I read everything I could as a horse-mad young girl, a wonderful pastime that never waned despite owning (at various times) some truly wonderful horses, one of whom had been taken with his dam as a foal from the high country. I was also lucky enough to visit the NSW/VIC high country several times on horseback before it was banned and having a rich colonial heritage myself made it all the more special. Elyne Mitchell's beautiful books transported me to a magical place high in the Alps with the scent of eucalyptus, horse, leather and dust that even now evokes a gentle nostalgia. You can therefore imagine my excitement when the "Silver Brumby" movie was released. It was going to be the culmination of years dreaming what the great Thowra actually looked like, what The Brolga and Arrow looked like and what did "silver" mean anyway....... To say I was disappointed with some aspects of the movie would be an understatement. "Thowra" turned out to be a palomino (a palomino for Gods sake - the Golden Horse of the American West) MARE. NOT a stallion. Some may say I'm nitpicking but try pulling that one in front of a heap of eagerly waiting pony club kids and see how far you get. One of the most "awe-inspiring" scenes was Thowra rearing and challenging The Brolga (but as a mare). The Brolga was also supposed to be ugly. Again, the way only children/young adults who have grown up around horses can appreciate, he was easily the best looking and most useful looking horse there. Surely, whoever was in charge of these things could have been a bit more astute?????? There are anecdotes of silver horses running with the brumby mobs every now and then and I can assure our American friends they're not palominos but rather a true cream and very rare. On the plus side, the cinematography was stunning, Caroline Goodall played her part to perfection and Russell Crowe (who I think is a lout) played a magnificent part. On a lighter note, does anyone know how Elyne's daughter Indi got her name and the significance of it? I do but only because I've been there......
Review of The Silver Brumby
