Emma’s Chance tells the story of a young woman who, after a poor life choice, ends up sentenced to community service hours at Red Bucket Equine Reserve. While the storyline is fictional, Red Bucket Equine Reserve is a real rescue. To date, they have saved 327 horses with Chance, the movie’s horsey star (real name “Paidraig”), being one of them. The human extras were volunteers at the rescue and almost all of the horses were residents of the reserve, as well.
God_and_horses12: Did you learn to ride for the movie or did you already have experience?
GG: I had some experience, but I took lessons before filming and during filming to brush up on my riding.
Sylvie.xox: Did you ever have a bad experience on the set with the horses?
GG: The horses we worked with were all so great! There was one moment outside the practice ring at the arena on the competition day, which also happened to me my first day on this particular horse, and there was a bathroom behind us and the hand dryer kept going off and the horse kept getting spooked by it!
Cocohorse: Do you think you will keep riding now that filming is over?
GG: Yes! I mean, it’s a huge time commitment so it’s tough with acting but I definitely plan on riding whenever I can.
Ellie.dancer523: Who was your favorite horse to work with and why?
GG: I loved all the horses I got to work with but my favorite was Rubix! We called him the tank because he didn’t want to go anywhere. A lot of the horses wanted to run and go fast but for shooting purposes we couldn’t always do that, so Rubix and I got along really well because he listened and wanted to stand still a lot of the time.
That_Equestrian_Abby: What scenes were the most fun to film? The most challenging?
GG: The montage bits were really fun to film! And getting to prep the horses! I got to have a ton of fun with those and just kind of play around. The most challenging was probably the day where I first ride Chance for the first time, only because it was about 110 degrees outside and it was just so hot! Riding horses in the heat and sun is really tough!
Morgan_the_Equestrian: Were all of the horses well behaved during filming?
GG: Yes! They were all on their best behavior. Every now and then they would get tired after we had done a number of takes and they would start getting antsy but, I get the same way every now and then!
YR: Why will young riders love this movie?
GG: I think young riders will love this movie because it shows a girl who makes a difference through her riding. She’s able to help everyone: her family, the horse ranch, the rescue horses all through her love of riding that she finds. I also think young riders will get to see the horse rescue aspect of this movie and that’s something they may not be familiar with and they’ll be able to see how truly amazing rescue horses are.
I_love_Desi_arnaz: What is one thing you will always remember about working with horses?
GG: How beautiful they are and how much they listen and can feel you. And vice versa. I got to speak up for the horses when I knew they were getting scared or tired and I could feel when they didn’t want to do anymore. The relationships we built were really special and something I’ll always cherish. I’ll also always remember that as long as you have a treat in your hand you can get a horse to do anything!
Xoxobreyer: Did any of the horses have a unique ‘quirk’ or favorite treat?
GG: There was a donkey at the ranch who somehow always knew when people were taking pictures and he would come out and photo bomb them! Willow, the horse we used the most for Chance really loved the root beer barrels, which we were able to tie into the movie!
QueenAveMay: What did working with horses teach you about acting?
GG: It taught me a lot about being present and being ready for anything! Sometimes I would change my lines in reaction to what the horses were doing, I was able to come up with fun things to say and really play off of them.
YR: What is your advice for young riders who don’t feel like they will ever succeed in the show ring?
GG: My advice would be to keep going! Do what you love. Keep riding, keep practicing, you’ll get there. There are still times with acting where I get down on myself and it’s really hard but I keep going to classes, and making sure I’m the best I can be. It’s similar to competitive riding. You have to believe in yourself and have determination. With those two things you can do anything.
Emma’s Chance was released on DVD July 5, 2016 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The film also features names such as Missi Pyle, Joey Lawrence, Jennifer Taylor, and Lia Marie Johnson. Pick up this new horsey adventure for a family friendly movie night!
To learn more about Red Bucket Equine Reserve and their involvement in the film or to donate, visit redbucketrescue.org.
Find Emma’s Chance on Amazon.
