When I first learned of the DVD back in 2008, it was months from completion. I was elated to learn that someone was producing a documentary featuring the work of nearly all of my very favorite horse authors. I was so excited I could hardly contain myself. Then the doubt started to creep in. How in the world could a video be made that would adequately portray and explain these concepts about working with horses that defy words.
Somewhere between the six year old girl who dreams of galloping off on her wild stallion - and the professional who's work involves getting results with horses... is a whole group of us confused souls who may have worn both "hats" during our lifetimes. Now the second "hat" feels wrong, and the first one feels totally unrealistic. Describing that unknown third "hat" defies words - let alone images...
I began to have reservations that such a project as Path of the Horse could even be accomplished, let alone be done well enough to paint a picture of the "third hat" that most of us have never seen...
When the pre-release version finally came, I held my breath - hoping for the best, but prepared to be disappointed. Within the first thirty seconds, I KNEW that videographer Stormy May had not only risen to the challenge, but she's artfully produced a very powerful, entertaining documentary that will undoubtedly change the way many people relate to their horses forever.
There is no part of this DVD that could be any better. Every bit of it is technically perfect - images are beautiful - footage beautifully choreographed with music - the interviews are very well done and you can hear and understand every single word. Even the non-english speaking horsemen's voiceovers are perfect.
And Stormy May is no late-comer to the horse industry - she's NOT one of those people who just got into horses, managed to keep from getting killed, and is now questioning everything that has worked for everybody else whose handled horses up to this point. Stormy was a successful competitor, trainer and teacher. She owned her own facilitiy and was making a good living at teaching horses and riders to get along and win in the arena. Somewhere along the way it all started to feel wrong. She SOLD HER FARM and used the money to make this video.
"I think in a larger sense, the harmful part of what I used to do to horses was not even so much by being a person who found it acceptable to cause an animal pain, but by being a person who was afraid to think for herself and do things differently because of what other people might think. I couldn't do things different than what I had been taught until I was strong enough inside myself to go my own way, even if it looked like I was the only one on that path. It gave me hope to think that if it truly was a path of love then I would be creating a space for others to come and play this new game too." ~Stormy May If you only buy one thing from us, ever, let this be it.
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