letyourheartbelight

LOVED this movie! had no idea it was based on a true story (or perhaps I forgot?)

gotagirlcrush:

Got a Girl Crush On: Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken (1991)

Do you REMEMBER this movie?!

I remember begging my mom to rent and re-rent the VHS copy of this from our local video store (or it might’ve been the library—whichever I’m sure I wore their copy out!). Running away from home! Horses! The Circus! Pugnacity and determination! Overcoming adversity! This was every little girl’s fantasy. Sonora was a certified badass.

Based on the real-life story of Sonora Webster Carver, the first female to ride diving horses at the Steel Pier in Atlantic City (in 1924 she made history when she dove 40 feet on horseback into a tank of water) In 1931 she went blind from detached retinas after one of her horses hit the water off-balance, yet she she still continued to ride the high-diving horses until World War II. 

Once released, she listened to the movie but had this to say about it:

The movie made a big deal about having the courage to go on riding after she lost her sight. But, the truth was riding the horse was the most fun you could have and we just loved it so.

P.S. it’s streaming for free here!

(top 2: movie stills; bottom 3: real life Sonora)