, when the castle staff sang Christmas carols. Not only did they go and sing a few for the Queen, they also stopped by the stables and sang "Away in a Manger" to the Queen's horses. The horses seemed to enjoy it! The series is available on DVD.

A Nap in the Desert

This photo is part of a photo set of a herd of feral horses in Namibia. The set provides an interesting look at daily wild horse behavior, from sparring to napping. Here a few horses keep watch while others rest. Follow the flickr link to enjoy more pictures of these horses.

This article, though it dates from 1999, has some interesting info about the horses. Though I am unaware of their origins, the feral horses of Namibia have become a tourist attraction, and their population is sometimes stricken by drought, as was the case in 1999, when a controversial effort was made to save them.

The feral horses were featured in a fictional film called "Running Free", by Jean-Jacques Arnaud (director of "Seven Years in Tibet" and "Name of the Rose"), which has contributed to their popularity with visitors. The film is a classic horse and boy story of a stranded and suffering steed and the stable boy who loves him, who flee their cruel master to face the freedom of the desert. I haven't seen it, but will write a review if I do.

Photo: moonlight*1 on flickr

The Moon Stallion

I have rather vague memories of being enthralled by a children's television series years ago in the UK. The series was called "The Moon Stallion" and as I recall it involved some children, a white horse, a scary guy who whispered in horses ears to make them do bad things...it was dark and mysterious and I watched every episode with glee.  After recalling the title, I looked it up, and found out more about it (there was a lot I had forgotten!). The main character is a blind girl, who can only see the magical Moon Stallion, and lots of British folklore is involved in the mysterious plot.  Suprisingly, it is available on video (link above). There's a nice site with stills and a video clip here. Anyone else remember this series?

A Beautiful Film

Here is a part of the trailer for the IMAX film "Majestic White Horses", about the Lippizan horses of the Spanish Riding School. I wish I had seen the film in IMAX (it came out in 2007) - it sounds impressive. There is a full review of it here. And more info on the production company's page, here.

New Documentary About New York Carriage Horses

New York City is famous for the carriage horses that give rides to tourists in and around Central Park. In recent years a great deal of controversy has arisen about whether it is fair to the horses to live and work in such an urban environment. For those working in the business the horses are their love and livelihood, and for many visitors to NYC it is a delight to see the horses.

(Update: reader Maria, who is involved with the carriage horse business, has pointed out the documentary that started this post is very hostile to the carriage horse business, and in fairness readers should check out her comments, to see both sides of the story. I have also modified my own post to be more objective, reserving judgement on whether the carriage business is nice or naughty.)

Some animal rights groups have condemned the business as cruel. A new documentary, called "Blinders" (not yet released) is a critique of New York City carriage horses. Please note: the trailer contains some disturbing images.

Additionally, there is an online news video, which discusses both sides of the issue, here.

The Horse and Carriage Association of New York supports the carriage horse business, but I have not found a link for them yet. There have been some attempts to reach a compromise by restricting the carriage rides to Central Park and other modifications, but it is not clear whether those compromises will move forward.

More news in the future, as I find it...