Mmm, horse…

By Nicole Kobie

A few weeks ago, I made a bet. I bet that a certain horse would win the first Triple Crown in 24 years. The horse lost, and so did I. You see, my punishment is to eat horse. Everyone around me finds this very funny.

As I’m the sort of person excited by the latest Imax offering, Horses: The Story of Equus, I’m beyond disgusted.

I’m one of those people naturally drawn to horses; I can’t explain why. So, the scenes of thoroughbred’s giant strides, wild horse’s freedom and newborn foal’s first awkward steps are pure joy for me, especially on the giant screen.

Those who don’t find the same exhilaration in thundering hooves may not be so compelled, though. The animals and cinematography are the only worthy aspects; the story feels as fake as it is. The first segment features a race horse battling back from a career ending injury, the next focuses on a stubborn animal who transforms into an equine Lassie. The third follows a runaway stallion as it evades capture and escapes to the wild. While these would be fantastic real stories, they feel phony on the big screen.

That is the great failing of Horses, and really, of any on screen horse. Watching through the filter of the screen in a warm comfy theatre robs us of the best parts–the smell, the outdoors, the real sounds and sights that make horses so inspiring. There’s nothing like the real thing when it comes to horses–unless of course, they’re what’s for dinner.