If you’ve watched the trailer of the new documentary ‘Buck’ and it strikes you as even a somewhat interesting topic, you’ll love the film. The feature length documentary that follows Buck and his family around the country putting on horse training trials is just the sort of story you would expect: heartwarming, emotional, honest and, at times, difficult to watch.
There are many parallels made between horse rearing and parenting, and throughout the film we get to see Buck interact quite a bit with his teenage daughter who frequently accompanies him on his trips. We also get to delve into Buck’s childhood a bit, and relive some of his memories about being raised by an abusive, alcoholic father until he was rescued and placed in with a foster family.
One of the more interesting plot points (if a documentary can have a plot) deals with one problematic horse that is trucked into one of Buck’s trials. After a few minutes, Buck describes this horse as, “being as close to a predator as I’ve ever seen.” Which seems like an exaggeration at first, until a few minutes later where the horse begins lunging violently at people while attempting to bite them over the fence.
The interesting thing about this particular horse is that he was never abused, as one might assume. He was actually coddled and spoiled. His mother died during his birth, making him an orphan. His owner bottle-fed him and basically raised him inside her house during his first winter. He was even potty trained when he was young.
One might assume that a horse raised like that would be extremely gentle, but it turned out to be just the opposite. He was vicious, with absolutely no respect for anyone, and ends up attacking multiple people in the film.
Buck manages this horse in the short-term by roping his hind leg and offering up some strict discipline. Even so, when the stud successfully attacks another professional handler the next day, it becomes sadly apparent that there are some animals even a professional like Buck can’t fix. It turns out that even horses that were abused are easier to work with than horses that were simply never disciplined at all — spoiled horses have no respect for handlers, and no reason to want to listen.
The film also delves into a couple discussions about the sheer joy of riding, something I hadn’t before heard discussed so lucidly. Several of the folks who were interviewed said that riding, once you know what you’re doing, is like having the horse become an extension of your own body. Riding seems so natural that it becomes practically addictive.
While not much of the footage is action packed, it’s certainly compelling, and there is a lot of wisdom to be shared. If you have any interest in rural living, animal husbandry, psychology, or parenting, Buck is a must-see.
