I’ve written about Sonora Carver and the Steel Pier Diving Horses before (What was it like to ride a diving horse and Don’t try this at home: The diving horses of Atlantic City) but today I came across a video clip that shows Sonora Carver performing her act and includes a very brief interview with her.
All I can say is, Oh My God. That is one of the scariest things I’ve ever seen. The footage taken from behind her, as the horse jumps off the platform? Unbelievable!
Here’s another video of 19 year old Jackie Carvan performing:
There is no information about who is performing on this video but it is also from Atlantic City.
Wow that is very scary! I wouldn’t be caught doing that! I remember watching a movie on diving horses a few times when I was younger. I don’t remember what is was called though!
It was probably ‘Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken’ (I can’t think of any other movies about diving horses). It is about Sonora Webster Carver, though I think it takes a lot of liberties with the story.
Yes, that was the movie. And they did take liberties with the story. Sonora Carver wrote an autobiography which is better A Girl and Five Brave Horses. It’s a bargain as a Kindle Book at $1.99. Note: if you don’t own a Kindle there’s a free Kindle app that works on iPhones, iPads, etc.