Galloping through millennia : a multimedia examination of horses in the modern world

Abstract

The horse has been an integral and ubiquitous element in the development of human civilization for centuries. However, in the last 150 years, its presence in and relevance to peoples’ daily routines has waned. What previous cultures used to comprehend and appreciate, modern technology-based routines have rendered nearly obsolete. Consequently, the perception of their legacy has been diminished, their nature misunderstood, and their virtues devalued. However, their immediate presence still affects humans on a visceral level. Through a combination of three multimedia pieces and a written essay, I attempt to reveal various ways in which horses provide man with more than a means of transportation. By examining officers in Austin Police Department’s Mounted Division, an experienced horse trainer, and a licensed therapist who employs horses in her practice, I hope to dispel various misconceptions and reveal the rewards of shared company, beyond the utilitarian functions. Ideally, both parties stand to benefit from a proactive effort on behalf of the viewer to explore and better understand the connective tissue that still binds our two species.