I was watching an episode of 'The Virginian" the other week. There was a scene where Trampas was showing off and doing tricks on his horse to impress a lady friend. He fell off and the horse also stumbled and went down.
I remember seeing something similar in an episode of Bonanza a few years back. Little Joe was breaking in a horse when it stumbled and rolled through a fence.
It always looks terrible when a horse goes down like that. Were horses ever injured during the filming of The Virginian or other westerns?
Were the horses expendable during the 1960's?
Or does it just look much worse than it really was?
Just wondering if anyone knows.
Regards to all, Angela
I'm sure horses as well as stuntmen were often injured during filming of Westerns just because when an animal or person falls it gets knocked around. But by the time THE VIRGINIAN was being filmed, most of the stunt horses were trained to fall. If you'll notice, in some of the older Westerns the horses fall face forward like they are tripping. That is because they were tripped. Then if you'll notice in the later TV series the horses fall to the side, usually with their heads turned to the opposite side they fall on. They are trained to fall over when the reins are pulled a certain way. This helps prevent major injuries to them.
Just a thought but didn't some sort of law/ruling come about that animals were not allowed to be used in a way that would cause them harm at some time in the recent(30years approx) that helped in this subject
Hi there BJ, thanks, I'll be watching more closely in the future! It always looks so rough though dosen't it?
Hi Cathy, I do wonder if they have stricter rules now. I've noticed now that sometimes after a movie, there is sometimes a note in the credits about there being no animals injured in the making of that movie.
Hi Cathy. My understanding is that you are correct that there is a law against cruelty to animals in movies and tv. I have worked on movie and television sets as an actress where there have been animals present. I understand that while an animal is on a set it is the law that a representative from the humane society be present at all times to insure the safety and well being of the animal. This can range anywhere from making sure the animal has a break and some water and food to safety while performing a stunt.
In the vintage days of Hollywood injuries were common unfortunately. In Errol Flynn's 'Charge Of The Light Brigade' quite a few horses (and stuntmen) were killed. As BJ says they used trip wires in those days. Very cruel. I'm sure lots of horses broke their legs as a result. Thank goodness they're protected under humane laws nowadays. I've noticed the present law doesn't extend to insects who are often crushed for a joke in some movies.