I went to the movie "Flicka." Horse movies are my weakness, and besides that this movie was patterned after the book I read as a little girl, and the TV show I can remember watching each week.

First of all, the scenery is magnificent. Wide open spaces, Wyoming in all it's glory. I know IF I ever went to Wyoming, I would never leave.

The horses, all QH's and some Paints in the movie. Lots or running horses and big open fields.

The leading actress is very pretty. She plays a moody teenage girl. I don't think she knew how to ride (in real life), but she could play the camera well! The horse "Flicka", a black QH. (I didn't see one Arabian in the whole movie)

Her father, Tim McGraw - a handsome man by anybody's measure! He's not a bad actor either really.

One thing I came away thinking was: I wish the people who direct these movies that are about horses - get some real horse-savy people to assist, so they get the "horse details" right. For example: The filly "Flicka" was played by a gelding. I hate that! Why couldn't they use a female horse!?

Overall, it was an OK movie - and if you like horses and wide open spaces I'd recommend it.

Just saw this:) My 4yr old daughter LOVES this movie! All she coulld talk about for days afterward was the mountain lion scene. LOL.

I loved this movie!!! It was just a feel-good, happy movie with a beautiful ending. And some really lovely horses and scenery.

Ann

I haven't watched it, but I'd like to. Ryan Kwanten, who plays Howard McLaughlin, is really hot!



I've heard that movie directors prefer not to use female horses because they are often moodier than geldings, and they also 'stress out' more quickly than geldings. In other words, go off their feed, get sick, etc, when the work gets stressful.
Personally, I love mares, get along with them great, and I doubt I would ever go out and buy a gelding, but I guess the directors know what they're doing and what's best for the job!!

I was thinking the same thing BlondeHorse. I imagine when they film during a heat cycle it can be a real treat for the actos who don't know how to handle horses.

it also bothers me when some movies have horses in them and they whinny at the oddest moments. Or all the movies depict horses as only one speed, go really really fast and Stop really really fast. Or the horse movies are about wild man eating beasts and that magical person comes and all of a sudden that horse is a kitten of a horse. I am sure there are some horses that are one person horses, but it takes alot of work, time and dedication to bring a wild beast down into a cuddly kitten, it doesn't just happen when you walk into the ring.

Exactly. I loved the Black Stallion series, and still have to reread them every now and then *grin* but I think books and movies like that give a lot of people the wrong idea about horse ownership. You can't just 'love' your horse, or save his life, and expect to have that 'horse whisperer' relationship. It takes time and work. You have to EARN you horse's respect and affection by showing him that you are capable of taking care of him and being the leader. It doesn't just happen!
And I agree with the whinnying thing. How many horses have you seen whinny in fright?! Not saying that it doesn't ever happen, but my mare is the biggest yak-face in the world, and if any horse would whinny with fright, it would be her, but I've never heard her do it.
Oh, well, you've still gotta love the horse movies. Maybe it's because we all secretly wish that we could tame the wild beast just by walking into the ring!

Read the book!! "My Friend Flicka" by Mary O'Hara, and its sequels "Thunderhead" and "Green Grass of Wyoming" are great.
The original Flicka was a flaxen chestnut PARTBRED ARABIAN filly, not a mustang.

This is why I haven't seen the movie!!! I may see it eventually, but I know it will bug me to watch it.
I LOVED these books, about a young boy and his relationship with his family, and how the ranch life and horses eventually helped him to mature well. If they had named the movie something other than Flicka, I would have been more intrigued by it, but I hate when movies are poor take-offs of a book and in this case it didn't seem that they made much attempt to follow the books at all.

However- for those who like to read, want your kids to read etc... these are good books!

Really? I thought she was a Thoroughbred/Mustang cross, but I haven't read the books in forever. I always loved the name Touch-n-Go.

ETA: Or did you mean the filly in the original movie?

As I recall, in the novel, Flicka's paternal granddam was a black purebred mare and her maternal grandsire was the notorious mare-stealing mustang stallion, The Albino. So she was an AngloArab/Mustang cross.
I'm glad I didn't know then what I know now about horse coat color genetics; that is the one place the stories fall apart for me now. How do you breed a flaxen chestnut mare to a black stallion and get a "white" foal (Thunderhead)? And I still haven't figured out what color The Albino really was!