Duke's Movie Horses

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    You sure do have an eye for horse flesh, Tinker. I'm sorry, I can't answer your question. But it wouldn't surprise me if there was someone here who could. I hope you find your answer, as I always learn myself when someone brings up and has answered an obscure or unusual question.


    Mark

    "I couldn't go to sleep at night if the director didn't call 'cut'. "

    Quote from tinker

    I hope this is the right thread to ask this question.


    Dee,


    This IS the right thread to ask your question! Wow, you have an eye for detail when it comes to horses, I can see! I'm sorry to say that I don't have answers to any of your questions, but as someone before has mentioned, there is an excellent chance someone here will.


    You join a good-sized group of members from Australia, and I also know that there are other members who know about horses and may be able to help you.


    We're glad you have come our way, and look forward to seeing you around!


    Chester :newyear:

    Thank you so much anyway. Also on the subject of horses I think John Wayne was riding Banjo in Red River too, at least at the end.


    And just to add some information Harry Carey Jr says the horse he rode in 'She wore a yellow ribbon' was a very quiet horse called Uncle Sam that was a real ex cavalry horse.


    And the horse that does the fall in the rope tug of war in McLintock looks very like Chuck Roberson's famous falling horse Cocaine.


    dee

    As I originally asked about the rearing horse in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon and other John Ford and John Wayne movies I thought I would share that I found something about him. He was as I suspected a well known horse. His name was Ski and he came from Fat Jones Stables. Fat Jones, who owned the most famous movie horse stable ( or barn I guess you call it) was Ben Johnson's father-in-law, and supplied the horses he used and most of the stunt and star horses for John Ford movies.


    http://members.tripod.com/~horsefame/equine1.html


    dee

    Does anyone know anything about the black horse used in the Quiet Man, I belive he was ridden with a McClellan saddle too, would'nt they be almost impossible to obtain in Ireland in the time period the movie is set in? :wink:

    Am just reading this book and was interested to read that the Author has included a quote from JW

    "Iv never really liked Horses and i daresay not many of them really liked me too much "

    Ref: page 12

    There was another too but iv lost the page, i have to say i'm pretty surprised aobut that.

    Hi

    There was a time when the media took up on a quote that Duke was scared of horses. You don't spend your life riding something you don't like.
    The only time he could have been said to have been really uncomfortable on a horse was during the making of the Quiet Man when the horse he was riding had an English saddle which he couldn't get on with. Look at the scenes and you will see that he is using a western style saddle.

    Regards

    Arthur

    Walk Tall - Talk Low

    And i think it was " El Dorado " where they put him on the Appaloosa named "Cochise" he was way too small for him, wonder why they did that.

    Well i think he must have had some affection for them as he spent most of his early life and career aboard one.

    I had to watch EL Dorado just to see that handsome spotty..Magnificent Appy :chickawow:



    The dukes horse in 'The train robbers' had the ability to change his socks and stripe..... as for the baddies their horses could gallop flat out all through the movie without resting, eating or drinking... A remarkable feat considering a top TB can only race for a mile or so before needing a break .. Yes I know it's only a movie.....

    Quote from Quirt Evans

    Boys, I am spankin new around these parts. It was June of 1962 and it just so happened that Liberty Valance was playing the week of my birthday. That is all I wanted for my birthday, to see old Duke and Jimmy on the big screen, and I have never forgotten him, Jimmy or that classic in 41 years. Now there is a great deal about everything that I don't know, beit Duke or anything else in life, except horses. I read with keen interest a story of old Beau still being alive a few years ago and that really caught my interest! True Grit was filmed in 1968 and if Beau had been a colt, say a four year old and new to movies and True Grit was his first film, that would have made him foaled in 1964. If he was still alive two or three years ago that would have made him 36 or 37 years old. Most horses live to be 27 to 30 before their organs shut down. Their are exceptions to the rule, their always is. Duke stated in an interview that the Walker he was riding in True Grit, in his own words... Just blew up! and he was replaced. You couldn't twirl a winchester and have the first Beau stand in his tracks. The second Beau has the blaze and stockings, but he is more red, while the first horse shows a roan cast to him. Duke only admitted to owning one horse in his name. A little Quarter Horse that the papers were in the name of John Wayne. Duke was a good rider. He didn't love horses, but he didn't hate them either. The horse Cochise from El Dorado was owned by Howard Hawks. Duke said that it took a lot of arm muscle to back him out of Ed Asners ranch. Banner was the horse at Republic that Duke rode the longest. Alamo was in The Alamo and his main mount in McLintock. Of course Dollor came along with Big Jake and except for the mule in Cahill U.S. Marshall, Duke never climbed aboard another horse, just ol Dollor. Now to my question. In The Searchers, The Horse Soldiers and Liberty Valance you see Duke mounted on a tall, very fast sorrel horse with a blaze with a tiny red spot in it. Duke only rode him in the three John Ford films and for no one else. It's like pappy Ford instructed Duke to ride this one special mount. The running insert where Duke rides and fires as he attacks the Indian village is one of the fastest galloping inserts ever filmed with a major star. Clint Eastwood never in his career rode that fast.I want to know the name of that horse and I have wanted to know for years. The Searchers is one of the greatest films of the Twentieth Century and I don't know the name of the horse that the greatest western star rode! He looks to have Thoroughbred blood in him and he was truly magnificent! Well old Quirt is your latest addition to a board that means a great deal to me. I will read every word typed for Duke and Jimmy Stewart are my two all time favorites and westerns in general are my cup of tea. Thank you for your time!



