The horse-human relationship has evolved differently throughout the world, each culture bringing a fresh approach to horsemanship and each individual trainer uniquely discovering their own path toward working with horses.
That is the inspiration behind the in-the-works documentary, The Path of the Horse. The 90-minute film will introduce the viewer to some of the world’s greatest horse trainers as it accompanies them as they ply their trade, developing extraordinary hands-on relationships with their horses, explains the project’s creator Stormy May.
“Sometimes the viewpoint is from that of the trainer, sometimes from that of the horse and often it will come from the people who have sought out these trainers to help them improve their own skills in communicating with the equine world.”
Stormy offers this synopsis of the program: “Imagine that you could travel the world to meet some of the greatest communicators of our times. These are not politicians, diplomats, philosophers, or teachers in a traditional sense; they call themselves horse trainers.
“A former war-scarred Russian soldier would teach you how to coax the extraordinary out of a horse without use of bridles or bits, an Aikido master in the Colorado Rockies would guide you in breath and body disciplines that a horse can understand. You would follow a woman in California into a herd of wild horses and learn to be accepted. You’d watch as a woman in the Arizona desert helped handicapped people find healing solace from their equine partners, and you’d join a man in Denmark as he roamed the countryside in complete harmony with his surroundings. What could you learn that would change the way you live your daily life?”
The subjects of the documentary are:
• Alexander Nevzorov, the producer of The Horse Encyclopedia and Nevzorov Haute Ecole. He is based in St. Petersburg, Russia
• Mark Rashid, the author of Considering the Horse and Horses Never Lie. He lives in Estes Park, Colorado
• Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling, the author of Dancing with Horses, What Horses Reveal. He is based at the Akedah School, Faaborg, Denmark
• Linda Kohanov, the author of The Tao of Equus and Riding Between the Worlds. She is based at the Epona equine program, in Arizona
• Carolyn Resnick, the author of Naked Liberty, who is based in Southern California.
Scouting and preliminary filming is underway and the project is on track for release in late winter 2008.
Financial support is needed to meet the project’s estimated $500,000 budget. “Give yourself the satisfaction of helping spread greater understanding, compassion and inspiration in the horse world and throughout humanity,” says Stormy.
For more information, call Stormy May at 530-274-3160 and visit www.stormymayproductions.com.