Horsy films / tv / books etc!

I'm a sucker for the cheapie DVDs in Sainsburys and my local one seems to have a fair few horsey ones :D

Love Seabiscuit, Secretariat, Champions, National Velvet, International Velvet, The Black Stallion (particularly the beautiful beach scenes) and Black Beauty (but for some reason literally sob all the way through so have to pick my moment!). I picked up the Black Stallion Returns yesterday for a whole £2 so will probably watch it this weekend.

I had a trilogy of books by Caroline Akrill as a kid about a wannabe eventer and loved those and re-read them until they literally fell apart :D

Can anyone remember 'Trainers' on TV and that series set in Ireland about a racehorse...can't remember the name of it for the life of me but was on maybe five or so years ago....
 
Cazzah said:
,National Velvet, International Velvet,
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Excuse my ignorance, but which one is which? I remember watching one when I was a child, all I (vaguely) recall is a young girl jumping her horse over stone walls.. :o
I loved the Jill books, aswell as the Pullein Thompson books, and ofcourse the Jinny books, possibly the start of my Arab obsession..!:rolleyes::D
 
KVH said:
Excuse my ignorance, but which one is which? I remember watching one when I was a child, all I (vaguely) recall is a young girl jumping her horse over stone walls.. :o
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National Velvet is really old and stars Elizabeth Taylor and Mickey Rooney - its the story of a girl competing in the Grand National. International Velvet is supposed to be the sequel and her niece is orphaned, comes to live with them and then events at the Olympics or something similar. I think that one may the one you are remembering.
 
I loved the War Horse stage play and am really looking forward to the film - no doubt it will be dreadfully sad.

I liked Flambards and Black Beauty on the TV when I was a child - but especially The White Horses! My very first record was the theme tune (about 1969-ish?)!!

Also liked Champion, the Wonder Horse on TV! We used to 'borrow' the horse in the field behind our house who had a look of Champion - so that's what we called him!

I love My Friend Flika (book and old film with a very young Roddy McDowell). I teach Year 5 and I have made it one of our class readers! The children love it and we finish with the film - not a dry eye in the house!

I also liked Monty Roberts first autobiography (Horse Whisperer) - his story is stranger than fiction, I think and would make a really good film! :)
 
Cazzah said:
National Velvet is really old and stars Elizabeth Taylor and Mickey Rooney - its the story of a girl competing in the Grand National. International Velvet is supposed to be the sequel and her niece is orphaned, comes to live with them and then events at the Olympics or something similar. I think that one may the one you are remembering.
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Ah it would have been National Velvet that I'd seen-I'd forgotten the name of said actress but yes that was it. I'd presumed they were both from the '40s judging from names. :o
Thanks for clarifying!:)
 
LEC said:
How can I forget Champions?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E84G72QYF5E

This music always gets me emotional.
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Same here *sniff*

Champions has to be the most realistic horsey film I've seen, no dubbed neighing.

Book-wise, I loved Jill, Flambards, Fly-by-Night and The Team, Ponies Plot, king of the Wind and the PT sisters' books, particularly I Wanted A Pony. Couldn't get into Jinny, too much whimsey and not enough gymkhanas for me.
 
Yeah, the whole stable in the back garden, bridle for a fiver, saddle for a tenner thing, gave me unrealistic expectations about horse ownership....my mother *did* try and explain it was written a long time ago....
 
What an amazing thread..has brought back loadss of memories!especially If Wishes Were Horses, I had it taped off channel 4 and watched it to its death lol! I now have the theme tune in my head on repeat this evening ..*clears throat and sings...when your feeling sad and low you can always be sure theyre there..lalala when your cleaning tack, when your moving muck, when your doing all your chores (dont know the next bit!) ..you can always be sure you and your horse are friends, friends friends! If this was out on DVD I would def buy for old times sake!

ps. anyone also remember the old new zealand/australian New Adventures of Black Beauty TV series, I used to love this!The one with the character called Vicky, the english vet and Manfred..episodes are on you tube I found!:)
 
Don't know if it has already been mentioned but does anyone else remember If Wishes Were Horses? It was very educational, covering little bits about horse management as well as riding etc., I am sure I remember a specific episode all about different gaits were they bandaged their horse's legs in different colours so you could see the foot falls easier. I used to watch it all the time :p
 
OK this is really sad and I can't quite believe I'm admitting it on here but in the absence of anything to read I've started reading all the Jill books again!!! A lovely reminder of when life was as simple as jumping on and setting off with your sandwiches and 10p for the phone...

:-)

Just watched the trailer for War Horse too - looks amazing. Can't believe it's not out til Jan though!!
 
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Cazzah said:
Can anyone remember 'Trainers' on TV and that series set in Ireland about a racehorse...can't remember the name of it for the life of me but was on maybe five or so years ago....
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Was that 'Rough Diamond' or something?
Had all the Jill books etc, my favourites though have to be the Phantom Horse books and a book called Prince Among ponies, about Adonis the dapple grey (Arab?). Still have all the Silver brumby books and Misty of Chincoteaque :)
 
Another book I really enjoyed, although it was written for non-horsey people (forelocks were called fringes, fetlocks ankles and coarse mix museli) was In the Pink. One of the reason I enjoyed it was it was set locally and mentioned lots of places I know and I could guess who some of the characters were despite name changes. I wish I could find out which dealer the auther bought her horse from, though!
 
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Pale Rider said:
http://youtu.be/fs_-DKUimeo

This I think is the best horse film ever made.

I really like the poem too.

(Always stops me shaving my beard off, lol.)
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Fantastic! I always loved the bit where he gallops down the steep hill that all the others have chickened out at. Can't remember the poem (I haven't seen the film for years) but love it, and it talks of my ideal horse, part TB, part pony, small and wirey - usually the toughest, soundest, most game of horses!
 
I agree that to me blind beauty by k m peyton is the best book I've read and reread infact I think I'm nearly due a new copy! :)
And I also second the man from snowy river and the untamed-the man from snowy river 2 are about my favourite films!
 
Daisydo said:
on white horses, let me ride away, dum de dum de dum dedumdedum

was that how it went :)

i am 35 , and dont remeber the programme, so how do i know the song? was it an advert?
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White Horses was actually a seriously weird series and if you listen to the lyrics it fits in with the story of this girl who is dumped on her uncles stud farm without any friends.
 
Cazzah said:
National Velvet is really old and stars Elizabeth Taylor and Mickey Rooney - its the story of a girl competing in the Grand National. International Velvet is supposed to be the sequel and her niece is orphaned, comes to live with them and then events at the Olympics or something similar. I think that one may the one you are remembering.
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Liz Taylor did all her own riding and the chronic back pain she suffered all her life was due to some nasty falls whilst filming.
 
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