There are riders who wear helmets and sensible boots, and there are riders who look like they’ve stepped straight out of a music video. The women in this clip somehow manage both: total control of their horses, plus sunglasses, flowing hair and outfits that wouldn’t look out of place at a summer festival.
The first shot sets the tone. A pale horse with a red bridle splashes through a shallow stream, water flying in every direction, while its rider sits perfectly balanced in a dark top and sunglasses. She doesn’t even look at the water. She looks straight ahead, as if the stream had been put there especially for her.
Then the montage rolls on. A chestnut horse charges towards the camera while its rider points dramatically into the distance. A rider in pink and white leans forward as her dark horse stretches out into a full gallop. And finally a black horse with a wild mane thunders across a green field, its rider wearing a cowboy hat and a grin.
What the clip captures so well is the feeling of speed. You can almost hear the hooves, feel the wind and smell the summer grass. The countryside is wide and empty, with rolling hills and wind turbines turning slowly in the background, giving the horses all the space they want.
Here is the secret that every experienced rider will tell you: looking this relaxed at a gallop takes years of practice. The calm faces and loose shoulders hide strong legs, careful hands and a deep understanding of the horse underneath. The sunglasses are optional. The skill is not.
There’s also a reason these clips are filmed in soft summer light, often early in the morning or late in the afternoon. The low sun makes the horses’ coats shine like polished wood and turns every splash of water into a shower of tiny sparks. It’s photography and horsemanship working together.
And let’s not forget the horses themselves, who are the true athletes here. Their muscles ripple, their manes fly and their ears point forward with obvious enthusiasm. They look like they’re enjoying the run just as much as their riders.
So is galloping in sunglasses the coolest way to ride a horse? Judging by this clip, it might be. Just remember to bring a helmet, a lot of patience and a horse that trusts you, before you try the stream crossing yourself.
Carlos Now – clips worth a second look
