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Elite Veteran
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Location: Weatherford, TX | Okay...I am down with the Flu and watching way too much TV. I have always watched this in the Westerns and thought it would be a fun post.
How many actors ride really good? I am watching High Plains Drifter for the hundredth time...and have always noticed that Clint Eastwood is a really good rider. He always had smooth horses, sits really good and doesn't yank the heads off of them.
Keviin Costner is really great too. Brad Pitt seemed to be a natural too. To me, John Wayne was awful at riding. I saw one the other day (cannot remember which one) and thought when they did a somewhat close-up, it looked they were pulling him on a wagon and never showed the horse. LOL
Like I said... I'm sick, bored and have thought this many times before, but thought maybe there are more actors out there (were out there) that were 'natural' too that I haven't seen/thought of. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 974
Location: USA | Luke Grimes |
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boon
Posts: 1
| I think Sam Elliott has a good seat & dont remember him jerking on the horse. He's in Shadow Riders & The Sacketts & some other westerns also. |
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"Heck's Coming With Me"
Posts: 10793
Location: Kansas | It's funny. I've thought of posting this same subject many times. Tom Selleck, for a big man, sits a horse very well but is lucky to always be mounted on good horses (Quigley Down Under wonderful horse). In the old westerns there were many outstanding riders like Audie Murphy (little rough on their heads), Joel McCrea and Randolph Scott. When you see them ride bareback and it's obvious it isn't a double then you know they can ride pretty darn good. Doug McClure from The Virginian was a team roper and it made me smile to see rubber tubing around his saddle horn in this western set in the 1800's (whoops).
John Wayne had more trouble riding when he got older and heavier (I know the feeling). He was a stunt double when he first started out in westerns and rode very well considering the awful saddles and usually not very good horses he had to ride.
Get well, by the way. We all know how miserable the flu is.
Edited by Frodo 2019-01-03 6:54 AM
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 Expert
Posts: 2128
| Matt Damon sat one well in All the Pretty Horses. As does Lucas Black. He was in another horse movie, "Flash" when he was younger that required him to ride as well.
Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips and most all of the cast of Young Guns did well.
I saw that for Yellowstone, the actors had to go to Cowboy Boot Camp where they rode horses for days among other things to improve their skills for the show.
Viggo Mortensen is another good one.
ETA: At one time Kiefer took a break from acting and moved to a ranch. He team roped competitively during this time.
Edited by scwebster 2019-01-03 8:34 AM
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Expert
Posts: 2128
| Heres an article of some actors who are horse lovers. I guess this doesnt automatically mean they ride well, but interesting to know.
https://www.doubledtrailers.com/youll-never-believe-these-famous-celebrities-that-love-horses/ |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1182
Location: Do I hear Banjos? | I honestly don't know if it was a double or Kirk Douglas himself...but I love watching all of the slick, funny ways he mounts his horse in the War Wagon. Bonus of course is that it's a pretty good old western with John Wayne also. |
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"Heck's Coming With Me"
Posts: 10793
Location: Kansas |
Kaley Cuoco from The Big Bang Theory is also a horse lover and rides very well.
Robert DuVall.....goes without saying. He rides hunter-jumpers and western. Lonesome Dove, many good cowboys in that one.
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 Quarter Horse HIstorian
Posts: 2878
Location: Aubrey, Texas | I always felt sorry for that big, good-looking stocking-legged horse that John Wayne always rode. He was a little heavy-handed.
Ben Johnson was a real cowboy before he went to Hollywood; he won the World in Team Roping in 1953. He won an Oscar for his role in Last Picture Show in 1972. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 705
Location: Weatherford, TX | Thank you so much for the replies....I am still sick and bored, but love reading all the replies.
I have been reminded of many (Luke Grimes, the Young Guns, Ben Johnson, Sam Elliott, etc.) and learned more about others like John Wayne. I will definitely look for the older Westerns now too.
