Incredible stunts of ‘telepathic’ horseman | CNN

Incredible stunts of ‘telepathic’ horseman

By Matthew Knight, CNN
2 minute read
Updated 9:05 AM EST, Mon January 4, 2016
Meet the amazingly talented Jean-Francois Pignon -- a man who can ride two horses at the same time.
Meet the amazingly talented Jean-Francois Pignon -- a man who can ride two horses at the same time.
Peter Nixon/Kit Houghton/Kit Houghton/file
Pignon enjoys a special relationship with horses, training them to do incredible stunts at his farm in Calvission, southern France.
Pignon enjoys a special relationship with horses, training them to do incredible stunts at his farm in Calvission, southern France.
Jean-Francois Pignon
The 47-year-old has been amazing audiences all over the globe with his performances for nearly three decades.
The 47-year-old has been amazing audiences all over the globe with his performances for nearly three decades.
Jean-Francois Pignon
Pignon started training horses at a young age. When he was 11 years old he was given his first horse, a Camargue filly called Gazelle.
Pignon started training horses at a young age. When he was 11 years old he was given his first horse, a Camargue filly called Gazelle.
Jean-Francois Pignon
He has an almost mesmeric hold over his horses training them to perform a range of stunts as well as playing dead -- as pictured here. "Each horse is different," he says. "It's my (job) to adapt to the horse to get the best out of him."
He has an almost mesmeric hold over his horses training them to perform a range of stunts as well as playing dead -- as pictured here. "Each horse is different," he says. "It's my (job) to adapt to the horse to get the best out of him."
Jean-Francois Pignon
Pignon performing at the London International Horse Show at Olympia in December 2015. The annual event which was first organized in 1907 showcases an international cast of riders who compete in showjumping, dressage, carriage driving competitions. There are also theatrical shows like Pignon's, which are always a hit with the crowds.<br />"He can get horses to do things that other people just can't get them to do," explains Jo Peck, who oversees Olympia's marketing and communications. "He has this almost telepathic conversation that goes on."
Pignon performing at the London International Horse Show at Olympia in December 2015. The annual event which was first organized in 1907 showcases an international cast of riders who compete in showjumping, dressage, carriage driving competitions. There are also theatrical shows like Pignon's, which are always a hit with the crowds.
"He can get horses to do things that other people just can't get them to do," explains Jo Peck, who oversees Olympia's marketing and communications. "He has this almost telepathic conversation that goes on."
Kit Houghton/© Kit Houghton
"It's very, very difficult to get horses to do what he gets them to do without having them on reins," says Jo Peck, who manages the marketing and communications for the annual Olympia event.
"It's very, very difficult to get horses to do what he gets them to do without having them on reins," says Jo Peck, who manages the marketing and communications for the annual Olympia event.
Jean-Francois Pignon
"Calling a horse in from a field is hard enough, but he can just turn up, move his hand and they will all come running to him," Peck explains.
"Calling a horse in from a field is hard enough, but he can just turn up, move his hand and they will all come running to him," Peck explains.
Jean-Francois Pignon
Pignon has taken his show all over the world, performing in Europe, the Middle East, the Far East and Africa. Here he is performing with his horses at the opening ceremony for the 2014 FEI World Cup jumping and dressage finals in Chassieu, France.
Pignon has taken his show all over the world, performing in Europe, the Middle East, the Far East and Africa. Here he is performing with his horses at the opening ceremony for the 2014 FEI World Cup jumping and dressage finals in Chassieu, France.
ROMAIN LAFABREGUE/AFP/AFP/Getty Images/file
"They're almost like dogs, but really, really well-trained dogs! To do that with horse is just incredible," Peck says.
"They're almost like dogs, but really, really well-trained dogs! To do that with horse is just incredible," Peck says.
ROMAIN LAFABREGUE/AFP/AFP/Getty Images/file
"He gets his horses to do amazing things -- they will lie down, roll over, they will tolerate him riding on their backs standing and jumping off them," Peck says. "It's not just one horse, he controls several horses at the same time. The skill is just incredible."<br /><br />"The crowd love it. They can't believe it. Most of them will have some knowledge of horses or been around horses so they are very appreciative of how skilful he is."
"He gets his horses to do amazing things -- they will lie down, roll over, they will tolerate him riding on their backs standing and jumping off them," Peck says. "It's not just one horse, he controls several horses at the same time. The skill is just incredible."

"The crowd love it. They can't believe it. Most of them will have some knowledge of horses or been around horses so they are very appreciative of how skilful he is."
ROMAIN LAFABREGUE/AFP/Getty Images
Pignon has also directed and starred in the 2012 biopic "Gazelle" -- named after his first horse.
Pignon has also directed and starred in the 2012 biopic "Gazelle" -- named after his first horse.
Jean-Francois Pignon
He currently has around 20 horses, including this miniature Shetland pony. <br />
He currently has around 20 horses, including this miniature Shetland pony.
Jean-Francois Pignon
"The most difficult moves are when the horses are tired, which is rare, and also when the horses are excited," he explains. "My role is to be the maestro in the middle, and to use them a little bit more, a little bit less, depending on the horse's mood."
"The most difficult moves are when the horses are tired, which is rare, and also when the horses are excited," he explains. "My role is to be the maestro in the middle, and to use them a little bit more, a little bit less, depending on the horse's mood."
Jean-Francois Pignon
Jean-Francois Pignon: The 'telepathic' horseman

Story highlights

French stuntman performs tricks with horses

The 47-year-old has trained horses since 11

Appeared at London's Olympia in December

CNN  — 

If there is such a thing as animal magnetism, then Jean-Francois Pignon has it in spades.

With a mere flick of his hand, the Frenchman gets his horses to perform the most amazing tricks.

From instructing them to stand elegantly on their hind legs to riding bareback on not one, but two horses at the same time, it’s little wonder that Pignon’s shows have become a hit with audiences worldwide.

The veteran performer, who appeared in the London International Horse Show at Olympia in December, has been training horses since when he was a boy.

“I started really young with (my first horse) Gazelle,” Pignon told CNN. “I was 11 years old and she was a year and a half. My first goal was not to do a show, but to communicate with my horse and play with them.

faivre smile
Courtesy Clemence Faivre

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“And then I had the opportunity to perform in a small village to do my first show and I immediately liked it. I was very shy but I felt on this day that I really liked this job.”

More than three decades later, the 47-year-old – who lives in Calvission in the South of France – still puts in hours of training, although he is ever mindful of his horses’ welfare.

“The most difficult moves are when the horses are tired, which is rare, and also when the horses are excited,” he explained. “My role is to be the maestro in the middle, and to use them a little bit more, a little bit less, depending on their mood.”

Audiences are amazed when they see Pignon, says Jo Peck, who manages the marketing and communications for the annual Olympia event where the Frenchman has appeared four times.

“He can get horses to do things that other people just can’t get them to do,” Peck told CNN.

“He has this almost telepathic conversation that goes on … it’s almost like a communication with his horses. The way he asks them to do things is very different from the way a show jumper would ask his or her horse to do something,” she added.

“It’s not just one horse, he controls several horse at the same time. The skill is just incredible.”

IJsbrand Chardon (NED) second in Stuttgart Pic Karl-Heinz Frieler
IJsbrand Chardon (NED) second in Stuttgart Pic Karl-Heinz Frieler
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