Three Best Movies for Horse Lovers

Horse racing is one of the most popular sports in the world. However, it is especially very famous in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. The Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes and Preakness Stakes are one of the most highly attended events in America while the Britons have the Cheltenham Festival and Grand National as their most famous races. However, for Australians, the Melbourne Cup is the most eagerly awaited racing event in the country. You will find many fans searching for the latest Melbourne Cup news long before the event actually starts.

 1- Phar Lap 

Phar Lap is one of the best movies that you will ever see. The movie is based on a true story and it first hit the screens in 1983. Phar Lap was one of the finest race horses in the 1930s and he became incredibly successful during that time.

Harry Telford convinced his owner to buy the horse but he became so disappointed after looking at his appearance that he refused to waste any money on his training. However, Telford believed in Phar Lap and decided to train him with no daily training fee. The amazing horse made a slow start and lost his first race. However, he soon got his winning form and became absolutely unstoppable. He went on winning one big race after another and soon became the pride of Australian horse racing.

Melbourne Cup and the Cox Plates were among the most prestigious horse races that he won. The amazing horse also has the distinction of setting a new record in Mexico’s Agua Caliente Handicap.

Phar Lap died in 1932 with causes of his death unknown. However, there is speculation that he might have been poisoned because the underground gambling circuit was losing money because of the successes of Phar Lap.

2- Seabiscuit 

Seabiscuit is another must-see movie for horse lovers. The film is based on the famous novel Seabiscuit: An American Legend which is written by Laura Hillenbrand.

The Great Depression was a gloomy period when people didn’t have a lot to cheer about. However, Seabiscuit provided one ray of hope for the people with his amazing success.

It first hit the screens in 2003 and went on to become a commercial success. While critics also lavished praise on the film. It was nominated for an incredible seven Academy Awards in different categories.

The movie recounts the story of three men who are played by Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges and Tom Smith. They all try to change the horse from a lackluster racehorse into a champion. Maguire has played the role of Red who is a jockey while Bridges has portrayed Howard who is a wealthy businessman dealing with the loss of his son.And Smith is a skilled horseman and a drifter.

The three men’s paths cross and lead them to Seabiscuit. Howard is persuaded by Smith to buy the horse but they face difficulty finding a jockey. And that’s how they meet Red who is a skilled jockey. Seabiscuit goes on to enjoy great success with the support of the three men and he wins the hearts of the American public. The film takes an interesting turn when Red injures his leg just before an important competition. And now they must find another rider.

3- Hidalgo

If we are discussing great horse movies, then we cannot omit Hidalgo which is a true story about a man and his horse. It was written by John Fusco while Joe Johnston was the director. The film stars Viggo Mortensen, Zuleikha Robinson and Omar Sharif in the main roles.

Hidalgo is a mustang ridden by Franklin T. Hopkins in the 1890s. One day they are challenged to prove their skills in the “Ocean of Fire” 3000-mile race across the Najd desert.

This famous race only allowed pureblood Arabian horses and Arab riders to compete but they made an exception for Hopkins and Hidalgo who call themselves the greatest endurance team. They face a lot of obstacles and prejudices along the way but must continue to win the race.

Hidalgo is an excellent movie which the fans of voicesforhorses are likely to enjoy. It tells an exciting story that is based on real-life characters. However, it received mixed reviews from the critics and also failed at the box-office, grossing $108 million against a budget of $100m.