I cannot believe I forgot Luke Grimes as I am a big fan of Yellowstone and I noticed how he was from the beginning of that series. But, I didn't know much of him before. I also forgot to mention all the Young Guns guys... Keifer Sutherland and knew about/liked him.
Thanks guys for alleviating some of the boredom from being down with the Flu. I am driving my husband nuts. LOL I really do appreciate it and it is a fun/educating thread.
Thanks too Frodo for the get well wishes...I am ready to be better.  |
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Expert
Posts: 1343
Location: East Texas | I know it was a TV series, but Ms. Kitty (Amanda Blake) on Gunsmoke was riding sidesaddle when I was watching it the other day. It had close ups of her riding, so it wasn't a stunt double... it was actually her and I was impressed! |
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 Peecans
| I'd let just about the entire cast of lord of the rings ride my horses. Most of them rode very well.
Would not let andrew lincoln woth a duffle bag of guns (Rick Grimes) near one though LOL. Without the guns... Maybe ;) |
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Posts: 5290
| My dad is a stuntman in the movies. Pretty much exclusively westerns and Johnny Depp is horrible rider but thinks he is just awesome. Usually almost gets killed. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 705
Location: Weatherford, TX | FLITASTIC - 2019-01-03 2:47 PM My dad is a stuntman in the movies. Pretty much exclusively westerns and Johnny Depp is horrible rider but thinks he is just awesome. Usually almost gets killed. That is too funny! I think, he thinks, he is just great at everything!
Edited by Gator Bug 2019-01-03 3:04 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 705
Location: Weatherford, TX | horsesinharleton - 2019-01-03 1:45 PM I know it was a TV series, but Ms. Kitty (Amanda Blake) on Gunsmoke was riding sidesaddle when I was watching it the other day. It had close ups of her riding, so it wasn't a stunt double... it was actually her and I was impressed!
OMG....I just LOVE side saddle. I have always wanted to try. I might end up on my butt, but it still might be a lot of fun. I started out English and Jumpiing. But, I do still love my speed events. Way too cool that Miss Kitty could do that. |
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 Saint Stacey
| scwebster - 2019-01-03 7:11 AM
Matt Damon sat one well in All the Pretty Horses. As does Lucas Black. He was in another horse movie, "Flash" when he was younger that required him to ride as well.
Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips and most all of the cast of Young Guns did well.
I saw that for Yellowstone, the actors had to go to Cowboy Boot Camp where they rode horses for days among other things to improve their skills for the show.
Viggo Mortensen is another good one.
ETA: At one time Kiefer took a break from acting and moved to a ranch. He team roped competitively during this time.
Lou Diamond Phillips broke his arm when he basically just fell off his horse at a walk while filming Young Guns. I know this because a great bareback rider from NM that did the stunt work for Young Guns and The Cowboy Way was on a rodeo team to Australia I was on back in 1990 and he told me all about it. He did say it was amazing to watch them do the peyote scene because they were all stone cold sober. But at the time Young Guns was filmed, the actors couldn’t ride their way out of a wet paper bag for the most part.
The people that do the stunts, particularly horse ones, make actors look way better than they really are. Especially today thanks to technology.
I’ve always been intrigued with trick riding and horse stunts after visiting the Griffith family when I was pretty little. The entire family was, and still are, heavily involved in horse stunts in particular. Any unbelievable horse and rider scene in a movie? One of the family was probably doing it.
One of Tad’s stunt reels:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hGnllU6sDxk&feature=youtu.be
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Peecans
| Gator Bug - 2019-01-03 1:56 PM
FLITASTIC - 2019-01-03 2:47 PM My dad is a stuntman in the movies. Pretty much exclusively westerns and Johnny Depp is horrible rider but thinks he is just awesome. Usually almost gets killed. That is too funny! I think, he thinks, he is just great at everything!
