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Post by Claire on Dec 6, 2007 14:59:59 GMT 1
I got sort of confused as to whether the Black was an Arab or not, as he seemed to transform into a TB for stud purposes and when he was on the track! I got even more confused when his progeny hit the racing scene! Have been meaning to pursue the matter of The Black (from Walter Farleys black stallion series) for a while since reading kunuma's thread. Was actually discussing this a while back with a friend. I always thought that The Black's large size meant he couldn't be a pure bred Arab and my friend pointed out that he was mentioned in a few of the books as being a cross. She said it's explained in 'Black Stallion Mystery' that the Sheikh did some experimental breeding which resulted in the Black's sire. But unfortunately its not specified. Anyone read this recently and can remember more about it? As Kunuma said how was he registered in the stud book for stud and racing purposes, as surely he would have to be a thoroughbred? Anyone seen the film of The Young Black Stallion when the Sheikhs favourite mare has a dalliance with some sort of supernatural horse (which incidentally looks like a friesan!) which results in The Black. Obviously the father didnt pass on his feather to his son! In that film the Black was 'played' by a pure bred Arab but in others Black Stallion films he was not.
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Post by darkhorse on Dec 6, 2007 19:27:25 GMT 1
I always thought the Black was an Anglo-Arab for some reason. It never really occurred to me how he could be racing in Thoroughbred races with that breeding. These things go over my head!
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Post by kunuma on Dec 7, 2007 19:50:30 GMT 1
I always have a mental picture in my head of what the horses in books look like, (and to a lesser degree, the people too!) Probably why I so often don't like the on screen versions! I tend to hang onto that picture whatever as well. Sometimes the picture on the cover matches my imaginary one and sometimes it doesn't! Sometimes the cover matches my imaginary horse, more than the description inside!! So my question is, since the film makers thought he was an Arab - and the artist in some of my books did too, does that mean they got that from the author, OR did they do their own thing? How much say do authors have in the front cover, and how the characters (both equine and human) are portrayed in films?? I have noticed that somethimes the old, original covers are much more accurate to the story itself than the reprints - if the author is dead, who gets to decide what the book has on the front when reprinted? Researching breeds of various famous literary horses like the Black, I have noticed several claims for each horse, sort of depending on what breed the writer of the claim loved best!! I have seen the LR's Silver claimed as an Arab, an Arab cross, a Saddlebred,and most interestngly A Tennessee walking horse! (And he was a REAL horse!) What has that got to do with the Black, well, if you have stuck with me so far, apparently the Author of the Black series had Standardbred racers (Trotters and Pacers)!
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Post by haffyfan on Dec 7, 2007 19:52:43 GMT 1
OMG I have never read these books...I have aquired a couple but HATED the film and the Returns one even more so couldn't face the books. Am I missing out?
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Post by kunuma on Dec 7, 2007 20:13:05 GMT 1
The books are better than the films, the film I saw was all cute boy, and photogenic horse rearing a lot! I watched them because Cass Ole was an Arab and I liked the bit on the beach, cute boy, photogenic horse and waves!! ;D Also the black dye kept washing off the horse's legs in the water, and his false mane looked a bit dodgy too!! The books are more 'grown up'.
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Post by Claire on Dec 8, 2007 2:28:22 GMT 1
The books are great, especially as Alec gets older throughout the series. I like the racing ones best as I always love horse racing stories, but they are all pretty good. Waler Farley is a really excellent writer. There are also two or three of the series which have a sort of mystical element in them. Quite a mixture of different sorts of stories in the full series. As Kunuma says much better than the films!
Oh what you were saying Kunuma about standardbreds, that would fit in with the fact that The Black had sons who were harness racers (Bonfire in the Blood Bay Colt) and the other one which I havent read (The Sulky Colt) But that wouldnt fit in with all the Arab stuff from the earlier books. Maybe we should just allow Walter his poetic license...
That stuff about covers is really interesting. I think haffyfan was talking about covers and how they are somtimes completely wrong in their illustrations on her blog. It was a very interesting blog haffyfan you should do a thread on it.
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Post by Claire on Dec 8, 2007 2:44:30 GMT 1
Oh BTW haffyfan congrats I see you have now been promoted to pony trekker! ;D ;D ;D
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Post by kelpiesbooks on Dec 9, 2007 0:10:03 GMT 1
He was a purebred Arab according to the books, but obviously as such couldn't race in real life as only real thoroughbreds are allowed!
Ann-Marie x
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