There were two Silvers used on The Lone Ranger. One was a gentle and good looking stallion they named Liver Lip because of his protruding lower lip. The bit he used had a copper roller and he would tongue that copper roller so his lip would hang down. They finally had to tape the roller down because the sound department would pick up the clatter as he rolled it against his teeth. He had a dark spot on his hindquarters that had to be dyed before filming. The second horse came along while John Hart was playing The Lone Ranger. Though it was rarely visible on the show, horse two had a black spot in his left ear, the only black spot on his body. That's how Clayton could always tell them apart in photographs. Otherwise, they were nearly identical. Neither Silver was Clayton's personal horse of course, but he made sure he was taken care of, well bedded down and handled with kid gloves. He kept a pretty close eye on that horse. Horse two and Clayton would sometimes go on tour together and he had special rubber horseshoes made so they wouldn't damage schools' wooden stages.If they did a parade, Clayton would use steel shoes with borium nails, much harder than steel. He never took number one horse on tour. Both were specially trained for motion pictures, but Silver number two was very camera wise. Sometimes they'd use a motor to start the camera, and his ears would twitch when he heard it, he knew when the camera was on.
Traveller was used by General Robert E. Lee throughout most of the Cival War. The iron grey horse was born in 1857 in Greenbriar County, which is now in West Virginia. He was first called Jeff Davis by Andrew Johnston, who raised him. He was renamed Greenbriar by his next owner, Captain Joseph M. Broun. Lee bought the horse from Captain Broun for $200 during his late 1861 stay in South Carolina. Lee renamed his new mount Traveller.Traveller, who weighed about eleven hundred pounds and stood nearly sixteen hands high, served his master well. He out lived General Lee and upon his death he was buried next to the Lee Chapel. In 1907 his remains were disinterred and displayed at the chapel for a period of time before reburied on the front campus outside the Lee Chapel.
The best description or Traveller was Lee's own, which he wrote in response to Mrs. Lee's cousin, Markie Williams, who wished to paint a portrait of Traveller:
If I was an artist like you, I would draw a true picture of Traveller, representing his fine proportions; muscular figure, deep chast, short back, strong haunches, flat legs, small head, broad forehead, delicate ears, quick eye, small feet and black mane and tail. Such a picture would inspire a poet, whose genius could then depict his worth and describe his endurance of toil, hunger, thirst, heat and cold; and the dangers and suffering through which he has passed. He could dilate on his sagacity and affection, and his invariable response to every wish of his rider. He might even imagine his thoughts through the long night marches and days of the battle through which he has passed. But I am no artist Markie, and can therefore only say he is a Confederate Grey.
Mr. Ed was a parade and show horse named Bamboo Harvester. He was born in 1949 in ElMonte, California. He was trained by Les Hilton, who had apprenticed under Will Rogers and worked with the mules in Frances The Talking Mule.
The series is about a talking horse and the architect, Wilber, who loved him. Wilber had to keep the secret that the horse could talk, and Mr. Ed only spoke to Wilber. The only exception was when he spoke to children, telling Wilber "Who would believe a kid saying a horse can talk?"
Mr. Ed constantly became involved in comedy situations, such as giving a birthday party with all his horse friends, flying an airplane, riding a surfboard, flying a kite and delivering newspapers. Mr. Ed is a favorite classic TV show and several awards, such as the Oscar for Animals. It was so popular that there was a talking puppet made by the Mattel Toy Company. It had a recording in the same voice as the television series with such quotes as "I am a horse of course" and "Oh horse feathers."
Mr. Ed suffered from arthritis in the last years of his life. When the pain became too much, he was put to sleep. He died in the 1970's.
Ask people what comes to mind when you say Man O' War, and most will say he was the greatest Thoroughbred in history. They were right. Man O' War was voted the # 1 racehorse of the 20th century.
Man O' War was foaled in 1917. As a yearling, Man O' War was sold for $5,000 to Ed Buhler on behalf of Samuel Riddle of Pennsylvania. His trainer was Louis Feustel.
As a two year old, Man O' War won nine out of ten starts. His only defeat that year was to a horse named Upset, in the 1919 Sanford Stakes. The traffic was so bad that some observers said it was a possible fix. Because of the suspicion, the jockeys of both Man O' War and Upset were denied racing licenses by the Jockey Club the following year. At the end the year, Man O' War was named Champion 2 year old colt.
As a juvenile, Man O' War carried 130 lbs. in six consecutive races, five of which he won. He also won the Futurity Stakes under 127 lbs.
Man O' War could easily have won the Triple Crown, but Kentucky was considered "the west" to eastern turfmen. Riddles also decided that 1 1/4 mile and 126 lbs. in the early spring was too much for a young colt. He had no idea what a mistake that decision would be. So Man O' War, the Kentucky bred horse and Kentucky legend, would never race in the Derby, or in any other Kentucky race.
Man O' War did, however, easily win the 1920 Preakness. He also took the Belmont by 20 lengths. In the Dwyer, a colt by the name of John P. Grier brought him to a drive in the stretch, but he hung on for the win. He won the Potomac Handicap under an astonishing 138 lbs., and even more astonishing, he flew through the Lawrence Realization to win by a recorded 100 lengths. In 1920, he was named Horse of the Year.
Man O' War was retired to stud in 1921, after winning $249,465 in earnings. His most famous offspring is War Admiral, who won the Triple Crown in 1937. He was named leading American sire in 1926.
Man O' War died in 1947. He was buried under a larger than life statue of himself at Kentucky Horse Park. As a unique honor, his body was embalmed and placed in a giant casket lined with his racing colors. Over 2000 mourners attended the elaborate funeral. Man O' War was eulogized by his groom and buddy as "de mostest hoss that ever wuz." No description in more formal grammar could ever top that.