Im trying to think of what movies he rode in all thats coming to mind is sleepy hallow and yaaaaa not great comicly aweful lol. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 705
Location: Weatherford, TX | della - 2019-01-03 3:25 PM Gator Bug - 2019-01-03 1:56 PM FLITASTIC - 2019-01-03 2:47 PM My dad is a stuntman in the movies. Pretty much exclusively westerns and Johnny Depp is horrible rider but thinks he is just awesome. Usually almost gets killed. That is too funny! I think, he thinks, he is just great at everything! Im trying to think of what movies he rode in all thats coming to mind is sleepy hallow and yaaaaa not great comicly aweful lol.
Thanks again guys...this is fun. I enjoy thinking of which movies, which actors were in and what; and all the old movies and actors and trying to remember all that. Lots of fun when you're bored sick on the couch during the day.
Edited by Gator Bug 2019-01-03 4:49 PM
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 Proud to be Deplorable
Posts: 1929
| I have to add Tommy Lee Jones to the list. He is a highly ranked polo player and owns a couple of polo teams that he plays on. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 705
Location: Weatherford, TX | jbhoot - 2019-01-03 5:41 PM I have to add Tommy Lee Jones to the list. He is a highly ranked polo player and owns a couple of polo teams that he plays on.
I didn't know that either about Polo and Tommy Lee Jones. Cool. He did ride really good in what Lonesome Dove episodes I saw (I have never seen the whole entire series through).
Thank you for the new knowledge of the Polo part and the reminder of his riding in film. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 705
Location: Weatherford, TX | Ok now... I was reading all these posts to my husband. And, while he is cooking chicken wings in our new Air Fryer Oven...it has now turned into Trivial Pursuit! LOL
He told me Jimmie Stewart rode good in How The West Was Won and Liberty Valance. And then...he got going on ALL the Westerns that Henry Fonda was in and how good he rode. And then my husband got going way, way back to Errol Flynn in one of the best Robin Hood movies for a very long time...according to my hubby. And then, he also told me Rock Hudson rode really good in The Undefeated.
I couldn't believe how my hubby got involved in this post. He usually could care less what I post...even when it involves horses and care. LOL However, he even got into this one naming off actors and movies way, way back.
So.. This is/has been a very fun post; and even more so, at home. Thanks so much!!! Still sick, but having fun! LOL |
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  Keeper of the King Snake
Posts: 7613
Location: Dubach, LA | Chestnut - 2019-01-03 1:39 AM
I think Sam Elliott has a good seat & dont remember him jerking on the horse. He's in Shadow Riders & The Sacketts & some other westerns also.
Dude, we know who Sam is. ??
Edited by CanCan 2019-01-03 7:22 PM
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Glenn Ford I think is/was a really good hand at riding and handling a horse. Jimmy/James Stewart is another I amire watching on horse back. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | cloverleaf - 2019-01-03 1:07 PM I always felt sorry for that big, good-looking stocking-legged horse that John Wayne always rode. He was a little heavy-handed. Ben Johnson was a real cowboy before he went to Hollywood; he won the World in Team Roping in 1953. He won an Oscar for his role in Last Picture Show in 1972.
Ben was awesome on horse back in his younger days, he did some trick riding.. |
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"Heck's Coming With Me"
Posts: 10793
Location: Kansas | Southtxponygirl - 2019-01-03 10:07 PM Glenn Ford I think is/was a really good hand at riding and handling a horse. Jimmy/James Stewart is another I amire watching on horse back.
Glenn Ford was a good rider but had an unusual habit of lifting his arms waaaay up and out when he rode at a fast pace. Jimmy Stewart, in almost all his westerns, rode the same horse named Pie. An easy-going sorrel that Jimmy said knew exactly how to act and where to stand in front of the cameras. This horse was getting pretty mossy-headed in later westerns but he stuck with him.
Let's not forget Roy Rogers and Trigger. The King of the Cowboys rode pretty good too.
