I had been hired as the stunt double for the film’s co-star, Linda Darnell. By this time, I was well into my career as a stuntwoman and my specialty was working with horses. Almost all of Dakota Incident was shot on location in what is now Red Rock Canyon State Park on the northwest edge of California’s Mojave Desert.
On the appointed day, a limo came to take me to the Mojave set. When I climbed in, Dale Robertson, the male lead, was sitting in the back seat. We were the only passengers for the three-hour trip.
Soon to star in his own hit TV show Tales of Wells Fargo, Robertson was perfect for the Western genre. Not only did the tall, handsome actor look like a cowboy, but he was born in Harrah, Oklahoma, where he worked with horses from an early age.
Naturally, it did not take long for our conversation to turn to horses. I still remember Dale’s charming Oklahoma drawl as he told me about his fascination with the real-life story of Justin Morgan. The long drive flew by as we talked about the famous progenitor of the Morgan breed.
When we arrived at the film set, preparations were underway for a pivotal scene in the movie, which involved a runaway stagecoach and wreck. The script called for a stagecoach to be attacked by Indians. The driver would “lose” control of the horse team, which would bolt downhill with the coach until it wrecked. Then the survivors would escape and seek refuge in a dry gully while the coach was burned.
Denne historien er fra Summer 2020-utgaven av Equus.
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Denne historien er fra Summer 2020-utgaven av Equus.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
PROGRESS AND STRUGGLE IN SENIOR HORSE CARE
A study from the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University confirms what many dedicated horse owners have long known: Caring for a geriatric horse with a chronic health condition can be a significant physical and emotional burden.
THREE WAYS TO PREVENT BLANKET INJURIES
Of all the things your horse could injure himself with, his blanket seems an unlikely candidate. But don’t rule it out. Blanket mishaps do happen and they can be serious. Here are three things you can do to avoid them:
PUT AN END TO BARN DRAMA
While it’s impossible to prevent all discord at the barn, conflict resolution techniques can help solve problems, restore calm and enable everyone to enjoy their horses.
The turning point
You don’t always get the horse you want, but sometimes you get the one you need.
A FOREVER HOME
How a Facebook post led to a midnight rescue and an unexpected partnership
Nice work if you can get it
A career focused on horses is not for the faint of heart but the rewards are many and can last a lifetime.
MAKE WINTER EASIER FOR YOUR OLD HORSE
The season ahead may be hard on aging horses in cold climates but with some planning and preparation you can help yours sail through until spring.
7 THINGS YOU MAY NOT HAVE KNOWN ABOUT TETANUS
With modern vaccines and wound management practices, tetanus is almost a thing of the past. But the threat persists, so it’s wise to remember which horses are most at risk and why.
THE FIRST AMERICAN “SPORT HORSE” BREED
The very name of the American Standardbred reflects the performance requirement established at the inception of the breed. Here’s how genetics, conformation and training came together to create horses that could trot a mile in 2:30 or less, or pace it in 2:00 flat.
THE 6 WAYS HORSES LEARN
You’ll be more successful in teaching your horse new skills or maneuvers if your lessons, timing and tasks are aligned with his natural modes of acquiring information.
