Amboy, Illinois, USA: this was filmed on a farm and the boy’s mother says that she breeds a “few select Gypsy Vanners”. She is a stay-at-home mum who has four children. The video is cute. I always like to see a close relationship between children and animals as I’m sure most other people do. However, with this video I sense that the mother is holding the camera and that she is directing her boy to do certain things when interacting with the foal. The boy constantly looks towards the camera for more instructions. It doesn’t really work for me because it doesn’t feel genuine enough. The video was made for social media perhaps to publicise her breeding or to make some money (sale of advertising) or to make her boy into a mini-celebrity for 15 minutes as per Andy Warhol. I’m being critical (perhaps unfairly) but that’s the way I think about the sorts of things. There is an almost manic desire to make successful videos on social media. It’s a desire for celebrity with some money on the side.
Note: This is a video from another website. Sometimes they are deleted at source which stops them working on this site. If that has happened, I apologise but I have no control over it.
‘Gypsy Vanners’ refers to a body type with heavy bone and broad body like a draft, and with the majority of the breed standing 14-15 hands at the withers. You can see this foal developing into a large, strong horse. They’ll be friends for life.
SOME MORE ON HORSES:
