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♪♪

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[ Suspenseful music plays ]

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♪♪

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THOMPSON: Horses.

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[ Snorts ]

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No other animal 
has done more for us.

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They're bigger,

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stronger,

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and faster than we are.

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[ Poignant tune plays ]

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And, not so long ago,

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all horses were wild.

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[ Neighing ]

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So how did this huge animal 
end up as our companion?

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[ Grumbling ]

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My name is Niobe Thompson.

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I'm an anthropologist

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[chuckling] 
and I just love horses.

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[ Whinnying ]

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I've discovered 
that's something I share

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with people all over the world.

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[ Triumphant music climbs ]

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So I wonder: 
What makes horses and humans

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so perfect for each other?

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Come with me on a journey 
around the world

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and back in time

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to the origins of this 
magnificent creature.

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♪♪

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[ Theme plays ]

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♪♪

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♪♪

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[ Portentous chorale plays ]

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THOMPSON: 
A horse in motion

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[ Neighing ] 
is poetry.

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We call them 
the aristocrat of animals

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for a reason.

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Their beauty is hypnotizing.

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[ Suspenseful music plays ]

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But there's more to a horse 
than meets the eye.

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Like their unparalleled speed.

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A horse can gallop 
twice the speed of humans,

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with a rider on its back.

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[ Suspenseful chord strikes ]

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♪♪

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No horse is bigger than this.

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A Belgian draft horse 
can pull 4 tons.

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♪♪

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But that isn't all.

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[ Suspenseful music climbs ]

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[ Performer vocalizing 
tender tune ]

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The body of a horse works 
in some very strange ways.

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♪♪

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Horses have enormous eyes...

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[ Neighs ]

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...the biggest eyes 
of any animal on land.

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[ Huffs ]

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In daylight, horses see 
almost as well as humans.

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But, at night, they see better.

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♪♪

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They have almost 360° vision.

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They have only two blind spots:

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just behind 
and directly in front.

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♪♪

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But, even here, 
[ Neighs ]

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horses have a kind of 
second sight.

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Like a human hand, their lips 
are loaded with nerve endings.

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[ Grumbling ]

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Their whiskers are so sensitive,

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they can detect 
what their eyes can't see.

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[ Grumbling ]

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♪♪

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Like beavers, their teeth 
never stop growing.

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♪♪

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[ Ominous chord strikes ]

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And, at the end 
of their long, thin legs,

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horses have shock absorbers.

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[chuckling] They're called

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hooves.

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♪♪

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These natural gifts add up 
to an incredible animal.

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[ Triumphant music plays ]

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But the most amazing 
thing of all

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is they give those gifts

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to us.

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♪♪

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When I ride my horse, I forget 
how much bigger he is than me.

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♪♪

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He's just so eager to please.

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♪♪

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So how did Nature create

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such a perfect partner?

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♪♪

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What are the origins 
of the horse?

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[ Suspenseful music plays ]

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It's a story that began 
45 million years back in time.

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The Eocene.

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Dinosaurs had gone extinct.

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[ Birds twittering ]

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Tiny primates, our ancestors, 
had emerged.

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And so had the earliest horse.

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[ Whimsical sting plays ]

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Few traces remain 
of that ancient world.

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The best place to find them is 
this abandoned mine in Germany,

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called Grube Messel.

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Evolutionary biologist 
Martin Fischer

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began his career digging 
for fossils here.

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It was a good choice.

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This is the world's richest 
source of Eocene fossils.

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FISCHER: It's beautiful. 
-THOMPSON: Is that a alligator

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or a...? 
-FISCHER: It's a fish.

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THOMPSON: It's a fish? 
-FISCHER: It's a fish.

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THOMPSON: 
Nearby is a museum,

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built to hold 
the discoveries from below.

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♪♪

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FISCHER: These are all 
original fossils.

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100% original.

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THOMPSON: 
This is the treasure room.

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It holds some of the most 
perfectly preserved fossils

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ever discovered.

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Crocodiles.

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Birds.

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Even bats,

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with their wing tissues 
still visible.

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And the crown jewel:

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a 40-million-year-old fossil

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of Dawn Horse.

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A creature like

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this

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led 
to

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all

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horses today.

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Amazing! 
I've never seen

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such a well-preserved fossil 
from this era.

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FISCHER: 
Yeah. It's just wonderful.

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But, we have special 
permission to take it up,

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to see it some very close, 
and I can explain the anatomy.

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THOMPSON: Oh, it's heavy! 
-FISCHER: It's heavy.

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Okay.

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THOMPSON: 
The fossil is so complete,

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we can even see its last meal:

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grapes.

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Dawn Horse was a fruit eater.

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FISCHER: It's perfectly 
preserved in here

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and we have the four toes 
in the front.

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You see these huge canines here.

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It looks like a dog. 
-THOMPSON: It really does.

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I mean, this looks like 
a meat eater to me.

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FISCHER: [laughs] 
If you ask yourself

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why today's stallions have 
a canine, the answer is here.

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THOMPSON: But, still, Martin, 
I look at this animal.

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I mean, it's tiny.

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It has these big, padded feet.

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I just don't see

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anything 
of the horse in this fossil.

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FISCHER: 
I totally agree.

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And, actually, this horse never 
thought of becoming a horse.

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Like always in my life, 
I wanted to see things moving

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and I would love 
to see this horse moving.

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THOMPSON: 
Martin made his name

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by showing us 
how animals

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really

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move

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from the inside out.

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Dogs.

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Cats.

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♪♪

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Even lizards.

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♪♪

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But with Dawn Horse, 
he's tackling something

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much more difficult.

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Using what he's learned 
about

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living

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animals,

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Martin is going to rebuild 
Dawn Horse,

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bone by bone,

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and, then, bring her to life.

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It's the very definition 
of an educated guess.

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FISCHER: We can show you 
a first attempt.

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THOMPSON: You've got some 
of the bones in movement now?

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FISCHER: Yeah.

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THOMPSON: 
Yeah, I'd love to see that.

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Wow. Okay, so, there's 
a sense of life there.

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Those legs seem to be 
moving realistically to me.

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FISCHER: That's the point. 
-THOMPSON: Even though there's

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nothing attached to those legs, 
-FISCHER: [Laughing]

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THOMPSON: 
there's no animal above them, 
the legs are moving.

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How long is it going to take you

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to get to the full, 
moving animal?

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FISCHER: 
I would guess that --

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What you would say, 
another three months?

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MAN: [Laughing]

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FISCHER: 
Two to four months?

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Simply difficult.

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THOMPSON: Okay, Martin, 
well, I'm gonna come back

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in three months and we'll see 
how far you've gotten.

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How 'bout that? 
-FISCHER: Okay.

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Sirs, no more weekend,

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[ Laughter ] 
no holidays, no nothing.

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Doing all this work, it

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is

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fun.

202
00:09:01,466 --> 00:09:02,700
That's science.

203
00:09:02,733 --> 00:09:06,066
It's sailing 
to an unknown island

204
00:09:06,100 --> 00:09:09,566
and our island, in the moment, 
is Dawn Horse.

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00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:13,300
This is what an explorer 
or a scientist does

206
00:09:13,333 --> 00:09:14,933
and it's great fun.

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00:09:14,966 --> 00:09:17,766
♪♪

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00:09:17,800 --> 00:09:21,066
THOMPSON: All Martin's hard work 
finally pays off.

209
00:09:21,100 --> 00:09:24,266
[ Whimsical tune plays ]

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He can now reveal how 
Dawn Horse's bones fit together.

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[ Clacking ]

212
00:09:31,833 --> 00:09:39,933
♪♪

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And how this creature moved.

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♪♪

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Unlike a horse, 
sh

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e

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00:09:48,333 --> 00:09:51,933
had a flexible spine.

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♪♪

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She could turn and corner.

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00:10:00,566 --> 00:10:05,200
♪♪

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00:10:05,233 --> 00:10:07,100
Dawn Horse didn't gallop.

222
00:10:07,133 --> 00:10:08,466
She scampered.

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00:10:08,500 --> 00:10:10,033
♪♪

224
00:10:10,066 --> 00:10:12,533
[ Snort ]

225
00:10:12,566 --> 00:10:17,866
Compared to horses today, 
she was tiny,

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a vulnerable animal.

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00:10:19,466 --> 00:10:21,300
♪♪

228
00:10:21,333 --> 00:10:22,600
Desperate for cover.

229
00:10:22,633 --> 00:10:23,933
♪♪

230
00:10:23,966 --> 00:10:26,233
[ Insects chirping ]

231
00:10:26,266 --> 00:10:29,933
It's true this creature was 
nothing like the horse we know.

232
00:10:29,966 --> 00:10:32,766
[ Suspenseful music plays ]

233
00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:38,333
But she was a perfect reflection 
of her own tropical world.

234
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There were dangerous predators.

235
00:10:40,533 --> 00:10:42,300
[ Neighs ]

236
00:10:42,333 --> 00:10:44,400
But also places to hide.

237
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♪♪

238
00:10:47,533 --> 00:10:51,033
Dawn Horse was built to survive 
in dense forests.

239
00:10:51,066 --> 00:10:52,900
[ Ethereal vocals play ] 
But I wonder:

240
00:10:52,933 --> 00:10:54,766
How did this

241
00:10:54,800 --> 00:10:56,933
evolve into

242
00:10:54,800 --> 00:10:56,933
this?

243
00:10:56,966 --> 00:11:00,733
[ Ominous music climbs ]

244
00:11:00,766 --> 00:11:03,133
What on Earth happened 
to horses?

245
00:11:03,166 --> 00:11:06,766
[ Suspenseful music plays ]

246
00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:09,666
Well, the answer is:

247
00:11:09,700 --> 00:11:10,866
Earth happened.

248
00:11:10,900 --> 00:11:13,366
[ Portentous chorale plays ]

249
00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:16,233
Early horses were perfectly 
suited to their world,

250
00:11:16,266 --> 00:11:20,500
full of dense, lush forests, 
full of cover from predators.

251
00:11:20,533 --> 00:11:22,233
I'm only a few feet away 
from you,

252
00:11:22,266 --> 00:11:25,000
but look how easy 
it is for me to hide.

253
00:11:25,033 --> 00:11:28,033
And look at all 
the succulent leaves:

254
00:11:28,066 --> 00:11:30,600
a herbivore's feast!

255
00:11:30,633 --> 00:11:32,700
This was a greenhouse world.

256
00:11:32,733 --> 00:11:37,233
It stayed hot for millions 
of years and, in all that time,

257
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Dawn Horse hardly 
changed at all.

258
00:11:39,700 --> 00:11:42,800
And then, 
about 18 million years ago,

259
00:11:42,833 --> 00:11:44,400
the Earth began to cool.

260
00:11:44,433 --> 00:11:46,500
♪♪

261
00:11:46,533 --> 00:11:48,200
With the cooling climate,

262
00:11:48,233 --> 00:11:50,800
tropical forests began 
to disappear.

263
00:11:50,833 --> 00:11:53,833
[ Birds chirping ]

264
00:11:53,866 --> 00:11:56,233
A cooler world 
was also a drier world

265
00:11:56,266 --> 00:11:59,866
and, now, early horses 
were challenged to adapt.

266
00:11:59,900 --> 00:12:02,200
As new kinds of horse emerged,

267
00:12:02,233 --> 00:12:06,566
to survive the cooling climate, 
new plants also appeared

268
00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:09,666
and the result was that 
large parts of the planet

269
00:12:09,700 --> 00:12:14,733
were covered 
by an entirely new habitat:

270
00:12:14,766 --> 00:12:16,000
grasslands!

271
00:12:16,033 --> 00:12:19,200
[ Triumphant chorale climbs ]

272
00:12:19,233 --> 00:12:25,800
♪♪

273
00:12:25,833 --> 00:12:29,766
Grasses were Nature's answer 
to this cooler, drier world.

274
00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:33,433
♪♪

275
00:12:33,466 --> 00:12:35,133
Pound for pound,

276
00:12:35,166 --> 00:12:37,600
grass isn't

277
00:12:35,166 --> 00:12:37,600
nearly

278
00:12:35,166 --> 00:12:37,600
as nutritious

279
00:12:37,633 --> 00:12:40,900
as the fruits and nuts 
of the Eocene forest,

280
00:12:40,933 --> 00:12:45,666
but this was now 
the habitat horses chose

281
00:12:45,700 --> 00:12:47,000
and it's amazing,

282
00:12:47,033 --> 00:12:51,133
just how much

283
00:12:47,033 --> 00:12:51,133
this

284
00:12:47,033 --> 00:12:51,133
plant 
shaped the horse.

285
00:12:51,166 --> 00:12:53,633
[ Snuffling ]

286
00:12:53,666 --> 00:12:57,633
Blades of grass are like 
sandpaper on teeth.

287
00:12:57,666 --> 00:12:59,700
♪♪

288
00:12:59,733 --> 00:13:02,666
So horses' heads became longer, 
to make room

289
00:13:02,700 --> 00:13:05,800
for rows of molars 
that never stop growing.

290
00:13:05,833 --> 00:13:07,900
[ Snorting ]

291
00:13:07,933 --> 00:13:12,000
Their enormous eyes moved 
up their long heads,

292
00:13:12,033 --> 00:13:15,066
perfect for spotting danger 
while eating.

293
00:13:15,100 --> 00:13:16,700
♪♪

294
00:13:16,733 --> 00:13:20,533
Horses even developed 
a special kind of stomach,

295
00:13:20,566 --> 00:13:24,900
able to quickly digest grasses 
and immediately run.

296
00:13:24,933 --> 00:13:26,666
♪♪

297
00:13:26,700 --> 00:13:28,433
No cow can do that.

298
00:13:28,466 --> 00:13:31,566
♪♪

299
00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:36,100
Horses now lived 
in a world without cover.

300
00:13:36,133 --> 00:13:40,566
Keeping a distance 
from predators was critical,

301
00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:43,733
so horses had to get faster.

302
00:13:43,766 --> 00:13:48,066
♪♪

303
00:13:48,100 --> 00:13:53,733
As horses grew, their legs 
became longer and thinner,

304
00:13:53,766 --> 00:13:56,966
the legs of a runner.

305
00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:59,000
[ Neighing ]

306
00:13:59,033 --> 00:14:02,066
♪♪

307
00:14:02,100 --> 00:14:05,900
But the most amazing 
change of all

308
00:14:05,933 --> 00:14:07,900
was in their toes.

309
00:14:07,933 --> 00:14:10,933
♪♪

310
00:14:10,966 --> 00:14:13,333
They lost them all.

311
00:14:13,366 --> 00:14:14,733
Except one.

312
00:14:14,766 --> 00:14:18,500
[ Crackling ]

313
00:14:18,533 --> 00:14:21,400
Martin Fisher 
helps me understand.

314
00:14:21,433 --> 00:14:22,800
FISCHER: 
Remember the Dawn Horse?

315
00:14:22,833 --> 00:14:24,133
Four in the front

316
00:14:24,166 --> 00:14:25,466
THOMPSON: Yeah. 
-FISCHER: and three in the back.

317
00:14:25,500 --> 00:14:27,300
THOMPSON: That's right. 
The phalanges, the finger bones.

318
00:14:27,333 --> 00:14:31,266
FISCHER: This is the upper arm 
and this is the lower arm.

319
00:14:31,300 --> 00:14:33,066
That's the wrist joint.

320
00:14:33,100 --> 00:14:36,333
These are the bones here. 
-THOMPSON: Mm-hmm.

321
00:14:36,366 --> 00:14:38,333
FISCHER: 
And this is the finger.

322
00:14:38,366 --> 00:14:39,800
THOMPSON: 
The finger. Amazing.

323
00:14:39,833 --> 00:14:43,266
And they stand on the end 
of that finger and run on it.

324
00:14:43,300 --> 00:14:44,800
I mean, that's incredible. 
-FISCHER: That's the point.

325
00:14:44,833 --> 00:14:46,600
THOMPSON: 
And you say running.

326
00:14:46,633 --> 00:14:48,300
How does this structure

327
00:14:48,333 --> 00:14:50,733
make running 
more efficient or faster?

328
00:14:50,766 --> 00:14:54,900
FISCHER: 
The lesser surface you have, 
the lesser friction you have.

329
00:14:54,933 --> 00:14:58,266
The lesser friction you 
have, the faster you can go.

330
00:14:58,300 --> 00:15:00,200
THOMPSON: 
Right. Stands to reason.

331
00:15:00,233 --> 00:15:02,866
So it makes sense that you 
would go up on one toe

332
00:15:02,900 --> 00:15:05,100
and have a delicate 
connection to the Earth.

333
00:15:05,133 --> 00:15:07,333
FISCHER: This is really 
an extreme adaptation.

334
00:15:07,366 --> 00:15:08,733
THOMPSON: 
The epitome of a runner.

335
00:15:08,766 --> 00:15:13,000
♪♪

336
00:15:13,033 --> 00:15:16,733
Standing on a single toe, 
the horse sits far out

337
00:15:16,766 --> 00:15:21,000
on the end of its 
evolutionary branch:

338
00:15:21,033 --> 00:15:25,100
an animal built to run,

339
00:15:25,133 --> 00:15:27,400
specialized for speed.

340
00:15:27,433 --> 00:15:29,533
♪♪

341
00:15:29,566 --> 00:15:32,800
Millions of years 
after it evolved,

342
00:15:32,833 --> 00:15:38,133
that extraordinary ability 
has us bewitched.

343
00:15:38,166 --> 00:15:42,733
♪♪

344
00:15:42,766 --> 00:15:47,300
In the modern world, machines 
do the work horses once did,

345
00:15:47,333 --> 00:15:49,533
but our fascination 
with the running horse

346
00:15:49,566 --> 00:15:51,100
hasn't ebbed at all.

347
00:15:51,133 --> 00:15:54,066
♪♪

348
00:15:54,100 --> 00:15:55,700
For good reason.

349
00:15:55,733 --> 00:15:59,500
There's no other animal on Earth 
that can carry a human

350
00:15:59,533 --> 00:16:01,200
this fast.

351
00:16:01,233 --> 00:16:02,866
♪♪

352
00:16:02,900 --> 00:16:06,000
It just shouldn't be possible.

353
00:16:06,033 --> 00:16:09,933
How does this huge mammal 
practically fly?

354
00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:14,633
[ Birds chirping ]

355
00:16:14,666 --> 00:16:19,300
If you want to understand 
just why horses are so fast,

356
00:16:19,333 --> 00:16:23,300
Kentucky is 
a good place to start.

357
00:16:23,333 --> 00:16:25,166
David Lambert 
has spent a lifetime

358
00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:27,700
studying the thoroughbred,

359
00:16:27,733 --> 00:16:32,133
breaking down the physics and 
chemistry of a running horse.

360
00:16:34,700 --> 00:16:38,900
I've pulled David away from 
his work to help me understand,

361
00:16:38,933 --> 00:16:43,133
with the help of a special, 
slow-motion camera.

362
00:16:43,166 --> 00:16:44,466
There we go. So we'll be able 
to see the footage

363
00:16:44,500 --> 00:16:46,566
on this monitor 
as the horse runs by.

364
00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:47,866
LAMBERT: Perfect. 
Yeah. Let's do it.

365
00:16:47,900 --> 00:16:50,866
[ Hooves thudding ]

366
00:16:50,900 --> 00:16:52,533
THOMPSON: Hoh! 
-LAMBERT: [Laughing]

367
00:16:52,566 --> 00:16:54,066
THOMPSON: 
Honestly, all I see is a blur

368
00:16:54,100 --> 00:16:55,866
LAMBERT: Yes. Yes. 
-THOMPSON: of moving parts 
as he goes past.

369
00:16:55,900 --> 00:16:58,833
If we take that run-past 
and slow it down a little bit,

370
00:16:58,866 --> 00:17:01,466
tell me what you're 
seeing there in the body.

371
00:17:01,500 --> 00:17:03,166
LAMBERT: So let's look 
as he puts his foot

372
00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:04,733
onto the ground, right there,

373
00:17:04,766 --> 00:17:07,066
and, now, he's loading that 
tendon and that ligament,

374
00:17:07,099 --> 00:17:10,000
and it's bouncing 
and throwing the leg forward.

375
00:17:10,033 --> 00:17:12,500
That leg's being thrown 
by elastic, stored energy,

376
00:17:12,533 --> 00:17:14,233
not by muscle.

377
00:17:14,266 --> 00:17:16,099
And it's like a catapult.

378
00:17:16,133 --> 00:17:18,900
The size of the forces 
just throw those bones

379
00:17:18,933 --> 00:17:22,066
out there and back again 
and onto the next stride.

380
00:17:22,099 --> 00:17:23,133
THOMPSON: 
So that's very efficient,

381
00:17:23,166 --> 00:17:24,966
when those elastics give

382
00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:26,766
the energy back to the horse. 
-LAMBERT: Yes.

383
00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:28,500
Yes, without 
that elastic energy,

384
00:17:28,533 --> 00:17:31,766
he'd have to have legs which 
were 100 pounds in weight,

385
00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:34,300
just in muscle, 
to move his big body.

386
00:17:34,333 --> 00:17:35,933
[ Suspenseful music plays ]

387
00:17:35,966 --> 00:17:38,166
We're dealing here 
with a very heavy animal.

388
00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:40,600
1,000 pounds, 
1,100, 1,200 pounds.

389
00:17:40,633 --> 00:17:43,066
[ Snorts ] 
As that weight descends,

390
00:17:43,100 --> 00:17:46,600
it loads up all the soft 
tissues in that limb.

391
00:17:46,633 --> 00:17:48,366
The load is suddenly released

392
00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:52,033
and, then, the leg is simply 
propelled out into space,

393
00:17:52,066 --> 00:17:56,633
driven by stored, 
elastic energy.

394
00:17:56,666 --> 00:17:58,300
It's happening all 
over the horse's body:

395
00:17:58,333 --> 00:18:02,033
along his back, 
on his hind legs.

396
00:18:02,066 --> 00:18:04,633
When he gets going, 
he's going so fast

397
00:18:04,666 --> 00:18:06,633
and there is 
so much stored energy,

398
00:18:06,666 --> 00:18:09,266
it reaches a point 
where it's beyond control.

399
00:18:09,300 --> 00:18:17,200
♪♪

400
00:18:17,233 --> 00:18:20,433
♪♪

401
00:18:20,466 --> 00:18:23,533
When you compare him to all 
the other mammalian species,

402
00:18:23,566 --> 00:18:26,033
he kind of stands alone,

403
00:18:26,066 --> 00:18:29,266
in terms of his size 
and his speed.

404
00:18:29,300 --> 00:18:32,200
He's out there on a little 
pinnacle all on his own.

405
00:18:32,233 --> 00:18:41,666
♪♪

406
00:18:41,700 --> 00:18:43,066
THOMPSON: You know, 
I've noticed one thing:

407
00:18:43,100 --> 00:18:45,766
When we're listening to the 
training horses as they go past,

408
00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:48,733
you hear this enormous 
breath, every stride.

409
00:18:48,766 --> 00:18:50,933
It sounds like they're 
struggling for breath.

410
00:18:50,966 --> 00:18:54,400
LAMBERT: Their stride is linked, 
one-to-one, to their breathing.

411
00:18:54,433 --> 00:18:57,000
When the horse runs, 
he must breathe out

412
00:18:57,033 --> 00:18:58,833
when his front legs 
hit the ground

413
00:18:58,866 --> 00:19:01,533
and he can only breathe in 
when he's up in the air.

414
00:19:01,566 --> 00:19:02,700
[ Suspenseful chord strikes ]

415
00:19:02,733 --> 00:19:06,733
♪♪

416
00:19:06,766 --> 00:19:08,766
When

417
00:19:06,766 --> 00:19:08,766
we

418
00:19:06,766 --> 00:19:08,766
run and breathe, 
we're using our ribs.

419
00:19:08,800 --> 00:19:09,866
He's not doing that.

420
00:19:09,900 --> 00:19:11,800
His ribs are locked closed

421
00:19:11,833 --> 00:19:14,666
and when he puts his weight 
on his front legs like that,

422
00:19:14,700 --> 00:19:17,400
the weight and the momentum 
of his viscera

423
00:19:17,433 --> 00:19:19,400
is pushing against the diaphragm

424
00:19:19,433 --> 00:19:22,100
and creating like a big 
piston inside his body,

425
00:19:22,133 --> 00:19:24,000
so it pushes the air out 
-THOMPSON: I see.

426
00:19:24,033 --> 00:19:25,333
LAMBERT: and then, 
when he comes up in the air,

427
00:19:25,366 --> 00:19:28,200
the viscera drop back 
and it sucks the air in.

428
00:19:28,233 --> 00:19:31,600
So he's a big piston, 
doing this.

429
00:19:31,633 --> 00:19:34,566
THOMPSON: Front legs down, 
breathe out.

430
00:19:34,600 --> 00:19:36,566
Up in the air, breathe in.

431
00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:40,200
♪♪

432
00:19:40,233 --> 00:19:42,833
LAMBERT: And that creates 
certain limitations.

433
00:19:42,866 --> 00:19:44,700
The faster he goes,

434
00:19:44,733 --> 00:19:46,566
the less time he's got 
to breathe.

435
00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:48,133
THOMPSON: 
It sounds to me like it's not --

436
00:19:48,166 --> 00:19:50,700
It's not like breath holding, 
but it is like suffocation.

437
00:19:50,733 --> 00:19:52,633
LAMBERT: It would be 
suffocation for you and I,

438
00:19:52,666 --> 00:19:54,366
but, again, 
the horse is different.

439
00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:58,233
His body has adapted to tolerate 
this unique situation

440
00:19:58,266 --> 00:19:59,900
that allows him to keep going

441
00:19:59,933 --> 00:20:03,300
far

442
00:19:59,933 --> 00:20:03,300
longer than you or I 
could keep going.

443
00:20:03,333 --> 00:20:05,600
♪♪

444
00:20:05,633 --> 00:20:08,900
We don't think of racing, 
the first step of a race,

445
00:20:08,933 --> 00:20:13,100
as being the first event 
in asphyxiation.

446
00:20:13,133 --> 00:20:17,700
If you or I were to run, 
we can't drop our oxygen level.

447
00:20:17,733 --> 00:20:19,966
It's too painful.

448
00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:23,533
A horse, however, doesn't seem 
to have those same restraints.

449
00:20:23,566 --> 00:20:26,833
He'll take all the last, 
little drop of oxygen

450
00:20:26,866 --> 00:20:31,200
and drain it all out, right 
to the very, very last drop.

451
00:20:31,233 --> 00:20:34,466
♪♪

452
00:20:34,500 --> 00:20:36,533
He's at a point, 
at the end of a race,

453
00:20:36,566 --> 00:20:40,633
which would render you 
or I unconscious.

454
00:20:40,666 --> 00:20:42,966
For some people, 
it would almost kill them.

455
00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:45,033
It's extraordinarily severe.

456
00:20:45,066 --> 00:20:47,533
♪♪

457
00:20:47,566 --> 00:20:51,566
THOMPSON: Severe for us, 
but not for a horse.

458
00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:53,600
♪♪

459
00:20:53,633 --> 00:20:56,433
That ability, 
to run on very little oxygen,

460
00:20:56,466 --> 00:21:00,966
is a gift of evolution 
and in the past,

461
00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:04,700
it kept wild horses alive 
as they outran their predators.

462
00:21:04,733 --> 00:21:06,566
[ Whinnying ]

463
00:21:06,600 --> 00:21:09,333
All horses can do it.

464
00:21:09,366 --> 00:21:11,866
But some can do it better.

465
00:21:11,900 --> 00:21:14,200
♪♪

466
00:21:14,233 --> 00:21:17,300
Tapeta Farm, in Maryland.

467
00:21:17,333 --> 00:21:22,333
A kind of exclusive, private 
school for thoroughbreds

468
00:21:22,366 --> 00:21:27,133
and the home of legendary 
trainer Michael Dickinson.

469
00:21:27,166 --> 00:21:30,966
Owners send Michael 
their most promising horses

470
00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:34,533
and he tells

471
00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:34,533
them

472
00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:34,533
how 
promising they

473
00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:34,533
really

474
00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:34,533
are.

475
00:21:34,566 --> 00:21:37,533
[

476
00:21:34,566 --> 00:21:37,533
Static crackles

477
00:21:34,566 --> 00:21:37,533
] 
DICKINSON: 
That's nearly perfect.

478
00:21:37,566 --> 00:21:39,600
THOMPSON: 
He works closely with David,

479
00:21:39,633 --> 00:21:41,733
who's spent a lifetime 
building a system

480
00:21:41,766 --> 00:21:45,000
to predict how fast 
a horse will run.

481
00:21:45,033 --> 00:21:46,500
[ Neighing in distance ]

482
00:21:46,533 --> 00:21:47,866
[ Whinnying ]

483
00:21:47,900 --> 00:21:49,966
SPEAKER: Easy, girl.

484
00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:51,900
THOMPSON: 
Today, David and Michael

485
00:21:51,933 --> 00:21:56,033
are taking three horses 
out for testing.

486
00:21:56,066 --> 00:21:57,533
He needs these horses

487
00:21:57,566 --> 00:22:01,633
to sustain 45 miles an hour

488
00:22:01,666 --> 00:22:03,633
for a

489
00:22:01,666 --> 00:22:03,633
full

490
00:22:01,666 --> 00:22:03,633
mile.

491
00:22:03,666 --> 00:22:07,466
That's twice as fast 
as humans have

492
00:22:03,666 --> 00:22:07,466
ever

493
00:22:03,666 --> 00:22:07,466
gone.

494
00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:14,500
DICKINSON: Perfect.

495
00:22:24,500 --> 00:22:26,500
[

496
00:22:24,500 --> 00:22:26,500
Crackle

497
00:22:24,500 --> 00:22:26,500
] 
Well done, Alex. Thank you.

498
00:22:26,533 --> 00:22:29,400
My one-acre road.

499
00:22:29,433 --> 00:22:31,033
So they all went all right, 
didn't they?

500
00:22:31,066 --> 00:22:32,800
[ Grumbling ]

501
00:22:32,833 --> 00:22:34,633
Did nothing wrong, did he?

502
00:22:34,666 --> 00:22:38,200
THOMPSON: 
A hard gallop is punishing.

503
00:22:38,233 --> 00:22:42,833
But it turns out, the cost is 
even higher than I thought.

504
00:22:42,866 --> 00:22:44,000
[ Neighing ]

505
00:22:44,033 --> 00:22:47,433
LAMBERT: When a horse tries 
to run flat out,

506
00:22:47,466 --> 00:22:49,833
he's so big 
and he's going so fast,

507
00:22:49,866 --> 00:22:51,533
so there's a price 
to pay for that.

508
00:22:51,566 --> 00:22:54,300
The blood gets more and more 
acidic all the time.

509
00:22:54,333 --> 00:22:57,100
The carbon dioxide in his blood 
builds up and up

510
00:22:57,133 --> 00:22:59,233
and up and up 
and gets really high.

511
00:22:59,266 --> 00:23:01,266
THOMPSON: These are all things 
that, when we're running

512
00:23:01,300 --> 00:23:03,266
or we're swimming, 
feel really painful,

513
00:23:03,300 --> 00:23:04,366
and tell us to stop, 
-LAMBERT: Yes,

514
00:23:04,400 --> 00:23:05,533
yes, exactly. 
-THOMPSON: like a brake

515
00:23:05,566 --> 00:23:07,033
on our effort. 
-LAMBERT: Yes, yes, exactly.

516
00:23:07,066 --> 00:23:09,966
And horses switch 
those brakes off.

517
00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:11,233
[ Neighs, snorts ]

518
00:23:11,266 --> 00:23:12,833
It's not altogether surprising

519
00:23:12,866 --> 00:23:14,733
that horses 
should be able to do this

520
00:23:14,766 --> 00:23:16,333
because there are other animals.

521
00:23:16,366 --> 00:23:17,466
Seals, when they dive.

522
00:23:17,500 --> 00:23:18,933
He can go down into the water

523
00:23:18,966 --> 00:23:22,866
and swim around for a long time 
without having to breathe.

524
00:23:22,900 --> 00:23:24,833
Essentially, 
it's the same process.

525
00:23:24,866 --> 00:23:26,800
[ Huffing ]

526
00:23:26,833 --> 00:23:30,866
THOMPSON: 
So when

527
00:23:26,833 --> 00:23:30,866
we

528
00:23:26,833 --> 00:23:30,866
get a pain signal 
that tells us to stop running,

529
00:23:30,900 --> 00:23:34,133
something different 
happens in a horse.

530
00:23:34,166 --> 00:23:39,133
It begins to metabolize 
energy without oxygen.

