Trigger (horse) facts for kids
Roy Rogers and co-star Lynne Roberts with Trigger, in the 1936 film "Billy the Kid Returns"
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| Breed | Grade horse |
|---|---|
| Discipline | Movie horse |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | July 4, 1934 |
| Country | United States |
| Color | Palomino |
| Owner | Roy Rogers |
Trigger (born July 4, 1934 – died July 3, 1965) was a very famous palomino horse. He starred in many American Western movies alongside his owner and rider, the cowboy star Roy Rogers. Trigger was known for his beautiful golden coat and white mane and tail. He was one of the most recognized horses in movie history.
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Trigger's Movie Career
Trigger's original name was Golden Cloud. He first appeared in the movie The Adventures of Robin Hood in 1938. In that film, he was ridden by Maid Marian, played by Olivia de Havilland.
Soon after, Roy Rogers was getting ready for his first starring movie role. He needed a horse and chose Golden Cloud from five available "movie" horses. Roy loved Golden Cloud so much that he bought him in 1943. He then renamed him Trigger because of how quick he was, both in his movements and his thinking.
Trigger was a very smart horse. He learned over 150 different tricks! He could even walk 50 feet (about 15 meters) on his back legs. People who worked with Roy Rogers said they ran out of new tricks to teach Trigger. He became quite a show-off. If he heard applause, he would start bowing, sometimes even before his trick was finished!
Trigger could also sit in a chair, "sign" his name with a pencil, and even lie down for a nap and cover himself with a blanket. One of Roy Rogers's most amazing secrets was that Trigger was housebroken. This meant Trigger could go into hotels, theaters, and hospitals without making a mess. Many animal trainers thought this was Trigger's greatest achievement.
Roy Rogers cared so much about Trigger that he often included him in his advertisements. For example, in a "Best Wishes for the New Year" ad in Variety magazine, he signed it "Roy Rogers and Trigger." Trigger was Roy's trusted partner in many movies and in his 1950s television series. Roy's wife, Dale Evans, also had a famous horse named Buttermilk.
Trigger became the most famous horse in entertainment. He even had his own Dell comic book series, which told stories about his adventures. Roy Rogers and Trigger made many personal appearances together. Roy would often take Trigger up stairs in hospitals to visit sick children, which was a very kind thing to do.
Trigger's Special Kilt
In 1954, while performing in a show in Glasgow, Scotland, Trigger received a very special gift. He was given a kilt, which is a traditional Scottish skirt-like garment. The kilt was made from a pattern called Dress Stewart Tartan. It was a unique honor for a horse!
Trigger's Lasting Legacy
Trigger, whose original name was Golden Cloud, passed away in 1965 at Roy Rogers' ranch in Apple Valley, California. Roy Rogers wanted to make sure Trigger's memory lived on. He had Trigger's hide preserved and mounted by a taxidermist. This means Trigger's skin was carefully placed over a foam model that looked just like him.
This preserved Trigger was then put on display at the Roy Rogers-Dale Evans Museum. The museum first opened in Apple Valley in 1967. Later, the museum and Trigger moved to Victorville, California, in 1976, and then to Branson, Missouri, in 2003.
A huge, 24-foot (about 7-meter) tall statue of Trigger rearing up was made for the top of the Roy Rogers Museum in Victorville. This 1,300-pound (about 600 kg) statue was so big it could be seen from the freeway. It became a famous landmark!
When the fiberglass statue of Trigger was being made, the owners of the Denver Broncos football team asked Roy Rogers for a copy. Roy allowed another statue to be made for them, and then he broke the mold. This means no more copies could be made. Trigger's twin statue, named "Bucky the Bronco," now stands above the scoreboard at Empower Field at Mile High, which is the Broncos' stadium.
The Roy Rogers-Dale Evans Museum closed in 2010. Its contents, including the preserved Trigger, were sold at an auction in New York City. Trigger's preserved remains were bought for $266,500 by a television channel called RFD-TV. They plan to create a Western museum. The large fiberglass statue of Trigger was bought by Bob Tinsley, a developer who built Roy Rogers' home. He wanted to keep the statue in Apple Valley, saying, "I just couldn't see letting him go anywhere else."
Movies Featuring Trigger
Trigger appeared in many films. Here are some of them:
- The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
- Man from Cheyenne (1942)
- San Fernando Valley (1944)
- Lake Placid Serenade (1944)
- Don't Fence Me In (1945)
- Along the Navajo Trail (1945)
- My Pal Trigger (1946)
- Roll on Texas Moon (1946)
- Under Nevada Skies (1946)
- The Gay Ranchero (1948)
- Under California Stars (1948)
- Melody Time (1948)
- The Golden Stallion (1949)
- Son of Paleface (1952)