    Gee, i soooo enjoyed reading that post, fantastic, this is such a great site !!!

    Glad to find this. I am a 62 year old woman who has done everything but act! I was researching for a book I am writing when I discovered John Ford and his Stock Troupe. My book took a turn, and I have been researching western stunt men and character actors that I feel really MADE our heroes and pretty much got "left out in the cold" when it came to acknowledgement. Was about to post something about Duke's horses in The Searchers after viewing it and Peter's commentary on it over a hundred times, when I saw something that I had missed all those times. Scar was sitting on the horse Duke rode in most of the movie. Boy, that scrambled my theory a bit. I do believe though that the horse Duke was riding when Marty tried to stop him from going after Debbie, was one that was a "light spooker" whenever someone threw up his arms or caused a disturbance in front of him. Duke was able to stay on him and look good although he had to physically rein the horse with both hands and shift his weight to keep him away from Marty. On the other horse he rode so much, the one with the wide blaze with the spot on it and two front white stockings and the right back leg, you never saw the reins tighten, and he used one hand to hold them. He used body language and neck reining with that horse. Going into Scar's lodge, he was moving too fast so had to pull him around to the left....loose reins, weight shift and neck rein. Once he was straight to the lodge, Duke lifted his legs until almost perpendicular and then gave the horse a real NUDGE and they both went straight into the lodge. This is the same horse that Duke rode in the shot running through the village at lightning speed. Now, If I could just find out what the horse's name was. Anyone know? Thanks and glad to be here, KP

    God, she reminds me of me! DUKE

    Quote from Hawkswill

    Glad to find this. I am a 62 year old woman who has done everything but act! I was researching for a book I am writing when I discovered John Ford and his Stock Troupe. My book took a turn, and I have been researching western stunt men and character actors that I feel really MADE our heroes and pretty much got "left out in the cold" when it came to acknowledgement. Was about to post something about Duke's horses in The Searchers after viewing it and Peter's commentary on it over a hundred times, when I saw something that I had missed all those times. Scar was sitting on the horse Duke rode in most of the movie. Boy, that scrambled my theory a bit. I do believe though that the horse Duke was riding when Marty tried to stop him from going after Debbie, was one that was a "light spooker" whenever someone threw up his arms or caused a disturbance in front of him. Duke was able to stay on him and look good although he had to physically rein the horse with both hands and shift his weight to keep him away from Marty. On the other horse he rode so much, the one with the wide blaze with the spot on it and two front white stockings and the right back leg, you never saw the reins tighten, and he used one hand to hold them. He used body language and neck reining with that horse. Going into Scar's lodge, he was moving too fast so had to pull him around to the left....loose reins, weight shift and neck rein. Once he was straight to the lodge, Duke lifted his legs until almost perpendicular and then gave the horse a real NUDGE and they both went straight into the lodge. This is the same horse that Duke rode in the shot running through the village at lightning speed. Now, If I could just find out what the horse's name was. Anyone know? Thanks and glad to be here, KP


    Welcome, Hawkswill, We have several horse experts on our board, hopefully one will spot your post and has the answer. In the meantime take a look around, and, enjoy!!


    Chester :newyear: and the Mrs. :angel1: