War Horse

Updated on February 9, 2012 by Ben DeVries

Many thanks to Lauren Merritt of The Christian and Creation, and a horse trainer and riding consultant, for this very insightful review of the recent blockbuster film War Horse (Touchstone '11) ...

As a horse trainer, I have always gone into horse movies with a heavy dose of skepticism.  Even some of the most beautiful movies ever directed can fall apart for me when the references to riding, training, or care of horses are incorrect.  I imagine doctors or nurses have a similar experience when they watch medical dramas on television.  The movie magic shatters for a moment when a soldier mounts his horse from the wrong side, or a doctor is shown galloping a horse over rocky roads for miles only to arrive at his destination with a sound, unlathered horse.

Click to read more ...

Buck, a "horse whisperer"

To kick off a few posts on our unique connection to horses, I'm grateful to Nick Olson and Christ and Pop Culture for allowing us to share this poignant review of Buck (Meehl '11), "a powerful documentary that shows how even inhumane circumstances can be redeemed into something beautiful, creative, and compassionate" ... 

Early in the documentary Buck, Dan “Buck” Brannaman tells a crowd of attentive, aspiring horse trainers that there are rarely “people with horse problems” but most often “horses with people problems.”  Yes, Buck is interesting because he’s a primary inspiration for Robert Redford’s 1998 drama The Horse Whisperer, but his story becomes especially fascinating as we learn of what this real-life horse whisperer has endured to become a magical horseman.

Click to read more ...

last minutes with Oden

This short film will almost surely bring you to tears, and even contains a few instances of strong language.  But I promise, if you take just a few minutes to watch it, "Last Minutes with Oden" will be one of the most moving and Christ-imbued moments you ever have the privilege to witness - between a man with a broken past and broken friends, and his cancer-ridden dog who loved him and all of them unconditionally ...

"He showed me, through his example, how to love.  And I loved him. ...

Click to read more ...

animal hoarding

Thank you to Rosie Andre for taking the initiative to write an excellent post about a form of keeping animals which often starts with good intentions, but inevitably demonstrates a conflicted personhood, with dire consequences for the animals themselves:

Animal hoarding is a very serious problem which has been getting more attention in the media and on the news lately: a bust on a home, rescue compound or supposed sanctuary where authorities were given a tip about unsafe and unhealthy conditions, with sometimes hundreds of animals overcrowded in one place.  This kind of situation is much more intense than what we tend to think of when it comes to the socially misunderstood and eccentric animal lover, or ‘cat lady,’ who keeps more than an average amount of pets.

Click to read more ...

losing a good, good dog

Updated on February 8, 2010 by Ben DeVries

Much of the recent grief theme has been feline-intensive, given that Bubba happened to be a cat, and a good, good one at that.  But I know there are so many other companion animal losses to be mourned as well.  I remember how griefstricken I was when my first boyhood hamsters met their demise in a series of mini-tragedies, and my personal story "Me and 'Aminals'" mentions a few others.  (Please feel free to share your own below, or on our Facebook page).

Click to read more ...

in the womb

National Geographic has posted some absolutely stunning video and photos from their In the Womb series, including episodes focusing on the conception, fetal development and birthing of animals.  I'll let the following videos speak for themselves, which utilize "state-of-the-art visual effects and real-time 4-D ultrasound imagery" to paint a portrait of what we know to be some of God's most awe-inspiring handiwork, in this case in the belly of a canine:

Click to read more ...

year of the dog

If you haven't seen it yet, Year of the Dog is a wonderfully quirky, human and pro-animal movie, and perfect for a weekend night in if you ask me.  The film stars Molly Shannon in a subdued and suprisingly effective performance (for someone probably most remembered for doing awkward cheerleader moves in an equally awkward Catholic schoolgirl's outfit on Saturday Night Live). 

The film's description says that Shannon's character Peggy is "a happy-go-lucky secretary who is a great friend, employee and sister living alone with her beloved dog Pencil.  But when Pencil unexpectedly dies Peggy must find meaning in her life" (Amazon.com).  When Peggy unexpectedly adopts another dog, she is rapidly ramped into the world of companion animal rescue and then animal rights.  Without giving too much away, she finds herself all of sudden in a precarious, and very relatable, personal position.

Click to read more ...

dogtown and the Michael Vick pit bulls

If you followed the headlining dog fighting case last Fall involving NFL quarterback Michael Vick and Bad Newz Kennels, you may remember that there was much concern as to whether the rescued pit bulls would need to be put down because of their breeding and training.  I even assumed that this was an inevitability, based on early reports.  This seemed grossly unfair to the dogs involved, which were finally freed of a despicable business they had never asked to be a part of, forced to be vicious just to survive.

Click to read more ...

creature comforts

The difference between cats and dogs, British accents and all, courtesy of Creature Comforts:

In case you're new to Creature Comforts, as I was myself until my brother showed me a side-splitting episode on YouTube (one of several), it's a wonderfully dry and smart clay animation series in which real interviews with everyday people are transposed onto animals in a number of natural, and not so natural, settings.  The series was produced by the UK company behind Wallace and Gromit, and began with a short film involving zoo animals:

Click to read more ...