531
00:23:39,166 --> 00:23:44,833
Human

532
00:23:39,166 --> 00:23:44,833
can

533
00:23:39,166 --> 00:23:44,833
do this, 
but not as well as horses.

534
00:23:44,866 --> 00:23:50,033
LAMBERT: Some of the byproducts 
of this process are euphoric.

535
00:23:50,066 --> 00:23:53,600
He's feeling positive; 
he's feeling energized.

536
00:23:53,633 --> 00:23:55,200
Basically, he's high.

537
00:23:55,233 --> 00:23:57,700
So the typical picture 
that a person would have

538
00:23:57,733 --> 00:23:59,266
of a thoroughbred racehorse

539
00:23:59,300 --> 00:24:03,433
is that bouncing, lively, 
snorting animal.

540
00:24:03,466 --> 00:24:07,066
All of that is coming from this 
euphoria they're feeling,

541
00:24:07,100 --> 00:24:09,533
having gone 
to a level of fatigue

542
00:24:09,566 --> 00:24:11,533
that we couldn't even tolerate.

543
00:24:11,566 --> 00:24:12,800
THOMPSON: 
The physiology of the horse

544
00:24:12,833 --> 00:24:15,166
is set up 
to sacrifice everything

545
00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:16,366
for a run. 
-LAMBERT: Mm-hmm, absolutely.

546
00:24:16,400 --> 00:24:18,066
THOMPSON: 
Can you think of another animal

547
00:24:18,100 --> 00:24:20,200
that would do that for us? 
-LAMBERT: No, no, it's amazing.

548
00:24:20,233 --> 00:24:22,400
[ Suspenseful music plays ]

549
00:24:22,433 --> 00:24:25,200
[ Ethereal vocals join ]

550
00:24:25,233 --> 00:24:27,666
♪♪

551
00:24:27,700 --> 00:24:32,566
All those things that we feel 
when we're around a racehorse:

552
00:24:32,600 --> 00:24:35,066
courage, admiration.

553
00:24:35,100 --> 00:24:36,866
♪♪

554
00:24:36,900 --> 00:24:40,200
There's something special 
about these animals

555
00:24:40,233 --> 00:24:41,666
because they've endured.

556
00:24:41,700 --> 00:24:43,466
♪♪

557
00:24:43,500 --> 00:24:46,200
[ Snuffling ]

558
00:24:46,233 --> 00:24:49,533
♪♪

559
00:24:49,566 --> 00:24:52,966
And there's something 
unbelievably trusting

560
00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:57,533
about the way they will respond 
to the care of the humans

561
00:24:57,566 --> 00:24:59,533
and come around and do it again.

562
00:24:59,566 --> 00:25:04,833
♪♪

563
00:25:04,866 --> 00:25:06,433
THOMPSON: 
Horses take us to speeds

564
00:25:06,466 --> 00:25:09,700
we could

565
00:25:06,466 --> 00:25:09,700
never

566
00:25:06,466 --> 00:25:09,700
reach 
on our own two feet.

567
00:25:09,733 --> 00:25:11,900
[ Triumphant chorale plays ]

568
00:25:11,933 --> 00:25:19,633
Yet, without a human in sight, 
horses still love to run.

569
00:25:19,666 --> 00:25:21,200
It's just their nature.

570
00:25:21,233 --> 00:25:22,833
♪♪

571
00:25:22,866 --> 00:25:24,500
[ Neighs ]

572
00:25:24,533 --> 00:25:27,366
So I wonder, 
in the horse's past,

573
00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:31,500
was their amazing speed 
how they survived?

574
00:25:31,533 --> 00:25:33,033
♪♪

575
00:25:33,066 --> 00:25:37,133
Only one animal can answer 
th

576
00:25:33,066 --> 00:25:37,133
at

577
00:25:33,066 --> 00:25:37,133
question.

578
00:25:37,166 --> 00:25:38,400
[ Neighs ]

579
00:25:38,433 --> 00:25:41,333
♪♪

580
00:25:41,366 --> 00:25:44,166
Deep in Mongolia's Gobi Desert,

581
00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:47,133
there's a cousin 
of the modern horse,

582
00:25:47,166 --> 00:25:50,366
very different 
than the animal

583
00:25:47,166 --> 00:25:50,366
we

584
00:25:47,166 --> 00:25:50,366
know.

585
00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:51,566
We call them

586
00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:53,633
Przewalski horses.

587
00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:57,000
Incredible.

588
00:25:57,033 --> 00:25:58,566
It's gorgeous!

589
00:25:58,600 --> 00:26:01,033
Right down there 
is a green valley

590
00:26:01,066 --> 00:26:03,800
running right along the sands 
of the Gobi Desert

591
00:26:03,833 --> 00:26:05,766
and, somewhere in that valley

592
00:26:05,800 --> 00:26:09,733
is the closest living 
relative of the horse.

593
00:26:09,766 --> 00:26:13,100
This species went extinct 
in the wild,

594
00:26:13,133 --> 00:26:14,800
but, now, it's back.

595
00:26:14,833 --> 00:26:17,666
[ Suspenseful music plays ]

596
00:26:17,700 --> 00:26:19,400
♪♪

597
00:26:19,433 --> 00:26:20,533
[ Birds tweeting ]

598
00:26:20,566 --> 00:26:23,200
[ Tender tune plays ]

599
00:26:23,233 --> 00:26:27,666
♪♪

600
00:26:27,700 --> 00:26:30,200
[ Snorts, grumbles ]

601
00:26:30,233 --> 00:26:33,333
♪♪

602
00:26:33,366 --> 00:26:34,466
[ Snorts ]

603
00:26:34,500 --> 00:26:36,966
A stallion group.

604
00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:38,966
[ Whinnying ]

605
00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:41,366
No mares in sight.

606
00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:45,566
For now, this is play-fighting.

607
00:26:45,600 --> 00:26:47,100
Rehearsal.

608
00:26:47,133 --> 00:26:48,200
[ Snorts ]

609
00:26:48,233 --> 00:26:52,333
♪♪

610
00:26:52,366 --> 00:26:55,000
The Przewalski horse is so rare,

611
00:26:55,033 --> 00:26:57,900
I've only ever seen them 
in pictures.

612
00:26:57,933 --> 00:27:02,433
At one point, there were 
only 12 animals left,

613
00:27:02,466 --> 00:27:04,766
all of

614
00:27:02,466 --> 00:27:04,766
them

615
00:27:02,466 --> 00:27:04,766
in captivity.

616
00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:06,833
[ Whinnies ]

617
00:27:06,866 --> 00:27:11,100
Few people believed these horses 
would ever return to the wild.

618
00:27:11,133 --> 00:27:13,666
[ Whinnying ]

619
00:27:13,700 --> 00:27:16,800
They're here today 
because of

620
00:27:13,700 --> 00:27:16,800
this

621
00:27:13,700 --> 00:27:16,800
woman:

622
00:27:16,833 --> 00:27:20,400
conservation biologist 
Claudia Feh.

623
00:27:20,433 --> 00:27:22,600
For decades, Claudia fought

624
00:27:22,633 --> 00:27:26,033
to bring a handful 
out of captivity

625
00:27:26,066 --> 00:27:29,933
and, eventually, back 
to their native habitat.

626
00:27:29,966 --> 00:27:33,933
Now, there are 67 
in her reserve.

627
00:27:33,966 --> 00:27:37,966
Most of

628
00:27:33,966 --> 00:27:37,966
them

629
00:27:33,966 --> 00:27:37,966
were born here, 
in the wild.

630
00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:39,700
[ Whinnying, snorting ]

631
00:27:39,733 --> 00:27:43,366
Claudia's project 
is a fragile success.

632
00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:45,766
♪♪

633
00:27:45,800 --> 00:27:49,266
Because the Przewalski lives 
in the closest thing there is

634
00:27:49,300 --> 00:27:53,700
to the original home of horses, 
I think they can tell me

635
00:27:53,733 --> 00:27:57,000
how horses survived 
be

636
00:27:53,733 --> 00:27:57,000
fore

637
00:27:53,733 --> 00:27:57,000
we tamed them.

638
00:27:57,033 --> 00:28:01,800
♪♪

639
00:28:01,833 --> 00:28:06,633
At dawn, Claudia takes me out 
to find the biggest herd.

640
00:28:06,666 --> 00:28:10,666
To survive, wild horses 
need a big territory,

641
00:28:10,700 --> 00:28:16,533
but that means they can be very 
hard to find, even for Claudia.

642
00:28:16,566 --> 00:28:20,133
Yep. I don't see a thing.

643
00:28:20,166 --> 00:28:21,866
FEH: I see many things, 
but no horse.

644
00:28:21,900 --> 00:28:22,866
[ Laughter ]

645
00:28:22,900 --> 00:28:26,566
-[Speaking local language]

646
00:28:26,600 --> 00:28:27,800
[ Clicking ]

647
00:28:27,833 --> 00:28:32,633
-They're in the sandy part. 
Very strange.

648
00:28:32,666 --> 00:28:35,300
Usually, when they are 
in unusual places,

649
00:28:35,333 --> 00:28:37,433
something happened in the night.

650
00:28:37,466 --> 00:28:40,766
Either there were stallion 
problems, stallion fights,

651
00:28:40,800 --> 00:28:42,300
or wolf attacks.

652
00:28:44,566 --> 00:28:47,000
[ Birds chirping ]

653
00:28:47,033 --> 00:28:52,333
THOMPSON: Just a generation ago, 
all Przewalskis lived in zoos.

654
00:28:52,366 --> 00:28:57,500
But out here, nothing is 
protecting them from predators.

655
00:28:57,533 --> 00:29:00,333
The Mongolian wolf 
is a constant threat.

656
00:29:00,366 --> 00:29:02,600
[ Snorting ]

657
00:29:02,633 --> 00:29:06,600
So is it speed that keeps 
these horses alive?

658
00:29:06,633 --> 00:29:09,666
Or is it something else?

659
00:29:09,700 --> 00:29:12,166
FEH: I choose the animals 
in such a way

660
00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:13,966
that they would be compatible

661
00:29:14,000 --> 00:29:17,466
because I really hoped that 
they would form a herd again.

662
00:29:17,500 --> 00:29:21,533
The big herds are much more 
efficient against predators.

663
00:29:21,566 --> 00:29:22,600
[ Whinnying ]

664
00:29:22,633 --> 00:29:24,566
Horses' typical predators 
are wolves.

665
00:29:24,600 --> 00:29:26,166
They hunt in packs.

666
00:29:26,200 --> 00:29:27,666
I've seen wolf attacks.

667
00:29:27,700 --> 00:29:32,266
The whole herd gathered together 
and the stallions attacked.

668
00:29:32,300 --> 00:29:33,433
THOMPSON: 
The stallions

669
00:29:32,300 --> 00:29:33,433
attacked?

670
00:29:33,466 --> 00:29:35,066
FEH: Attacked. 
They attacked; tried to bite

671
00:29:35,100 --> 00:29:37,033
and tried to kick them 
with their forelegs.

