Wow I guess everyone has their own taste. I thought the movie was appalling. I've been riding and competing has a three day rider for almost twenty years and I've never seen a more unrealistic portrayal of my beloved sport- we used to watch it at the barn and make fun of it. The horse they used is a really nice 3-day horse that didn't look at all like the herd of Quarter horses she picks them out of. Besides that Melissa Gilbert can't ride to save her life- all the long shots are fabulous the horse looks great then the zoom in (and because it isn't the stunt rider anymore) he completely falls apart is strung out and her butt is stuck out so far it's hilarious. Beyond that the story is totally implausible-- you can't even take a horse to the shows she was going to without showing them at lower levels first-- it's completely against the rules- maybe a really well known rider could get permission to skip some of the requirements but you can't just start eventing a horse at the level she was supposedly at (although they never show her jumping any of the actual advanced fences at Rolex-- I jumped the stuff she was going over when I was a 12yr old pony clubber).
Honestly I'm flabbergasted I never thought any horse person would like this movie. Clearly everybody has their own opinion- hey I like International Velvet despite the fact that they shoot a horse on a plane- it's so flawed- the horse keeps hitting it's head on the ceiling of the plane (horses fly in planes with tons of headroom) the rider gives him a tranq, when it doesn't work he shoots him because if he gives him anymore tranq he'll "kill him" umm why wouldn't you just give him tranq till he either calmed down or died- why shoot him in the head while he is in a pressurized cabin and standing next to a bunch of other horse who could easily be set off by he shot. Never understood that. At least Tatum O'Neal can ride a little bit and they actually have real riders (like Brice Davidson) int he flick. I just can't think of a single thing to recommend the movie Sylvester. Big thumbs down on that one I wouldn't even watch it to laugh at it- I'm embarrassed to think someone would watch it and think that it is in any way a representative of eventing.
Honestly I'm flabbergasted I never thought any horse person would like this movie. Clearly everybody has their own opinion- hey I like International Velvet despite the fact that they shoot a horse on a plane- it's so flawed- the horse keeps hitting it's head on the ceiling of the plane (horses fly in planes with tons of headroom) the rider gives him a tranq, when it doesn't work he shoots him because if he gives him anymore tranq he'll "kill him" umm why wouldn't you just give him tranq till he either calmed down or died- why shoot him in the head while he is in a pressurized cabin and standing next to a bunch of other horse who could easily be set off by he shot. Never understood that. At least Tatum O'Neal can ride a little bit and they actually have real riders (like Brice Davidson) int he flick. I just can't think of a single thing to recommend the movie Sylvester. Big thumbs down on that one I wouldn't even watch it to laugh at it- I'm embarrassed to think someone would watch it and think that it is in any way a representative of eventing.
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