Duke's Movie Horses

[arthurarnell]

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

[jessie]

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.

[pinto]

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



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.....

[Jay J. Foraker]

In an earlier post on this topic, Colorado Bob mentioned that Duke said, in essence, "I won't ride a horse unless I get paid for it."

[jessie]

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 !!!

[ethanedwards]

For continuity, I have now merged
the two similar threads about Duke and his horses.

[jessie]

Thanks Ethan, great idea, tonight when i get time i want to re-read them.

[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

[chester7777]

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 and the Mrs.

[ethanedwards]

As far as I remember, I think the horse
Duke rode in The Searchers was Beau. also known as Bo.
I believe Duke owned that horse.

[ethanedwards]

This is an interesting post made earlier in this thread.
Of course as the discussion, amendments were made,
so it's good to go through this thread again.

Howdy All,
Well so far, what I have come up with regarding the horses John Wayne rode is this:

He rode Duke the Miracle Horse (real name Sheik) in:
Haunted Gold
The Telegraph Trail
Somewhere in Sonora
The Man from Monterey
The Big Stampede
Ride Him Cowboy

He rode Starlight in:
Pals of the Saddle
Overland Stage Raiders
Sante Fe Stampede
Red River Range
The Night Riders
Three Texas Steers
Wyoming Outlaw
Riders of Destiny
Westward Ho (possibly)
The Sagebrush Trail (possibly)

He rode Banner in:
Angel and the Badman
Hondo
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon
Three Godfathers

He rode Sammy in:
A Lady Takes A Chance (although this may be Banner)

He rode Steel in:
The Conqueror
Tall in the Saddle

He Rode Alamo (owned by John Wayne) in:
The Alamo
McLintock!

He rode Beau (owned by John Wayne) in:
True Grit
The War Wagon (possibly)
The Comancheros (possibly)
The Sons of Katie Elder (possibly)

He rode Zip Cochise (owned by Howard Hawks) in:
El Dorado

He rode Dollor in:
True Grit (his first film with John Wayne. He was 2 years old)
Big Jake
The Cowboys
The Train Robbers
Rooster Cogburn
The Shootist (possibly)

I'm still looking and researching. Watching movies and comparing known photos with the films. I don't why this thing has stuck in my craw the way it has, but I'm having fun doing it! Hope I'm not boring y'all with my prattlin' on, but thought I'd share what I've learned. Once this thing has run its course, if I come up with any more info, I'll let ya know. And by the way, thanks to Bill and ejgreen77 and etsija and ethan for helping me out with this.
Best to all,
Colorado Bob

[Peridot]

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 and the Mrs.

While I am by no means a horse expert, I have some reason to be an amateur expert on Richard Boone, and by extension, a semi-expert on Hal Needham. Therefore, I do know that John Wayne rode Needham's stunt horse, Hondo, in at least one of his films.

At the moment I haven't access to the resources which can tell me which film or films those were. I'm thinking that Kirk Douglas was in one of them, but I could be mistaken. I'll have to get back to you on this topic when I can get to my Kindle. The book with the info is Hal Needhan's autobiography, Stuntman. It's a great read all on its own, BTW, not to mention all the interesting stories Hal Needham has to tell about Richard Boone, John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, all the films Needham worked on and all the stars he doubled. It's a great read, believe me. I've read it 4 times since I bought it and laughed aloud every time.

I'll have to get back to y'all on this one.

[ethanedwards]

While I am by no means a horse expert,

I'll have to get back to y'all on this one.

Peridot
I do believe we answered he question, a few posts back!

As far as I remember, I think the horse
Duke rode in The Searchers was Beau. also known as Bo.
I believe Duke owned that horse.

[Hawkswill]

Duke rode a few horses in The Searchers. 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 a good bit 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 Movie horse stable, "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 from turning into and possible really hurting 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 was very comfortable on this horse as is easy to see. 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