Brandon Buttars on Thiscatsamasterpiece in the 2016 NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Open finals in Reno, Nevada. • Photo by Lor Adamski-Peek Photography

Cow Horse and Chill

“Down the Fence” (2017), an award-winning documentary about the reined cow horse discipline, is now available on Netflix.

Producer and Director MJ Isakson and Executive Producer and Director of Cinematography Lori Adamski-Peek focused the film on the pressure and demands of competition as well as the bond between horse and rider rooted in the cowboy culture. Bringing the film to Netflix allows a broader audience to experience it.

“We are thrilled to be on Netflix and to expose this story to such a large and varied audience,” Adamski-Peek said.

Isakson agreed, saying she appreciates when people who aren’t as familiar with horses learn about the history of reined cow horse, discover the industry for the first time and can see just how much riders love their horses.

“At the very least,” Isakson said, “I hope the film shows them that there are a dedicated bunch of horsemen and horsewomen out there, and that horses are amazing.”

Adamski-Peek hopes people will recognize there are many ways in which people make a living in the United States, whether they live in a rural area or an urban area, and that the differences aren’t all that great because the desire to find passion in life is fairly universal. She hopes the film portrays not only the hard work required to be a horse trainer, but also why the sacrifice is worth it.

“This narrative is true for anyone in any type of work or lifestyle,” Adamski-Peek said.

The film has been screened around the United States and has been awarded a number of honors including the IndieFEST Film Award’s Award of Excellence, Austin Revolution Film Festival Official Selection for 2017 and Ellensburg Film Festival’s Best Washington Film of 2017. It received more than enough attention to launch it onto one of the leading providers for streaming film and television in the United States.

Besides being recently added to Netflix, “Down the Fence” is also available for purchase on DVD as well as streaming on iTunes, Amazon Video, Google Play and other platforms.

“All of it seems unreal,” Isakson said. “First the film festivals, then On Demand and Cable channels, and now Netflix. ‘Down The Fence’ is the little cow horse movie that could!”