Humans have connected with horses on a deeply personal and emotional level for centuries. Participating Dane County libraries will attempt to study, understand, celebrate and honor this connection in the "Horse-Human Connection". Events will kick off with 13 libraries screening the film documentary Unbranded by Ben Masters. The film highlights the beautiful relationship 4 recent college graduates develop with wild Mustangs as they ride from Mexico to Canada. Following the film screening, local humanities experts will lead a discussion on various topics. Please join us as we celebrate the Horse-Human Connection at participating Dane County libraries!
Dressage- Andrea Bill
Unbranded film screening at 6 pm Madison Public Library - Pinney Branch
Tuesday, October 10- Speaker at 7 pm
Unbranded film screening at 5:30 pm Waunakee Public Library
Andrea Bill (Andi) will discuss dressage as part of Dane County Libraries examination of The Horse-Human Connection. Andi attended Mount Holyoke College, successfully competing as an intercollegiate equestrian and captaining Mount Holyoke's IHSA team her junior and senior years. She rode as an alternate on the United States Intercollegiate team in Luxembourg and Malmo, Sweden, and was chef d'equipe for the winning American team in 1999. Andi teaches both hunt seat and dressage, from beginning riders to seasoned competitors.
The Changing Role of Horses in Our Society- Jim Leary
Unbranded film screening at 6 pm Fitchburg Public Library
Jim Leary will lead a discussion on The Changing Role of Horse in Our Society as part of Dane County Libraries examination of The Horse-Human Connection. Jim will examine the role of horses from the time of his grandparents to the present. Leary is a recently retired professor in the Department of Scandinavian Studies, as well as in the Department of Comparative Literature and Folklore Studies. He is a co-founder and director of the Center for the Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures and a fellow of the Wisconsin Academy and of the American Folklore Society.
Gretchen Arndt & Tami Bahr, Triquestrian, LLC
Unbranded film screening at 5:30 pm Deforest Public Library
Gretchen Arndt & Tami Bahr will discuss Equine Assisted Psychotherapy in relation to their practice at Triquestrian. Triquestrian, LLC is an organization that strives to provide an opportunity for growth and learning through the power of horses to the community. "We believe horses have the ability to help us experience and explore life from a unique perspective creating opportunities for growing, learning, and healing." (Arndt and Bahr, 2014)
Equine Medical Practices: Working with Horses in Haiti, Costa Rica, Mexico & the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation- Dr. Judy Batker
Unbranded film screening at 6 pm Verona Public Library
Dr. Judy Batker, Veterinarian and Owner of Country View EquineClinic, will discuss Equine Medical Practices: Working with Horses in Haiti, Costa Rica, Mexico & the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. We now know that old practices of caring for horses were detrimental over time. We can create more stable and longlasting relationships with our equine counterparts. Dr. Judy Batker is a 1995 graduate of UW-Madison.
Animal Ethics- Dr. Robert Streiffer
Unbranded film screening at 6 pm Cross Plains Public Library
Dr. Robert Streiffer, UW-Madison Department of Medical History and Bioethics and the Department of Philosophy, will discuss Animal Ethics as a part of Dane County Libraries examination of The Horse-Human Connection.
Parelli Natural Horsemanship- Gretchen Arndt, Horse First Farm
Unbranded film screening at 6 pm Deerfield Public Library
Gretchen Arndt will discuss Parelli Natural Horsemanship as part of Dane County Libraries examination of The Horse-Human Connection. Parelli focuses on building relationships between horses and humans based on trust and mutual understanding. In addition to being the Equine Specialist on the Triquestrian, LLC team, Gretchen is also a Licensed Instructor of Parelli Natural Horsemanship at The Horse First Farm in Madison, WI.
Building Trust with Horses- John Bonine
Unbranded film screening at 2 pm Base Camp Café, Mazomanie
John Bonine is lifelong horse trainer and farrier who studied under Ray Hunt and Buck Brannaman. He will speak on Building Trust with Horsesas part of Dane County Libraries examination of The Horse-Human Connection.
"I had a ranch upbringing in southeastern Montana. Most of our ranch work and much of our travel was a-horse-back. My parents taught me to ride at an early age and I've been mounted ever since." ~ John Bonine
Horses as Healers: Therapeutic Riding- Karen Diegel
Unbranded film screening at 11:30 am Sun Prairie Public Library
Thursday, October 26- Speaker at 7 pm
Unbranded film screening at 5:30 pm Oregon Public Library
Occupational Therapist and PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) Certified Instructor, Karen Diegel will lead a discussion on Horses as Healers: Therapeutic Riding as part of Dane County Libraries examination of The Horse-Human Connection. Karen teaches Therapeutic Riding at Three Gaits Riding School in the Stoughton/Oregon area. Three Gaits, Inc., is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide equineassisted activities and therapies that enhance the lives of people with physical, emotional, or intellectual challenges.
The Mustangs of Unbranded- Ben Masters
Saturday, November 4- Speaker at 1 pm
Unbranded film screening at 11:30 am Mount Horeb Public Library
Ben Masters, Unbranded Film Producer, will speak with an emphasis on The Horse-Human Connection in regards to the personal relationship he formed with wild Mustangs for the filming of Unbranded. Ben Masters is a filmmaker, writer, horse trainer, guide, and conservationist who splits his time between Montana, Texas, and the mountains in between. Masters has a degree in Wildlife Biology from Texas A&M University and was the producer, character, and mastermind behind the Mountainfilm and Hot Docs Audience Award-winning documentary Unbranded.
Thank you to the sponsors of these events: Madison Community Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities, and Wisconsin Book Festival.