Edited by Frodo 2019-01-04 6:19 AM
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Expert
Posts: 2128
| Jamie Foxx took up riding several years back when he was gifted a horse for his birthday. He used his new found skill to secure his role as the star of Jango Unchained. The horse he rides in the film is his personal mount. |
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Expert
Posts: 1314
Location: North Central Iowa Land of white frozen grass | How about Charles Bronson.
And Clint Eastwood and his son.
Edited by BS Hauler 2019-01-04 11:45 AM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 672
| William Shatner rides reining horses, I think he’s won some AQHA shows too. That’s kind of cool! |
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Miracle in the Making
Posts: 4013
| i don/t know who did what but the maginficent seven was so good and i love mcclintock
i forget the name of the movie but it was film the racetrack sence at pomono fair grounds i was 1 of the jockeys in but my haie was crammed ubder helmet early 70's |
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 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | veintiocho - 2019-01-04 5:24 PM
William Shatner rides reining horses, I think he’s won some AQHA shows too. That’s kind of cool!
He also received the NRHA Dale Wilkinson Lifetime Achievement award July 2018. Pretty neat! |
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 Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | Audie Murphy!!! |
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 Expert
Posts: 1395
Location: Missouri | Gator Bug - 2019-01-03 2:56 PM
FLITASTIC - 2019-01-03 2:47 PM My dad is a stuntman in the movies. Pretty much exclusively westerns and Johnny Depp is horrible rider but thinks he is just awesome. Usually almost gets killed. That is too funny! I think, he thinks, he is just great at everything!
I just got a mental image of Johnny Depp trying to ride while in his Captain Jack Sparrow persona....drunk....acting drunk....whatever.
I think I'm overly tired and I need to go to bed.  |
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My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | MOGirl07 - 2019-01-04 10:26 PM
Gator Bug - 2019-01-03 2:56 PM
FLITASTIC - 2019-01-03 2:47 PM My dad is a stuntman in the movies. Pretty much exclusively westerns and Johnny Depp is horrible rider but thinks he is just awesome. Usually almost gets killed. That is too funny! I think, he thinks, he is just great at everything!
I just got a mental image of Johnny Depp trying to ride while in his Captain Jack Sparrow persona....drunk....acting drunk....whatever.
I think I'm overly tired and I need to go to bed.
Wasn't he the one who went bankrupt buying unimaginable-priced wine 
Edited by Chandler's Mom 2019-01-04 10:53 PM
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Expert
Posts: 1395
Location: Missouri | Chandler's Mom - 2019-01-04 10:52 PM
MOGirl07 - 2019-01-04 10:26 PM
Gator Bug - 2019-01-03 2:56 PM
FLITASTIC - 2019-01-03 2:47 PM My dad is a stuntman in the movies. Pretty much exclusively westerns and Johnny Depp is horrible rider but thinks he is just awesome. Usually almost gets killed. That is too funny! I think, he thinks, he is just great at everything!
I just got a mental image of Johnny Depp trying to ride while in his Captain Jack Sparrow persona....drunk....acting drunk....whatever.
I think I'm overly tired and I need to go to bed.
Wasn't he the one who went bankrupt buying unimaginable-priced wine
Quick Google search and yeah, he's broke! Wine isnt the only problem here but evidently he likes to buy it and drink it all up. Ha.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/deadline.com/2018/06/johnny-depp-rollin... |
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Location: In my own little world | scwebster - 2019-01-03 7:11 AM Matt Damon sat one well in All the Pretty Horses. As does Lucas Black. He was in another horse movie, "Flash" when he was younger that required him to ride as well.
Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips and most all of the cast of Young Guns did well.
I saw that for Yellowstone, the actors had to go to Cowboy Boot Camp where they rode horses for days among other things to improve their skills for the show.
Viggo Mortensen is another good one.
ETA: At one time Kiefer took a break from acting and moved to a ranch. He team roped competitively during this time.
