ABOUT THE PROJECT

LOGLINE
Are we punishing horses for being in pain? Follow world renowned equine veterinarian, Dr. Sue Dyson, as she teaches horse owners how to recognize pain signals while diagnosing horses formerly labeled as bad.

SYNOPSIS
There is something about being with a horse. Riding a horse is like capturing the wind. Horses give us strength and let us borrow the kind of freedom only an animal knows. For a moment, time stops. Poet Linda Grey called it �the dignity of being�. And yet, when horses �act out� (bucking, rearing, pinning ears) due to pain while being ridden, if the horse isn�t obviously limping, it is common to blame and punish the horse. 24 BEHAVIORS centers around the work of Dr. Sue Dyson, a world-renowned expert in equine orthopedics, a clinician and researcher. Through a six-phase study, spanning three years, and over 400 horses, Dr. Sue Dyson and colleagues developed The Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram, a catalog of 24 behaviors associated with pain in the ridden horse. THE 24 BEHAVIORS OF THE RIDDEN HORSE IN PAIN challenges the way we see �disobedient� horses. The film follows Sue Dyson as she diagnoses horses formerly labeled as �lazy,� �underperforming� and �resistant� and teaches owners how to recognize pain signals.

PROJECT TYPE Documentary Short

DIRECTOR Kathryn Lauritzen
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Sue Dyson, Kathryn Lauritzen
IMPACT PRODUCER Jody Ambrose, Megan Phillips