Cari Swanson

Come Meet “Secretariat” and “Hidalgo” Saturday, 1pm at Windrock Farm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

When:  December 5, 2009, 1pm  Open to the Public
Where:  Windrock Farm 724 Bangall Amenia Road, Amenia, NY
Contact:  Cari Swanson 914.456.3155
cari@cariswanson.com
www.SwansonPetersonProductions.com <http://www.SwansonPetersonProductions.com>

More photos available by request

“Secretariat” visits “Hidalgo” in Dutchess County this weekend.  Come meet Rex Peterson, the Internationally acclaimed Hollywood Horse trainer work with two of his famous horses, Harbor Mist (DREAMER, FLICKA, SECRETARIAT) and RJ (HIDALGO, TAKING WOODSTOCK) at Windrock Farm.  Rex is a master horseman who has worked for three decades in the film industry training horses for some of the most complicated scenes with horses, including THE HORSE WHISPERER, BLACK BEAUTY, DREAMER, FLICKA, THE BLACK STALLION, HIDALGO, DREAMER.

HARBOR MIST aka Mr. T is a 10 year old thoroughbred gelding bred to race he was started 51 times he had a career earnings of a little over 40,000 with a lack luster career as a race horse but the right look he was chosen as one of the horses for DREAMER. Schooled to do the lay down hang in the sling follow Dakota Fanning around and play with her I realized he had some charisma about him so after the film ended I took him home and continued to school on him. Mr. T has also worked in commercials and on FLICKA, APPALOOSA, TEMPLE GRANDIN, and most recently in SECRETARIAT.

Rex Peterson will also work his talented RJ, a very famous paint stallion who portrayed Hidalgo in “Hidalgo”, the Disney film co-starring Viggo Mortensen as well as several other films and TV shows.

Rex is one of the requested horse trainers in Hollywood, a favorite of Directors and Actors because of his well-trained horses.  Viggo Mortensen writes: “I have had the privilege of learning about horses and riding from Rex Peterson, and the good fortune to watch up-close the remarkable results he achieves with even the most challenging of horses and riders. He has guided me through the movies “Hidalgo” and “Appaloosa”, and I have been lucky to become his friend and ride many miles in all sorts of conditions with him. He makes his job as horse-master look effortless, but those who have trained under him over the years know it most assuredly is not. He does appear to have a gift for “reading” people and horses, always finding the most suitable teaching approach in each situation, but he works extremely hard every single day, often for many hours at a time”

Come meet Rex Peterson for this rare opportunity to work two of his talented Hollywood horses at liberty and recount many stories about working with horses behind the scene on motion pictures.

Contact:  Cari Swanson
914.456.3155
cari@cariswanson.com
www.SwansonPetersonProductions.com <http://www.SwansonPetersonProductions.com>

The Real McCoy

Droid Commercial with Tye

Rex received a last minute call from a production company in LA  to bring horse to a commercial for Verizon.  Originally they requested a horse to rear under saddle and then gallop off into the desert.  When we arrived on set, the director decided he wanted something entirely different.  Tye was the Directors pick of the 3 horses Rex brought including Tuff and Copper.  You can see in the final commercial his performance is nothing like the original story board. Fortunately the client loved the look and result of the cowboy being knocked to the ground.  After the first couple takes I think Tye thought he was supposed to knock the cowboy to the ground, so with each new take he gave it more drama and gusto.  Rex and his son Ryan, worked Tye from the ground while I rode a pick up horse with another outrider so that  after e we could  bring Tye back to the set after each take.  Special effects had some difficulty blowing up the explosives, with several duds and a few times of only a black cloud which created a wall so that Tye ran the wrong direction, circling back behind camera to his stablemates.  It was a long hot day in the desert, but in the end everyone was thrilled with the result you see here.

Silver and The Lone Ranger

I am fascinated with the history of horses in films and have been researching the horses used in The Lone Ranger.  Recently I came across the following from a beautiful book Hollywood Hoofbeats by Petrine Mitchem.

The Lone Ranger began as a radio serial in 1933.  The famous fictional partnership between the masked hero and his “fiery horse with the speed of light” began when the Lone Ranger saved Silver, a wild white stallion from a buffalo attack.  Clayton Moore portrayed the Lone Ranger in the television series that debuted in 1949.  His trademark cry “Hi Yo Silver!” preceded wild gallops in defense of good.  The original Silver, formerly White Cloud, was a Tennessee Walker standing 17 hands tall.  The twelve year old even-tempered Silver was a natural picture horse.

A second Silver was purchased as a four-year-old in 1949.  He was half Arabian and half Saddlebred.  He was extremely high strung and required the magic touch of Glenn Randall, Sr. who trained the horse until 1952.  Silver number two was  used to double the original in the action scenes, often performing the signature Randall famous near vertical rear.

Jonathan Groff Meets RJ

Jonathan Groff meeting RJ with Ang Lee on the set of “Taking Woodstock” in Millerton , NY.  Jonathan learned to ride with me with only 2 weeks to prep for the scene.  I started teaching him on my schoolmasters before having him ride RJ who is a seasoned Hollywood star.  RJ was one of the horses who played Hidalgo in the Disney classic film of the same name.  RJ spent months on the set in Morocco, Montana and California honing his craft.  Trained by Rex Peterson, RJ learned to work like a pro on set with tthe cast and crew.  Jonathan quickly learned to ride with the help of his background in dance and music, after all riding is all about rhythm and balance.  Jonathan’s riding experience helped secure a role in Robert Redford’s new film “The Conspirator”, currently filming in Savannah, Georgia.

This photo was taken on this mud field for the last scene of the film.  The groundskeeper watered the fields with fire hoses for two days to create the feeling of Woodstock after 4 days of rain.  The ground was so sloppy that RJ refused to walk in it.  The crew had to lay rubber stall mats to create a path for him to have secure footing.

Ed Harris in “Appaloosa”

Rex Peterson trained the horses for this western “Appaloosa” which is fun to watch, filled with humor and raw emotion.  Rex used many of his horses for this film including Tuff, Harbor Mist, Cache, Copper and Tye.  To learn more about these incredible actors visit the Equine Stars in Film

Win an RJ/Hidalgo Hoofprint Bag

What do Matt Damon, Miley Cyrus, Tim McGraw, Robert Redford, Julia Roberts, Heath Ledger, Nicole Kidman, Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, Tom Cruise, Jeremy Irons, Dakota Fanning, Richard Gere, Ann Hathaway, Kurt Russell and Penelope Cruz have in common??  Hint Send your answer by 11/15 to cari@cariswanson.com and if you are correct we will send you a tote bag with RJ’s signature hoof print logo

Trick Riding

As a kid, Rex Peterson rode Trick horses and ponies–this one is Motor Scooter, performing at Rodeos and events across the country with his family.  Click here for more Photos from the archives.

Cast Horses for Film-Tuff, Tutt, Tazz, Monkey

Tuff, Tutt, Tazz and Monkey in California.  The field of “Blacks” are ready to be cast in their next film.

Horse Training Tips

Does your horse have perfect ground manners?  Does he listen to you and respond IMMEDIATELY to your request?  Is your horse happy in his work?  Do you cross train him to build up multiple muscle groups?  Does your horse stop on command in any situation?  If not, check out  solutions to common horse training solutions.