Matt Damon's brother is a barrel racer in the northwest. |
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"Heck's Coming With Me"
Posts: 10793
Location: Kansas | vjls - 2019-01-04 7:18 PM i don/t know who did what but the maginficent seven was so good and i love mcclintock
i forget the name of the movie but it was film the racetrack sence at pomono fair grounds i was 1 of the jockeys in but my haie was crammed ubder helmet early 70's
Would that be Casey's Shadow?
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 705
Location: Weatherford, TX | Frodo - 2019-01-05 9:46 AM vjls - 2019-01-04 7:18 PM i don/t know who did what but the maginficent seven was so good and i love mcclintock
i forget the name of the movie but it was film the racetrack sence at pomono fair grounds i was 1 of the jockeys in but my haie was crammed ubder helmet early 70's Would that be Casey's Shadow?
I completely forgot about Casey's Shadow! It has been so long since I've seen it. I don't remember the riding, but it was such a great movie back then. |
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Miracle in the Making
Posts: 4013
| Frodo - 2019-01-05 10:46 AM vjls - 2019-01-04 7:18 PM i don/t know who did what but the maginficent seven was so good and i love mcclintock
i forget the name of the movie but it was film the racetrack sence at pomono fair grounds i was 1 of the jockeys in but my haie was crammed ubder helmet early 70's Would that be Casey's Shadow?
no is was a gambling movie and the race ttrack scenes were just scence but it was fun
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 Brains Behind the Operation...
Posts: 4543
Location: Arizona | Tommy Lee Jones, Robert Duvall, and Tom Selleck always look good in the saddle, and you rarely see their horse's heads in the air. I was always impressed with Candice Bergen's riding in Bite the Bullet, too. I don't know if she had any prior riding experience but she looked very comfortable in the saddle. Gene Hackman, too.
A lot of the traditional western stars were good riders, but heavy handed. Styles were different then, though. Even the reining horses of those days often had their noses in the air while stopping.
My cousin doubled for Kevin Costner for many years; Kevin actually rides a lot, but I can always tell the difference in their riding, lol. Woody Harrelson's riding looked rough in The Cowboy Way, but was much better in The Hi-Lo Country. My dad doubled for Billy Crudup in that one. |
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"Heck's Coming With Me"
Posts: 10793
Location: Kansas | I get the feeling some of the roughness with their horses heads, especially in the older westerns, was to purposely upset their horse and stir them up for show. I loved Audie Murphy and he always rode good horses but he was a little guilty of that. Burt Lancaster was just the opposite. He liked to keep them quiet. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 898
Location: Idaho | Chris Pine in Wonder Woman <3 |
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"Heck's Coming With Me"
Posts: 10793
Location: Kansas | Orlando Bloom went from a non-rider to looking pretty darn good on a horse in Lord of the Rings and Kingdom of Heaven. He rode well bareback and that's always a good sign. |
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Brains Behind the Operation...
Posts: 4543
Location: Arizona | Frodo - 2019-01-12 8:16 PM
I get the feeling some of the roughness with their horses heads, especially in the older westerns, was to purposely upset their horse and stir them up for show. I loved Audie Murphy and he always rode good horses but he was a little guilty of that. Burt Lancaster was just the opposite. He liked to keep them quiet.
Probably a lot of truth to that. Makes things seem more urgent and dramatic. Like all those random horse noises they always add in, lol. |
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"Heck's Coming With Me"
Posts: 10793
Location: Kansas | Whinny19 - 2019-01-12 12:54 PM Frodo - 2019-01-12 8:16 PM I get the feeling some of the roughness with their horses heads, especially in the older westerns, was to purposely upset their horse and stir them up for show. I loved Audie Murphy and he always rode good horses but he was a little guilty of that. Burt Lancaster was just the opposite. He liked to keep them quiet. Probably a lot of truth to that. Makes things seem more urgent and dramatic. Like all those random horse noises they always add in, lol.
Edited by Frodo 2019-01-12 4:13 PM
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Just For Fun....Actors Riding in Movies