Equus (film)

"The thing is, Im wearing that horses head myself, all reined up in old language and old assumptions, straining to jump clean hoofed onto a new track of being that only I suspect is there. I cant see it, because my educated, average head is being held at the wrong angle. I cant jump, because the bit forbids it and my own basic force - my horsepower, if you like - is too little. The only thing I know for sure is this: A horses head is finally unknowable to me. Yet I handle childrens heads, which I presume to be more complicated, at least in the area of my chief concern. In a way, it has nothing to do with this boy - the doubts have been there for years, piling up steadily in this dreary place - its the extremity of this case thats made them active. I know extremity is the point. All the same, whatever the reasons, these doubts are not just vaguely worrying, but intolerable."

"Thats what his stare has been saying to me all this time: "At least I galloped — when did you?"

"All right! The normal is the good smile in a childs eyes. Theres also the dead stare in a million adults. It both sustains and kills, like a god. It is the ordinary made beautiful, it is also the average made lethal. Normal is the indispensable murderous God of health and I am his priest."

"Alright, I take it away, what then? Hed feel himself acceptable, what then? Do you think feelings like his can be simply re-attached, just like plasters stuck on other objects we select? I mean, look at him! My desire might be to make of this boy an ardent husband, a caring citizen, a worshipper of abstract and unifying God; my achievement, however, is more likely to make a ghost. I heal the rash on his body, Ill erase the welts cut into his mind by flying manes and when thats done Ill put him on a metal scooter and send him puttering off into the concrete world and hell never touch hide again. Hopefully hell feel nothing at his fork but approved flesh, I doubt, however, with much passion!"

"My uncle dressed for the horse, she says. But what does that mean? Horse isnt dressed, its naked. Its the most naked thing you ever saw, more than a dog or a cat or anything. Even the brokenest-down old nag has got its life - to put a bowler hat on top of it... its filthy. Putting them through their paces, bloody horse shows, how do they dare? No-one understands, no-one. Except cowboys. They do. But theyre free, they just swing up and its nothing but miles of grass. I bet all cowboys are orphans. I bet they are. No-one ever says to cowboys receive my meaning or God. All the time God sees you, Alan, Gods got eyes everywhere. No, Im not doing anymore, I hate this. You can whistle for anymore, Ive had it."

"Know that, when Equus leaves — if he leaves at all — it will be with your intestines in his teeth — and I dont stock replacements."