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365 Days in Horse Country - Remembering Hightower


Blog by Michael Stuart Webb | May 11th, 2013


365 Days in Horse Country – Remembering Hightower



One of the most-often-seen equine actors was a horse named Hightower.  This chestnut gelding appeared in so many films that nearly everyone who has ever gone to the movies has seen tis horse on the big screen.

Hightower was a stunt horse who appeared in many films in his long career, but he also had some significant roles.  He played Ginger in the 1974 remake of “Black Beauty”.

He was also Pilgrim, the horse trained by Robert Redford’s character in “The Horse Whisperer” and was the horse Julia Roberts too off on in the film “Runaway Bride”.

Owned and trained by Hollywood horse trainer Rex Peterson since the age of two, Hightower was one of the most intelligent, kind, and trainable horses the film industry had ever known.  He died at Peterson’s ranch in Tehachapi California well into his twenties.  A Breyer horse model honours his many achievements.

 

Michael