Among the hundreds of outstanding movies on horses and human-equine relationship available in the market nowadays, two documentaries in particular drew my attention and are listed here for Chicago 4 Community audience!

BUCK by Cindy Meehl is an outstanding and deeply touching documentary on Buck Brannaman, the man that inspired the movie Horse Whisperer directed by Robert Redford and was actually hired in the film crew to mentor on horse behavior.

Buck Brannaman has a rare talent in connecting with horses, especially with the traumatized and abused horses that have developed unusual behavior due to distrust in humans and self-defense. Unlike many other aggressive methods of teaching discipline to horses, Buck’s approach is kind, gentle, patient, and understanding. His connection with horses is incredibly personal and involves his self-identification as a brutally abused child who knows even too well what it means to be terrified of more abuse. Buck shares his personal childhood memories while the documentary on the peaceful method of healing traumatized horses unfolds, and the two plots are so intertwined that they magically and spontaneously make one whole strong movie. Really, not to be missed!

THE WILD HORSE REDEMPTION by John Zaritsky is another stunning documentary on a national program I did not know anything about before watching this film.

The plot is about wild horses collected in the SouthWest by U.S. government every year and sent to a Colorado prison where inmates are supposed to train them so that the horses can be adopted and integrated in the society. As the documentary shows, this is a very intense experience for both horses and prisoners who, even after being released, remain deeply and positively affected by the close relationship with their horse. The path to tame a horse with love and patience can also be the path to tame and heal a lost human soul.

Fabulous documentary! Don’t miss this either!

(Clara Tomaz)