672
00:29:37,066 --> 00:29:40,100
So you have cooperative 
predators and cooperative prey.

673
00:29:40,133 --> 00:29:41,833
THOMPSON: So the fact 
that they're being predated

674
00:29:41,866 --> 00:29:46,900
by groups of wolves has forced 
ho

675
00:29:41,866 --> 00:29:46,900
rses

676
00:29:41,866 --> 00:29:46,900
to be cooperative.

677
00:29:46,933 --> 00:29:49,933
FEH: They do have a sort of 
real cooperation.

678
00:29:49,966 --> 00:29:52,333
They know what task sharing is

679
00:29:52,366 --> 00:29:54,866
in the highly complex 
social herds.

680
00:29:54,900 --> 00:29:56,433
[ Snorting ]

681
00:29:56,466 --> 00:29:58,566
[ Poignant tune plays ]

682
00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:02,000
THOMPSON: 
But not all herds are the same.

683
00:30:02,033 --> 00:30:03,866
There are bachelor groups,

684
00:30:03,900 --> 00:30:08,000
a collection of stallions 
without mates;

685
00:30:08,033 --> 00:30:09,966
and there are family groups,

686
00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:13,266
mares and foals, 
with a single stallion.

687
00:30:13,300 --> 00:30:16,266
♪♪

688
00:30:16,300 --> 00:30:19,633
The bonding behavior 
is constant.

689
00:30:19,666 --> 00:30:21,766
Mutual grooming.

690
00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:24,666
Subtle hierarchy displays.

691
00:30:24,700 --> 00:30:26,800
And, sometimes, not so subtle.

692
00:30:26,833 --> 00:30:28,266
[ Whinnying ]

693
00:30:28,300 --> 00:30:30,666
♪♪

694
00:30:30,700 --> 00:30:33,566
The horses are 
constantly negotiating

695
00:30:33,600 --> 00:30:35,866
for a rung on the ladder.

696
00:30:35,900 --> 00:30:38,733
Each horse has its place.

697
00:30:38,766 --> 00:30:41,633
Hierarchy gives 
the herd strength

698
00:30:41,666 --> 00:30:45,733
and ensures only the fittest 
stallions get to mate.

699
00:30:45,766 --> 00:30:47,500
♪♪

700
00:30:47,533 --> 00:30:49,533
But I'm surprised to learn

701
00:30:49,566 --> 00:30:54,400
it isn't just the toughest 
stallions who rise to the top.

702
00:30:54,433 --> 00:30:57,666
FEH: The dominance hierarchy 
in horses is not based on size.

703
00:30:57,700 --> 00:30:59,500
It's not based 
on physical strength.

704
00:30:59,533 --> 00:31:00,966
It's mental strength.

705
00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:02,733
It's personality.

706
00:31:02,766 --> 00:31:04,000
THOMPSON: 
It's recognizing character.

707
00:31:04,033 --> 00:31:05,666
You recognize the character 
of the leader.

708
00:31:05,700 --> 00:31:07,800
FEH: Yeah. 
And I think that translates

709
00:31:07,833 --> 00:31:10,733
to the horse-human relationship 
because, obviously,

710
00:31:10,766 --> 00:31:13,866
if you ride a horse, I mean, 
the horses are, what,

711
00:31:13,900 --> 00:31:16,700
about ten times heavier 
or five times heavier?

712
00:31:16,733 --> 00:31:18,566
So how can we ride a horse,

713
00:31:18,600 --> 00:31:21,033
being so much smaller, 
and dominate the horse?

714
00:31:21,066 --> 00:31:23,066
It's mental.

715
00:31:23,100 --> 00:31:24,133
[ Snorts ]

716
00:31:24,166 --> 00:31:31,200
♪♪

717
00:31:31,233 --> 00:31:34,733
THOMPSON: 
These wild horses 
can fight and run.

718
00:31:34,766 --> 00:31:36,400
But, according to Claudia,

719
00:31:36,433 --> 00:31:38,833
that isn't

720
00:31:36,433 --> 00:31:38,833
really 
why they're still here.

721
00:31:38,866 --> 00:31:40,866
♪♪

722
00:31:40,900 --> 00:31:44,433
For them, survival is 
about working together,

723
00:31:44,466 --> 00:31:48,066
about social life.

724
00:31:48,100 --> 00:31:51,033
Perhaps that's why they 
accept Claudia

725
00:31:51,066 --> 00:31:52,966
almost like one of the herd.

726
00:31:53,000 --> 00:31:55,933
♪♪

727
00:31:55,966 --> 00:32:00,366
Left to themselves, 
horses build a community.

728
00:32:00,400 --> 00:32:06,166
And, just like for us, it's the 
community that protects them.

729
00:32:06,200 --> 00:32:10,066
FEH: I try to help them 
have a more natural life.

730
00:32:10,100 --> 00:32:13,166
Horses do not need to be 
ridden, you know? [laughs]

731
00:32:13,200 --> 00:32:15,033
They don't need us.

732
00:32:15,066 --> 00:32:18,300
They are independent, 
happy to be independent.

733
00:32:18,333 --> 00:32:20,233
♪♪

734
00:32:20,266 --> 00:32:22,133
THOMPSON: 
This amazing spectacle,

735
00:32:22,166 --> 00:32:26,133
truly wild horses living 
without humans,

736
00:32:26,166 --> 00:32:28,866
it's like a vision 
from the past

737
00:32:28,900 --> 00:32:32,400
with a message 
about horses today.

738
00:32:32,433 --> 00:32:35,766
It turns out, speed and power 
aren't so important

739
00:32:35,800 --> 00:32:39,600
as the quality 
they share with

740
00:32:35,800 --> 00:32:39,600
us:

741
00:32:39,633 --> 00:32:41,333
a social mind.

742
00:32:41,366 --> 00:32:44,933
[ Grumbling ]

743
00:32:44,966 --> 00:32:47,966
And, everywhere 
we see horses today,

744
00:32:48,000 --> 00:32:51,566
we see that social mind at work.

745
00:32:51,600 --> 00:32:54,333
What the Przewalski horses 
do in the wild,

746
00:32:54,366 --> 00:32:57,666
our own horses do in our fields,

747
00:32:57,700 --> 00:33:00,700
if we only let them be 
themselves.

748
00:33:06,266 --> 00:33:10,733
It's amazing how eager 
horses are to please.

749
00:33:10,766 --> 00:33:15,366
Without a language in common, 
that's like mind-reading,

750
00:33:15,400 --> 00:33:17,066
an incredible ability

751
00:33:17,100 --> 00:33:20,233
that English animal 
psychologist Karen McComb

752
00:33:20,266 --> 00:33:23,633
is trying to understand.

753
00:33:23,666 --> 00:33:26,466
At a riding stable, 
Karen's researchers

754
00:33:26,500 --> 00:33:29,133
are preparing for a day 
of horse testing.

755
00:33:29,166 --> 00:33:31,433
For Karen, this is science.

756
00:33:31,466 --> 00:33:34,700
But, for the horses, 
[chuckling] it's play.

757
00:33:34,733 --> 00:33:36,366
McCOMB: I mean, anyone 
who's worked with horses,

758
00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:38,666
they sense this 
enormous personality

759
00:33:38,700 --> 00:33:41,000
that differs from individual 
to individual.

760
00:33:41,033 --> 00:33:42,966
No one has looked 
at that it an animal.

761
00:33:43,000 --> 00:33:45,733
We're used to the way 
humans express emotion,

762
00:33:45,766 --> 00:33:47,233
but, actually, horses

763
00:33:47,266 --> 00:33:51,866
are making these 
very subtle facial movements

764
00:33:51,900 --> 00:33:54,666
and have an incredibly 
mobile face

765
00:33:54,700 --> 00:33:59,800
and they are expressing 
emotions as well.

766
00:33:59,833 --> 00:34:02,466
What we really want to do

767
00:34:02,500 --> 00:34:06,966
is work out what the emotional 
life of horses really is,

768
00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:11,400
what their emotional world 
is really like.

769
00:34:11,433 --> 00:34:14,100
THOMPSON: To build her library 
of horse emotions,

770
00:34:14,133 --> 00:34:17,400
Karen has designed a set 
of experiments to trigger them.

771
00:34:17,433 --> 00:34:19,466
[ Whimsical tune plays ]

772
00:34:19,500 --> 00:34:24,933
She plays recorded horse talk 
and observes the response.

773
00:34:24,966 --> 00:34:26,133
[ Rumbling nearby ]

774
00:34:26,166 --> 00:34:29,233
Startled and afraid. 
[ Cheeping ]

775
00:34:29,266 --> 00:34:31,033
Or curious.

776
00:34:31,066 --> 00:34:33,300
♪♪

777
00:34:33,333 --> 00:34:36,933
She shows them 
photographs of horses

778
00:34:36,966 --> 00:34:38,199
and of humans.

779
00:34:38,233 --> 00:34:39,333
[ Neighing nearby ]

780
00:34:39,366 --> 00:34:42,000
♪♪

781
00:34:42,033 --> 00:34:43,600
Toffee likes this one.

782
00:34:43,633 --> 00:34:44,699
[ Neighing nearby ]

783
00:34:44,733 --> 00:34:47,100
[ Snorting ]

784
00:34:47,133 --> 00:34:49,100
This one isn't so popular.

785
00:34:49,133 --> 00:34:53,699
♪♪

786
00:34:53,733 --> 00:34:56,366
Karen's team has made 
the surprising discovery

787
00:34:56,400 --> 00:35:02,400
that horses have 17 different 
facial expressions.

788
00:35:02,433 --> 00:35:05,500
That's three more 
than chimpanzees

789
00:35:05,533 --> 00:35:07,933
and

790
00:35:05,533 --> 00:35:07,933
one

791
00:35:05,533 --> 00:35:07,933
more than dogs.

792
00:35:07,966 --> 00:35:09,933
[ Neighing nearby ]

793
00:35:09,966 --> 00:35:12,366
They're subtle.

794
00:35:12,400 --> 00:35:15,366
But, by playing the images back, 
Karen can show me

795
00:35:15,400 --> 00:35:19,033
what the untrained eye 
might miss.

796
00:35:19,066 --> 00:35:21,100
McCOMB: He's sniffing 
the ground, ostensibly,

797
00:35:21,133 --> 00:35:22,566
and you'd think, "Ooh, 
he's just sniffing the ground.

798
00:35:22,600 --> 00:35:23,700
Another horse was in here."

799
00:35:23,733 --> 00:35:26,933
But stop. Actually, 
that sniffing the ground

800
00:35:26,966 --> 00:35:29,733
again occurs consistently 
in response

801
00:35:29,766 --> 00:35:31,933
to something that's a

802
00:35:29,766 --> 00:35:31,933
bit 
more negative,

803
00:35:31,966 --> 00:35:34,666
so that he's unsure about this.

804
00:35:34,700 --> 00:35:36,500
Humans do that as well, 
you know.

805
00:35:36,533 --> 00:35:38,700
When we're a bit uncomfortable, 
we might scratch ourselves

806
00:35:38,733 --> 00:35:40,300
or we glance 
away from something.

