THE “TRUE” BEST HORSE MOVIES EVER

Are you ready for some fabulous “true” best horse movies based on the lives of real horses? I re-watched (for about the 10th time) both Secretariat and Seabiscuit last week. Here are the Top 3 that made my list…

SECRETARIAT

Secretariat remains known as one of the most successful thoroughbred racehorses of all-time. Furthermore he won five Eclipse Awards.  And, In addition is second to only Man o’ War in the listing of the greatest racehorses of the 20th Century by the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. In 2010, the movie that told the story of this amazing horse was brought to the big screen by Disney. Diane Lane (who is one of my favorite actresses) is the human star of this movie. She plays Penny Chenery, the owner of Secretariat. John Malkovich stars as the horse’s trainer, Lucian Laurin who also trained the famous race horse, Riva Ridge. I loved him in this movie. In case you DON’T know the story of this horse..

Secretariat was an American thoroughbred race horse who, in 1973, became the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years. His record-breaking victory in the Belmont Stakes, which he won by 31 lengths, is widely regarded as one of the greatest races in history. This chestnut colt, who supposedly had a HUGE heart (both anatomically and emotionally) was given the nickname “Big Red”.  Enjoy this amazing TRUE story…

 

SEABISCUIT…An American Legend

I really enjoyed watching this film again last week. Seabiscuit: An American Legend was actually a book published in 1999 by Laura Hillenbrand. Furthermore the book is the biography of the racehorse Seabiscuit. It was then adapted as a feature film in 2003. Additionally the film is based on the life and racing career of this amazing, undersized (only 15 hands) and often overlooked thoroughbred race horse, whose unexpected successes made him a hugely popular media sensation in the United States during the Great Depression. Seabiscuit was nominated for SEVEN Academy awards!

Three men, jockey Red Pollard

… wonderfully played by Tobey Maquire, owner Charles Howard played by Jeff Bridges, and trainer Tom Smith played by Chris Cooper, come together as the caretakers of the championship horse Seabiscuit. They all rise from troubled times to achieve fame and success through their association with this amazing wonder horse. What I loved was the longevity that this little horse had.  Born in 1933, he raced until 1940 and even made a HUGE comeback after suffering a usually career ending ruptured suspensory ligament injury. You will LOVE this movie and this TRUE story if you have not seen it…

THE EIGHTY DOLLAR CHAMPION…HARRY AND SNOWMAN

One of my favorite newer movies, a documentary released in 2016, was based on a horse called Snowman. He lived to be 26 years old! I read the book, written by Elizabeth Letts, before I saw the movie and loved them both!  Snowman was a former plow horse of mixed breed ancestry, possibly a cross of Quarter Horse, Morgan, and various draft horse types. He was purchased for eighty dollars on his way to a slaughterhouse and became a champion in showing jumping in the United States during the 1950s.

The story begins

… as Harry de Leyer, a Long island, New York, riding instructor, attends a horse auction in New Holland, Pennsylvania, looking for school horses. He arrived late, and the only remaining horses were those waiting to be loaded into trucks bound for slaughter plants. De Leyer made eye contact with a large gray horse. It was this horse he bought for only eight dollars. He first used Snowman as a lesson horse for children. De Leyer recognized talent in the horse after he sold him to a neighbor and the horse jumped high fences to return home. De Leyer then began training Snowman as a show jumper. During his career he was known as “The Cinderella Horse” due to his “rags to riches” story. You will love following the course of this horses amazing life…

 

As you are spending a little more time inside, enjoy those wonderful true horse movies. If you are able to get out and be safe and RIDE your horses…do that too! OR at least give them all some apples and carrots until you can get back to riding again! ENJOY and stay safe and healthy!

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