NATURE | Horse and Rider | Preview | PBS

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/horse-and-rider/introduction/834 “Bet Yer Blue Boons” is one of the most agile and intelligent cutting horses in the world, a true champion. “Rio,” a spectacular polo pony, is a gifted athlete able to sprint at 30 miles per hour, then stop suddenly and turn on a dime. “Chamont” has the natural talent and physique of a great dressage horse, but also at times a timorous personality that puts a question mark on his future success. Each of these remarkable animals shares an astonishing trait: the ability to implicitly trust, and perform complex tasks in tandem with, a human partner working toward a common goal. This teaming of horse and rider is arguably the most sophisticated and intriguing example of human-animal cooperation. NATURE explores and illuminates this absorbing phenomenon in “Horse and Rider,” airing on PBS Sunday, August 3, 2008 at 8 p.m. (check local listings). “Horse and Rider” is part of the 26th season of the Peabody and Emmy award-winning series produced by Thirteen/WNET New York for PBS. Major support provided by Canon U.S.A. Inc., Toyota, SC Johnson, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. For more information, visit http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/horse-and-rider/introduction/834/ Author: PBS Keywords: cutting dressage horse horseback horses nature pbs polo riding training wnet Added: July 31, 2008