An NBC Saturday morning television children's show called Thunder starring the horse of the same name was one of many well trained horses that reared in fighting scenes.

The sad time for horses in the movie was before 1940. Alot of horses were badly hurt or died for movie excitement. A 1940 Jesse James movie 8 horses were killed by tripping them with wires. Let's hope now and in the future it won't happen again.

Best efforts are done today to protect the horses. Training is the key to safety. Each horse has its hoof in sponge rubber to soften kicks and mouths are taped to prevent biting . Every precaution is taken in scene involving horses. To make the scene look more action packed it is filmed at a very slow speed then at regular speed looks fast and furious. When a horse fall is done preparations include digging a hole to fill with soft loose dirt to cushion the horse. Basically the horse stunts may be safer than for a stunt man.

The SPCA Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is on the movie set. Countless hours are spent by horse trainers to have a safe result obtained without abuse. The example of quicksand struggle, fighting wild animals, falling into water, windy dusty or rainy stormy conditions, and fire scenes are thoughtfully done. It can take 3 months to train the horse for each job. The horses must trust the trainer - if not - things will fall apart.

Horses are required to have 10 minutes of each 1 hour work by the American Humane Society. Dummies are used in place of stunt men or actors who do their own stunt work in training of the horses. If the horse is to drag someone by the stirrup, they practise until it is perfect. Make up is also used on horses to make them look injured and starved. Wild animal fights are filmed separately. Fake snakes or other animal shots are spliced in the mix of camera shots to make it appear to be real danger. A mud hole is dug and the horse is walked through several times to be accustomed to the conditions. The head never is to go under but to appear as a struggle in quicksand. This is done one time with at least 3 cameras to get enough footage of film clips to use in the finished product. Soft Balsa wood is used if a horse is to go through a fence in the movies and full gallops have a time limit.

A horse named Jerry Brown, a professional falling horse. He has leaped into the water by a 75 foot drop. Only certain horses are fallers. They are not to be forced. Just as people - some like jumping out of air planes - others don't. Also the stunt man named Cliff Lyons was on the horse that took the fall. Jerry Brown was given the Craven Award in 1951 for all those falls.

The Craven Award was named to honor the late Richard C. Craven who became the first director of the AHA (American Humane Association) of Hollywood, California in 1940. The award was given to animals that ordinarily have no opportunity for a starring role, but excel in training, talent, ability, and, of course, are humanely handled. Also the Patsy award (like an Oscar) for animals who have done outstanding performances in television, and the motion picture industry.

A horse named Diamond won a Patsy award in 1952 "Flame of Araby" Bracket a jumping horse was a 1953 Craven award winner.

A horse named Mr. Dugan is a top actor for tough vicious fighting scenes.

In 1954 the horse named Cocaine who did falls was given the Craven award in 1971 & 1972 as outstanding stunt horse.

1955 winners of the award was Outlaw the horse in the movie "Black Horse Canyon" & Beauty the horse in the motion picture "Outlaw Stallion" Beauty became the famous Fury!

The Lone Ranger's horse, Silver won the award in 1957.

Flicka star horse of "My Friend Flicka" won Craven award in 1958.

This was between 1950 - 1960's Trigger visiting a school in a town in Ohio

Roy Rogers horse, Trigger won a Patsy award for the role in "Son of Paleface" & 1958 the Craven award winner. Glenn Randall Sr. trained Trigger.  

Tony the wonder horse in the show "Hoofs and Goofs" in 1958.

The Award of Excellence 1959 Craven award recipient was Baldy known for rearing .

Tonka the horse in the film of the same "Tonka" was given 2nd place Patsy award in 1959.

1960 3rd place Patsy award went to North Wind the horse for the motion picture "The Sad Horse".

Sharkey, Dempsey, Choctaw, & Joker ( four team horses) Craven award winners in 1960.

Patsy Award winner Mister Ed the talking horse did some tricks too. Lifting a ladder around opening & closing doors. Carried objects around such as a bird in a cage & pulling covers over himself in a bed.  

Flame the horse was 3rd place Patsy award winner in the film "The Clown and the Kid" in 1962.

Another horse who was known to rear, named Mickey O'Boyle worked about 15 minutes to do 3 or 4 rears per day. This horse won the 1963 Craven Award for fighting abilities.

Lucky Buck a trained lay-down horse won the Craven award in 1965.

A horse named Smokey was the star of performances requiring dragging someone from the stirrup. Smokey got the Craven award in 1966 for all the tricks.

Kilroy a horse who specialized in falls won Craven award in 1970.

Ott the horse who did cameo appearances on the "Lassie" television series aced the 1972 Patsy winner also 1972 & 1973 for one episode of "Bonanza" TV series, then 1976 for another award for work in "Run, Joe, Run" Ott was in the TV series Thunder and owner/trainer was Bobby Davenport.

1977 awards went to Shosone the horse in film "Mustang Country" Yoyo the horse in "Banjo Hackett" & "Shaggy D.A." Gus the mule in show of the same name "Gus".

Domingo the horse was in "Peter Lundy & the Medicine Hat Stallion" was given award in 1978.

1983 award went to Kit Kat the horse on the television series "The Fall Guy" owned & trained by Richard Lundeen

Glenn Randall Sr. who trained the horses  (Chariot horses) in the movie "Ben Hur" began work in Italy eleven months before filming began. Each horse had to be taught individually then in pairs then three till all four horses to pull the chariot. There were 9 chariot teams. 72 horses were trained only 36 where in the film. Horses have understudies just as people. The Lippizan team who leaped the chariot over several crashed vehicles were trained weeks ahead and practiced as dancers do - leaping higher than required for the scene. Sorry to say Glenn Randall Sr. has passed away in 1993. Corky Randall, son of Glenn Randall Sr., has trained many other horses for your entertainment the latest 1998 movies "The Mask of Zorro", and was the head horse trainer for the 1995 movie called "Buffalo Girls". Glen Randall Jr. also continues to train the horses for your movie favorites. Universal Studios Wild Wild West Show stunt horses were trained by the Randall family.

January 1978 "Black Beauty" the mini 5 part series for television aired. It is 84 minutes long and was filmed near Lexington Kentucky. Bobby Davenport was horse trainer. A quarter horse called Docs Keepin Time played the role of "Black Beauty" for Warner Bros. 1994 movie.

A novel called "Goldenrod" written by Herbert Harker was made into a 2 hour drama for CBS consisting of a story of the Canadian rodeo circuit as it was in the 1950's.  

Monty Roberts known as the "Horse Whisperer" is a race horse trainer and had been documented from various sources as being the stunt person on the "National Velvet", "My Friend Flicka" and "Thunderhead" movies of the 1940's. (April 1999 may not be true)

High Tower who was "Pilgrim" and Rambo Roman known as "Rimrock" were quarter horses used in the movie, "The Horse Whisperer" trained by Rex Peterson.