807
00:35:40,333 --> 00:35:44,500
Just gives us a little bit 
of time to adjust.

808
00:35:44,533 --> 00:35:46,266
[ Birds chirping ] 
[ Hooves thudding ]

809
00:35:46,300 --> 00:35:47,733
[ Snorting ] 
So, now, this'll be interesting.

810
00:35:47,766 --> 00:35:50,733
Look at what part of the face 
he's gonna go to.

811
00:35:50,766 --> 00:35:52,666
Look, he's going towards the -- 
-THOMPSON: Right to the mouth.

812
00:35:52,700 --> 00:35:54,233
McCOMB: The mouth, yeah.

813
00:35:54,266 --> 00:35:56,500
And sometimes they go 
right up to the eyes. Yeah.

814
00:35:56,533 --> 00:35:59,766
It's interesting, that sweep 
between the mouth and the eyes.

815
00:35:59,800 --> 00:36:01,866
It's almost 
as if they understand

816
00:36:01,900 --> 00:36:03,100
that the mouth and the eyes

817
00:36:03,133 --> 00:36:05,566
are the most significant 
bit of the human face.

818
00:36:05,600 --> 00:36:10,166
They have enough 
understanding to interpret,

819
00:36:10,200 --> 00:36:13,166
not only emotion in the faces 
of their own species,

820
00:36:13,200 --> 00:36:15,666
but emotion in

821
00:36:13,200 --> 00:36:15,666
our

822
00:36:13,200 --> 00:36:15,666
faces.

823
00:36:15,700 --> 00:36:17,400
[ Birds chirping ] 
[ Hooves thudding ]

824
00:36:17,433 --> 00:36:19,500
THOMPSON: It makes sense 
that horses use emotions

825
00:36:19,533 --> 00:36:21,666
[ Neighing nearby ] 
to communicate with each other.

826
00:36:21,700 --> 00:36:26,933
But what fascinates me is they 
can read

827
00:36:21,700 --> 00:36:26,933
our

828
00:36:21,700 --> 00:36:26,933
emotions as well.

829
00:36:26,966 --> 00:36:28,200
[ Huffing ]

830
00:36:28,233 --> 00:36:32,000
McCOMB: They're capable 
of putting together

831
00:36:32,033 --> 00:36:36,566
the sort of representation 
of the person with the emotion.

832
00:36:36,600 --> 00:36:41,833
To me, that shows a very acute 
emotional awareness.

833
00:36:41,866 --> 00:36:44,833
I mean, that means, really, 
horses are eavesdropping

834
00:36:44,866 --> 00:36:46,900
on the human world 
all the time.

835
00:36:46,933 --> 00:36:49,166
[ Neighing nearby ] 
[ Snorts ]

836
00:36:49,200 --> 00:36:52,133
THOMPSON: 
Horses are mind-readers.

837
00:36:52,166 --> 00:36:54,000
But that's not all.

838
00:36:54,033 --> 00:36:57,866
Karen is also interested 
in another quality:

839
00:36:57,900 --> 00:36:59,900
curiosity.

840
00:36:59,933 --> 00:37:01,566
[ Neighing ]

841
00:37:01,600 --> 00:37:02,700
So this is interesting.

842
00:37:02,733 --> 00:37:03,933
Leanne is going to do

843
00:37:03,966 --> 00:37:06,333
what she calls 
a novel-object test,

844
00:37:06,366 --> 00:37:08,966
which means walking 
into a paddock full of horses

845
00:37:09,000 --> 00:37:11,033
with a great, big beach ball

846
00:37:11,066 --> 00:37:14,300
and leaving it there and 
observing what the horses do.

847
00:37:14,333 --> 00:37:15,666
Will they run away from it

848
00:37:15,700 --> 00:37:17,600
or will they come 
and investigate it?

849
00:37:17,633 --> 00:37:19,333
-[Neighing] 
-[Snorts]

850
00:37:19,366 --> 00:37:22,166
McCOMB: Horses are naturally 
very inquisitive.

851
00:37:22,200 --> 00:37:23,600
[ Neighing nearby ]

852
00:37:23,633 --> 00:37:25,766
We're also trying to see where

853
00:37:25,800 --> 00:37:29,733
personality fits 
into the whole thing.

854
00:37:29,766 --> 00:37:33,966
For example, how bold 
an individual is, versus shy.

855
00:37:35,833 --> 00:37:39,466
It's these differences, 
which we also see in humans,

856
00:37:39,500 --> 00:37:45,866
that are going to be the stuff 
of their emotional lives, too.

857
00:37:45,900 --> 00:37:47,566
[ Grumbling ]

858
00:37:47,600 --> 00:37:48,966
THOMPSON: 
With these tests,

859
00:37:49,000 --> 00:37:55,533
Karen is able to identify 
outgoing horses and introverts,

860
00:37:55,566 --> 00:37:58,166
just like we see in humans.

861
00:37:58,200 --> 00:38:02,066
Popular horses like to spend 
time with other horses.

862
00:38:02,100 --> 00:38:04,866
But the horse standing 
at the edge of the field

863
00:38:04,900 --> 00:38:08,100
might prefer human company.

864
00:38:08,133 --> 00:38:09,533
-[Neighing] 
-[Snorts]

865
00:38:09,566 --> 00:38:12,333
McCOMB: Children who don't fit 
in will turn to their pets,

866
00:38:12,366 --> 00:38:14,266
but it's quite interesting 
[chuckling] that horses

867
00:38:14,300 --> 00:38:17,333
that don't quite fit in 
will also turn to humans.

868
00:38:17,366 --> 00:38:18,466
[ Neighing nearby ] 
[ Snorting ]

869
00:38:18,500 --> 00:38:20,433
And our tests 
are actually showing that.

870
00:38:20,466 --> 00:38:23,366
[ Tender tune plays ] 
[ Rumbling ]

871
00:38:23,400 --> 00:38:26,466
THOMPSON: These experiments 
paint a picture

872
00:38:26,500 --> 00:38:34,533
of an intensely social, curious, 
emotionally alive creature.

873
00:38:34,566 --> 00:38:38,933
If we pay attention, 
we can read a horse's mind

874
00:38:38,966 --> 00:38:41,300
and they can read ours.

875
00:38:41,333 --> 00:38:43,066
[ Neigh nearby ]

876
00:38:43,100 --> 00:38:44,466
♪♪

877
00:38:44,500 --> 00:38:46,966
And, wherever we bring 
horses to work,

878
00:38:47,000 --> 00:38:49,666
mind-reading is just part 
of the job.

879
00:38:49,700 --> 00:38:52,200
[ Lowing ]

880
00:38:52,233 --> 00:38:55,000
On the eastern slopes 
of the Rocky Mountains,

881
00:38:55,033 --> 00:39:00,133
horsepower still means 
just what it always has.

882
00:39:00,166 --> 00:39:03,700
Working cattle is one 
of the most demanding jobs

883
00:39:03,733 --> 00:39:10,433
a human can ask a horse to do, 
and that's why cowboys created

884
00:39:10,466 --> 00:39:11,766
the quarter horse...

885
00:39:11,800 --> 00:39:13,100
[ Snorts ]

886
00:39:13,133 --> 00:39:15,000
...a remarkable breed,

887
00:39:15,033 --> 00:39:19,766
combining endurance, 
agility,

888
00:39:19,800 --> 00:39:21,633
power...

889
00:39:21,666 --> 00:39:23,400
ANDERSON: Whoa. 
-THOMPSON: ...and smarts.

890
00:39:23,433 --> 00:39:24,500
ANDERSON: [Whistles]

891
00:39:27,100 --> 00:39:29,333
[ Birds chirping ]

892
00:39:29,366 --> 00:39:31,733
[ Smooching ]

893
00:39:31,766 --> 00:39:32,866
THOMPSON: 
In horse country,

894
00:39:32,900 --> 00:39:36,100
Jimmy Anderson 
is a bit of a legend.

895
00:39:36,133 --> 00:39:40,300
They say he can read 
a horse's mind.

896
00:39:40,333 --> 00:39:42,833
But maybe it's the 
other way around.

897
00:39:42,866 --> 00:39:44,133
[ Snorting ]

898
00:39:44,166 --> 00:39:46,100
Either way, he seems to have

899
00:39:46,133 --> 00:39:48,800
a secret language 
with his horse,

900
00:39:48,833 --> 00:39:52,066
a gelding called Maverick. 
-ANDERSON: Up. [cluck]

901
00:39:52,100 --> 00:39:54,900
Up. [cluck]

902
00:39:54,933 --> 00:39:56,133
He likes sittin'.

903
00:39:56,166 --> 00:39:58,833
[ Laughing ]

904
00:39:58,866 --> 00:39:59,933
Whoa.

905
00:39:59,966 --> 00:40:02,066
[ Birds chirping ]

906
00:40:02,100 --> 00:40:04,133
THOMPSON: People who are 
not working with horses

907
00:40:04,166 --> 00:40:05,533
the way you work with horses,

908
00:40:05,566 --> 00:40:06,733
they're just seeing 
the tip of the iceberg.

909
00:40:06,766 --> 00:40:09,100
There's a whole animal 
they haven't discovered.

910
00:40:09,133 --> 00:40:10,700
ANDERSON: The person 
really doesn't see

911
00:40:10,733 --> 00:40:12,033
and look at that horse.

912
00:40:12,066 --> 00:40:14,400
They just kind a treat it 
like a motorbike.

913
00:40:14,433 --> 00:40:16,533
THOMPSON: And a motorbike 
is not a smart animal.

914
00:40:16,566 --> 00:40:18,000
[ Laughter ] 
Not compared to a horse.

915
00:40:18,033 --> 00:40:19,133
ANDERSON: 
Not compared to a horse.

916
00:40:19,166 --> 00:40:20,300
That is so true.

917
00:40:20,333 --> 00:40:21,733
[ Lowing ]

918
00:40:21,766 --> 00:40:25,233
THOMPSON: Cutting calves 
is standard ranch work.

919
00:40:25,266 --> 00:40:28,033
But, it

920
00:40:25,266 --> 00:40:28,033
fascinates

921
00:40:25,266 --> 00:40:28,033
me.

922
00:40:28,066 --> 00:40:32,233
In nature, wild horses 
were chased by predators.

923
00:40:32,266 --> 00:40:36,300
So how does Jimmy 
get Maverick to do

924
00:40:32,266 --> 00:40:36,300
this?

925
00:40:36,333 --> 00:40:40,933
It's the behavior 
of a sheepdog, not a horse.

926
00:40:40,966 --> 00:40:44,400
When you're cutting, are you 
giving Maverick directions

927
00:40:44,433 --> 00:40:45,666
to go right and left?

928
00:40:45,700 --> 00:40:47,066
ANDERSON: 
It's happenin' too fast.

929
00:40:47,100 --> 00:40:49,133
If you're trying 
to give them directions

930
00:40:49,166 --> 00:40:51,833
to go right and left, 
most times, you're late.

931
00:40:51,866 --> 00:40:55,266
When I drop my hand, 
that's signaling to him,

932
00:40:55,300 --> 00:40:58,066
"Okay, now it's your turn, 
your responsibility.

933
00:40:58,100 --> 00:40:59,966
Take over." 
-THOMPSON: Takes over.

934
00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:01,200
ANDERSON: Yeah. 
-THOMPSON: Knows what to do.

935
00:41:01,233 --> 00:41:02,400
ANDERSON: Knows what to do. 
They just look

936
00:41:02,433 --> 00:41:04,033
after that. Yeah. 
-THOMPSON: That's incredible.

937
00:41:04,066 --> 00:41:05,933
ANDERSON: That's kind of 
the exciting part,

938
00:41:05,966 --> 00:41:08,933
is how smart these horses are.

939
00:41:08,966 --> 00:41:11,333
You can really train 
a horse to do anything.

940
00:41:11,366 --> 00:41:13,300
We could train it to fetch, 
if we wanted.

941
00:41:13,333 --> 00:41:17,700
THOMPSON: Horses are so smart, 
they can learn to do things

942
00:41:17,733 --> 00:41:21,300
that go

943
00:41:17,733 --> 00:41:21,300
completely 
against their nature.

944
00:41:21,333 --> 00:41:23,533
But it takes training.

945
00:41:23,566 --> 00:41:26,933
We used to call it 
breaking a horse.

946
00:41:26,966 --> 00:41:28,866
But that isn't it at all.

947
00:41:28,900 --> 00:41:31,533
♪♪

948
00:41:31,566 --> 00:41:32,966
ANDERSON: In the past, 
when we've talked

949
00:41:33,000 --> 00:41:36,366
about colt starting and colt 
breaking, that's what it was.

950
00:41:36,400 --> 00:41:39,233
They wanted to get a job done,

951
00:41:39,266 --> 00:41:43,333
kinda just force everything 
onto this horse.

952
00:41:43,366 --> 00:41:46,466
They expected the horse to jump; 
they expected the horse to rear,

953
00:41:46,500 --> 00:41:48,433
they expected 'im to buck,

954
00:41:48,466 --> 00:41:51,233
because there was 
no relationship.

955
00:41:51,266 --> 00:41:53,066
Talk about breaking the spirit.

956
00:41:53,100 --> 00:41:55,233
And, now, 
it's almost the opposite

957
00:41:55,266 --> 00:41:56,633
of what we're wanting now.

958
00:41:56,666 --> 00:42:02,600
We want that spirit; we want 
that heart; we want that desire.

959
00:42:02,633 --> 00:42:04,566
THOMPSON: 
I'm here to see Jimmy start

960
00:42:04,600 --> 00:42:06,933
a two-year-old colt 
called Shiver.

961
00:42:06,966 --> 00:42:10,833
Until now, Shiver's only seen 
humans from a distance.

962
00:42:10,866 --> 00:42:12,266
He's never been ridden.

963
00:42:12,300 --> 00:42:13,733
[ Neighing ]

964
00:42:13,766 --> 00:42:15,100
[ Huffs ]

965
00:42:15,133 --> 00:42:16,333
[ Neighing ]

966
00:42:16,366 --> 00:42:18,133
ANDERSON: 
Now, what I'm gonna do is

967
00:42:18,166 --> 00:42:22,633
start workin' myself 
a

968
00:42:18,166 --> 00:42:22,633
little

969
00:42:18,166 --> 00:42:22,633
bit closer to 'im.

970
00:42:22,666 --> 00:42:24,200
THOMPSON: 
I've come for the week,

971
00:42:24,233 --> 00:42:27,966
but Jimmy figures he'll get 
a saddle on sooner than that.

972
00:42:28,000 --> 00:42:31,066
[ Neighing ]

973
00:42:31,100 --> 00:42:33,566
That seems a little 
optimistic to me.

974
00:42:33,600 --> 00:42:35,466
[ Neighing ]

975
00:42:35,500 --> 00:42:36,566
ANDERSON: And so...

976
00:42:39,233 --> 00:42:40,300
he's tryin'...

977
00:42:40,333 --> 00:42:44,200
[ Snorts, huffing ]

978
00:42:44,233 --> 00:42:46,700
There.

979
00:42:46,733 --> 00:42:49,566
The-e-re we go.

980
00:42:49,600 --> 00:42:51,700
You'll hear me talk 
about two eyes.

981
00:42:51,733 --> 00:42:53,500
THOMPSON: Mm-hmm. 
-ANDERSON: When that horse

982
00:42:53,533 --> 00:42:56,266
can start to give me 
them two eyes,

983
00:42:56,300 --> 00:42:59,200
he also gives me his focus.

984
00:42:59,233 --> 00:43:00,466
[ Huffs ]

985
00:43:07,033 --> 00:43:09,066
[ Snorts ] 
Ni-i-i-ce.

986
00:43:11,966 --> 00:43:14,733
He

987
00:43:11,966 --> 00:43:14,733
really

988
00:43:11,966 --> 00:43:14,733
needs 
to get used to this.

989
00:43:14,766 --> 00:43:16,733
THOMPSON: If he can't take that 
touch, he won't take a saddle.

990
00:43:16,766 --> 00:43:18,733
ANDERSON: [chuckling] No. 
We're getting him used

991
00:43:18,766 --> 00:43:20,433
to an external pressure.

992
00:43:20,466 --> 00:43:23,100
Tap this hind end

993
00:43:23,133 --> 00:43:27,833
and have him yield 
that hind end.

994
00:43:27,866 --> 00:43:29,933
Nice.

995
00:43:29,966 --> 00:43:32,100
Tap this hind end...

996
00:43:32,133 --> 00:43:35,866
[ Huffing ]

997
00:43:35,900 --> 00:43:37,233
The-e-re.

998
00:43:37,266 --> 00:43:38,366
Nice.

999
00:43:40,666 --> 00:43:42,666
I'm gonna come up here,

1000
00:43:42,700 --> 00:43:44,766
see if I can't get 
some pettin' in there.

1001
00:43:44,800 --> 00:43:46,533
[ Huffing ]

1002
00:43:46,566 --> 00:43:47,633
[ Grumbles ]

1003
00:43:49,666 --> 00:43:52,766
THOMPSON: Jimmy knows horses 
are prey animals.

1004
00:43:52,800 --> 00:43:54,866
Dogs are always looking 
for supper,

1005
00:43:54,900 --> 00:43:58,033
but horses are looking 
for

1006
00:43:54,900 --> 00:43:58,033
safety.

1007
00:43:58,066 --> 00:44:01,266
And that need 
is Jimmy's magic key.

1008
00:44:01,300 --> 00:44:02,533
[ Grumbling ]

1009
00:44:02,566 --> 00:44:05,133
ANDERSON: When I look 
at horses that are spooky,

1010
00:44:05,166 --> 00:44:08,633
if he's away from the herd, 
he doesn't have a leader.

1011
00:44:08,666 --> 00:44:11,266
When you get that trust 
and that confidence

1012
00:44:11,300 --> 00:44:12,933
and that relationship 
with a horse,

1013
00:44:12,966 --> 00:44:16,333
I mean, really, sky is the 
limit of what you can do.

1014
00:44:16,366 --> 00:44:18,633
[ Huffing ]

1015
00:44:22,333 --> 00:44:26,133
When I start a colt, 
it's never a competition.

1016
00:44:26,166 --> 00:44:30,100
It's more of a partnership 
and a relationship

1017
00:44:30,133 --> 00:44:34,133
that we can start 
to get workin' together.

1018
00:44:34,166 --> 00:44:37,133
I'm gonna come up here and, 
now, with the rope,

1019
00:44:37,166 --> 00:44:39,833
I'm gonna move 
them hindquarters.

1020
00:44:39,866 --> 00:44:41,333
Move those hindquarters.

1021
00:44:41,366 --> 00:44:43,266
Move those 
hindquarters.

1022
00:44:43,300 --> 00:44:44,433
Nice.

1023
00:44:46,900 --> 00:44:48,100
[ Snorts ]

1024
00:44:48,133 --> 00:44:52,300
[ Grumbling ]

1025
00:44:52,333 --> 00:44:55,000
THOMPSON: How do you know how 
far to take it and when to stop?

1026
00:44:55,033 --> 00:44:56,466
ANDERSON: 
You know, we're lookin'

1027
00:44:56,500 --> 00:44:58,800
at the expression in his face,

1028
00:44:58,833 --> 00:45:01,366
lookin' at that tightness 
through his neck.

1029
00:45:01,400 --> 00:45:03,733
He's tellin' me, 
"Jim, you can do more,"

1030
00:45:03,766 --> 00:45:06,033
or "Jim, 
I'm gettin' too worried.

1031
00:45:06,066 --> 00:45:07,166
I can't take this."

1032
00:45:07,200 --> 00:45:08,633
So that's where I'm just

1033
00:45:08,666 --> 00:45:14,433
readin'

1034
00:45:08,666 --> 00:45:14,433
him

1035
00:45:08,666 --> 00:45:14,433
and lettin'

1036
00:45:08,666 --> 00:45:14,433
him 
tell me how much.

1037
00:45:14,466 --> 00:45:17,300
And so, when I can go 
through this

1038
00:45:17,333 --> 00:45:21,833
with him not gettin' worried 
and just no big deal,

1039
00:45:21,866 --> 00:45:24,766
that's when it's gonna tell me 
he's ready to saddle.

1040
00:45:24,800 --> 00:45:26,600
[ Neighing ]

1041
00:45:26,633 --> 00:45:28,866
[ Grumbling ]

1042
00:45:30,633 --> 00:45:32,600
Now, he's gettin' good 
with the tarp.

1043
00:45:42,366 --> 00:45:43,833
Ni-i-i-ce.

1044
00:45:43,866 --> 00:45:45,366
Good boy.

1045
00:45:45,400 --> 00:45:47,300
THOMPSON: So what are you 
doin' now, Jim?

1046
00:45:47,333 --> 00:45:49,833
ANDERSON: I'm just 
bringin' Maverick in.

1047
00:45:49,866 --> 00:45:53,100
Maverick's gonna give him 
a little bit of confidence

1048
00:45:53,133 --> 00:45:54,966
as I put the saddle on.

1049
00:46:00,333 --> 00:46:02,000
THOMPSON: 
And that's the first time?

1050
00:46:02,033 --> 00:46:04,133
ANDERSON: That's the first 
time, right there, yeah.

1051
00:46:11,000 --> 00:46:12,366
[ Neighing ]

1052
00:46:12,400 --> 00:46:15,433
[ Grumbling ]

1053
00:46:15,466 --> 00:46:17,500
[ Whinnying ]

1054
00:46:17,533 --> 00:46:18,533
[ Grumbles ]

1055
00:46:18,566 --> 00:46:21,133
And that is totally 
okay with me.

1056
00:46:21,166 --> 00:46:22,966
He kinda got worried.

1057
00:46:23,000 --> 00:46:25,266
He had to deal with it 
that way a little bit.

1058
00:46:25,300 --> 00:46:27,333
That's totally okay.

1059
00:46:27,366 --> 00:46:30,066
Yeah. 
There, he moved his feet,

1060
00:46:30,100 --> 00:46:34,166
kinda tightened up, 
but come back.

1061
00:46:34,200 --> 00:46:37,100
And so, the next thing 
that I'm workin' here --

1062
00:46:37,133 --> 00:46:43,266
see, every time he stops, I want 
him to start to look for me.

1063
00:46:53,600 --> 00:46:55,300
The-e-e-re we go.

1064
00:46:55,333 --> 00:46:56,466
Ni-i-i-ce.

1065
00:46:56,500 --> 00:46:58,766
[ Birds squawking ]

1066
00:46:58,800 --> 00:47:01,566
That's what I wanna see.

1067
00:47:01,600 --> 00:47:05,066
That focus, that lookin' 
to me for that answer.

1068
00:47:05,100 --> 00:47:06,400
THOMPSON: [chuckling] He's come 
a long way since morning.

1069
00:47:06,433 --> 00:47:07,733
ANDERSON: 
He's come a long ways, yeah.

1070
00:47:12,100 --> 00:47:13,633
[ Snuffling ]

1071
00:47:13,666 --> 00:47:15,266
[ Birds chirping ]

1072
00:47:20,000 --> 00:47:25,000
I need to get him used to me 
jumpin' up and down here 'cause,

1073
00:47:25,033 --> 00:47:26,333
if I wanna get on him...

1074
00:47:29,300 --> 00:47:30,533
[ Grumbling ]

1075
00:47:33,033 --> 00:47:35,366
[ Grumbling ]

1076
00:47:35,400 --> 00:47:37,266
Really, really good 
changes here.

1077
00:47:49,900 --> 00:47:52,266
[ Clucking ]

1078
00:47:52,300 --> 00:47:53,666
[ Grumbles ]

1079
00:47:53,700 --> 00:47:56,666
[ Poignant tune plays ]

1080
00:47:56,700 --> 00:48:03,266
♪♪

1081
00:48:03,300 --> 00:48:08,066
♪♪

1082
00:48:08,100 --> 00:48:09,466
THOMPSON: Just amazing.

1083
00:48:09,500 --> 00:48:11,166
Completely calm.

1084
00:48:11,200 --> 00:48:14,566
♪♪

1085
00:48:14,600 --> 00:48:16,500
ANDERSON: [Clucking]

1086
00:48:16,533 --> 00:48:17,833
♪♪

1087
00:48:17,866 --> 00:48:19,966
My partner's helpin' me.

1088
00:48:20,000 --> 00:48:21,766
THOMPSON: [Laughing]

1089
00:48:21,800 --> 00:48:28,033
ANDERSON: 
[ Smooching ]

1090
00:48:28,066 --> 00:48:29,100
Yeah.

1091
00:48:29,133 --> 00:48:30,733
[ Smooching ]

1092
00:48:30,766 --> 00:48:34,000
♪♪

1093
00:48:34,033 --> 00:48:36,533
[ Clucking ] 
-[Snorts]

1094
00:48:36,566 --> 00:48:39,700
[ Smooching ]

1095
00:48:39,733 --> 00:48:40,900
♪♪

1096
00:48:40,933 --> 00:48:42,600
[ Smooching ] 
-[Whinnies]

1097
00:48:42,633 --> 00:48:46,400
[ Smooching ]

1098
00:48:46,433 --> 00:48:56,366
♪♪

1099
00:48:56,400 --> 00:48:58,566
Nice.

1100
00:48:58,600 --> 00:48:59,633
THOMPSON: 
That was just superb.

1101
00:48:59,666 --> 00:49:01,133
That was incredible to watch.

1102
00:49:01,166 --> 00:49:02,900
ANDERSON: 
Good boy. You know,

1103
00:49:02,933 --> 00:49:06,133
couldn't have asked 
for a better first day.

1104
00:49:06,166 --> 00:49:08,866
Good boy.

1105
00:49:08,900 --> 00:49:10,166
And here he is.

1106
00:49:10,200 --> 00:49:11,833
For the first time.

1107
00:49:11,866 --> 00:49:13,333
THOMPSON: He's your best 
friend now, isn't he?

1108
00:49:13,366 --> 00:49:14,900
ANDERSON: Yeah.

1109
00:49:14,933 --> 00:49:19,000
When I take the halter off, 
what I want to see is

1110
00:49:19,033 --> 00:49:21,533
him not leavin' me.

1111
00:49:21,566 --> 00:49:23,400
[ Birds chirping ]

1112
00:49:23,433 --> 00:49:25,300
[ Whistles ]

1113
00:49:25,333 --> 00:49:28,966
His focus isn't there.

1114
00:49:29,000 --> 00:49:30,200
[ Grumbling ] 
Ni-i-i-ce.

1115
00:49:30,233 --> 00:49:33,200
Perfect. See? And I wanna 
be hooked up to these,

1116
00:49:33,233 --> 00:49:34,933
not through a rope 
-THOMPSON: Yeah.

1117
00:49:34,966 --> 00:49:37,300
ANDERSON: or through 
manhandlin' or forcin',

1118
00:49:37,333 --> 00:49:38,733
through their mind.

1119
00:49:38,766 --> 00:49:41,933
♪♪

1120
00:49:41,966 --> 00:49:43,433
THOMPSON: 
In a single morning,

1121
00:49:43,466 --> 00:49:46,866
Jimmy and Shiver have found 
a common language.

1122
00:49:46,900 --> 00:49:48,800
♪♪

1123
00:49:48,833 --> 00:49:51,800
It's truly incredible, 
what we can do together

1124
00:49:51,833 --> 00:49:54,466
when a horse agrees 
to trust in us.

1125
00:49:54,500 --> 00:49:57,366
♪♪

1126
00:49:57,400 --> 00:50:00,666
After all, 
we sit on a horse's back

1127
00:50:00,700 --> 00:50:04,833
exactly where a wolf 
would've leapt up to attack.

1128
00:50:04,866 --> 00:50:09,200
It shows us: 
horses judge humans

1129
00:50:09,233 --> 00:50:12,366
and some of us pass the test.

1130
00:50:12,400 --> 00:50:15,633
ANDERSON: 
Horses are really amazing,

1131
00:50:15,666 --> 00:50:17,966
[ Lowing ] 
how much they will be a partner

1132
00:50:18,000 --> 00:50:21,033
and they try a crazy amount

1133
00:50:21,066 --> 00:50:24,966
and I wanna try that same 
amount back for them.

1134
00:50:25,000 --> 00:50:26,100
[ Lowing ]

1135
00:50:26,133 --> 00:50:28,466
When they give me 
that much trust,

1136
00:50:28,500 --> 00:50:32,466
I can never let anythin' 
bad happen to 'em.

1137
00:50:32,500 --> 00:50:35,900
When I lay Maverick 
down in the arena,

1138
00:50:35,933 --> 00:50:39,566
he has given me his trust.

1139
00:50:39,600 --> 00:50:43,000
Maverick knows I won't let 
somethin' happen to him.

1140
00:50:43,033 --> 00:50:51,766
♪♪

1141
00:50:51,800 --> 00:50:53,833
THOMPSON: The more time 
I spend with horses,

1142
00:50:53,866 --> 00:50:57,900
the more I understand 
what a gift they are.

1143
00:50:57,933 --> 00:51:01,800
A body loaded with the most 
amazing physical attributes,

1144
00:51:01,833 --> 00:51:06,866
yet, also, a mind 
that connects with our own.

1145
00:51:06,900 --> 00:51:11,966
That's

1146
00:51:06,900 --> 00:51:11,966
what makes 
our partnership unique.

1147
00:51:12,000 --> 00:51:15,100
But I wonder: 
How did it all begin?

1148
00:51:16,633 --> 00:51:19,333
[ Suspenseful music plays ]

1149
00:51:19,366 --> 00:51:21,200
In the final episode,

1150
00:51:21,233 --> 00:51:24,733
travel back in time 
and discover how horses

1151
00:51:24,766 --> 00:51:26,400
sparked the beginning

1152
00:51:26,433 --> 00:51:27,600
of art.

1153
00:51:27,633 --> 00:51:29,966
FLOSS: These guys had 
a spiritual connection

1154
00:51:30,000 --> 00:51:31,533
with these animals.

1155
00:51:31,566 --> 00:51:32,833
Join me on a journey

1156
00:51:32,866 --> 00:51:36,866
into the incredible world 
of horses today

1157
00:51:36,900 --> 00:51:40,500
and be amazed 
at their diversity.

1158
00:51:40,533 --> 00:51:41,966
♪♪

1159
00:51:42,000 --> 00:51:45,300
[ Neighing ] 
From the coldest place on Earth

1160
00:51:45,333 --> 00:51:47,800
to the hottest,

1161
00:51:47,833 --> 00:51:51,066
and even 
to an uninhabited island

1162
00:51:51,100 --> 00:51:54,000
where horses rely 
for survival

1163
00:51:54,033 --> 00:51:55,600
on seals.

1164
00:51:55,633 --> 00:51:57,666
[ Poignant tune plays ] 
And learn why,

1165
00:51:57,700 --> 00:51:59,233
no matter what,

1166
00:51:59,266 --> 00:52:02,033
horses are here to stay.

1167
00:52:02,066 --> 00:52:04,000
RED CROW: 
We are still on our horses,

1168
00:52:04,033 --> 00:52:05,900
just like our forefathers.

1169
00:52:05,933 --> 00:52:07,266
It's our way of life.

1170
00:52:07,300 --> 00:52:09,166
[ Music climbs ]

1171
00:52:12,700 --> 00:52:14,200
THOMPSON: 
From their incredible 
power and speed

1172
00:52:14,233 --> 00:52:16,533
to their intelligent 
and social nature,

1173
00:52:16,566 --> 00:52:20,166
it's no surprise we built 
our world with horsepower.

1174
00:52:20,200 --> 00:52:22,166
ANDERSON: When you get 
that trust with a horse,

1175
00:52:22,200 --> 00:52:24,500
sky is the limit 
of what you can do.

1176
00:52:24,533 --> 00:52:27,200
THOMPSON: But how did we shape 
this remarkable creature

1177
00:52:27,233 --> 00:52:30,766
into the 350 breeds 
that exist today?

1178
00:52:30,800 --> 00:52:34,200
Let's take a global tour 
of the most fascinating members

1179
00:52:34,233 --> 00:52:36,133
of the modern horse club.

1180
00:52:36,166 --> 00:52:40,100
[ Suspenseful music plays ]

1181
00:52:46,166 --> 00:52:56,066
♪♪

1182
00:52:56,100 --> 00:53:06,133
♪♪

1183
00:53:06,166 --> 00:53:13,700
♪♪

1184
00:53:13,733 --> 00:53:17,133
To learn more about what you've 
se

1185
00:53:13,733 --> 00:53:17,133
en on this "Nature" program,

1186
00:53:17,166 --> 00:53:19,466
visit pbs.org.

1187
00:53:19,500 --> 00:53:28,033
♪♪