[ellebeaux]

video preview here: http://video.pbs.org/video/2285994729/

Program: VOCES
Episode: Escaramuza: Riding From The Heart
Escaramuza: Riding From The Heart is the story of Las Azaleas, a team of first-generation Mexican American horsewomen on a two-year journey to represent the United States at the National Charro Championships in Mexico. It is part of VOCES 2012, a four-part series celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.

[c'est moi]

I watched it-it was pretty interesting. I wish they would've focused more on the horses, they are clearly trained very well.

[BabyGoose]

I didn't watch the whole video yet, but I have not been impressed with the Escaramuza type riding I have seen in my local area. A lot of horses being jerked around with long shanked bits and tie downs. A lot of jerking and spurring and making horses run around at breakneck speed. The horses ran around with mouths gaped open and just look panicked all the time to me. I just didn't enjoy watching it.

But I am sure it is like anything other horse sport, there are good and bad. My local riders may just be some of the bad ones. I will finish watching the video when I get a chance.

Disclaimer: The above comment does not make me a RARA and I don't think Escaramuza should be banned or horse ownership should be banned because I saw a few examples of what I consider poor horsemanship.

[Bluey]

I didn't watch the whole video yet, but I have not been impressed with the Escaramuza type riding I have seen in my local area. A lot of horses being jerked around with long shanked bits and tie downs. A lot of jerking and spurring and making horses run around at breakneck speed. The horses ran around with mouths gaped open and just look panicked all the time to me. I just didn't enjoy watching it.

But I am sure it is like anything other horse sport, there are good and bad. My local riders may just be some of the bad ones. I will finish watching the video when I get a chance.

Disclaimer: The above comment does not make me a RARA and I don't think Escaramuza should be banned or horse ownership should be banned because I saw a few examples of what I consider poor horsemanship.

I agree, saw the trailer in their ad for that program and could tell it would be painful to watch them ride, so didn't.

[Isabeau Z Solace]

I watched it last night. The horses looked very nicely bred and trained. They were careful to edit out any 'horse tripping' footage. Smart on them.....

Gosh golly those have to be expensive side saddles!! But I enjoyed seeing SS riders riding in a high energy sport. Some of the outfits were pretty darned snazzy.

Much of the point seemed to be about how hard it can be to try to have and raise babies, while trying to have your own life too.

I would love to see these ladies to a half time show at Devon!!

[JeanM]

Worth watching through.

There is some abusive use of severe bits in sliding stops, but there is also footage of ladies riding aside doing some seriously intense precision maneuvers. My eyes were not bleeding, and honestly I saw some stuff that I wish I could do with my mare.

[horsegal301]

I watched it last night. The horses looked very nicely bred and trained. They were careful to edit out any 'horse tripping' footage. Smart on them.....

Gosh golly those have to be expensive side saddles!! But I enjoyed seeing SS riders riding in a high energy sport. Some of the outfits were pretty darned snazzy.

Much of the point seemed to be about how hard it can be to try to have and raise babies, while trying to have your own life too.

I would love to see these ladies to a half time show at Devon!!

All sidesaddles are expensive, whatcha talkin' bout? I have a small fortune sitting on a saddle buck in my room and that's only two sidesaddles!

[pony highway]

If anyone would like to see for themselves, the DVDs of "Escaramuza: Riding from the Heart" have just been released. We are the same filmmakers who made the horse racing documentary series "On the Muscle: Portrait of a Thoroughbred Racing Stable," which was very well received here in the COTH forums. Here's the link to our website: http://www.ponyhighway.com/buy.html

[Isabeau Z Solace]

OOhh... I love documentaries. Will look for "On the Muscle" too.

[BEARCAT]

Just watched it (you can watch the full length documentary online.) Very interesting though it did made me cringe a few times. They really emphasized the team's dedication and upholding of their cultural traditions... though how they could ride and groom/saddle horses with those nails I don't know!!

[pony highway]

I know, those nails are really a hoot. Just to clarify, glad you watched online BEARCAT, but that's the shortened version that was broadcast for PBS, not the full-length version, which is 35 minutes longer. From the filmmakers' point-of-view, we had to cut out tons of stuff we loved, plus we think it looks awful online due to the necessary compression. We think the DVD looks 200 times better. But that's just us filmmakers talking. Glad you liked it