Posted July 20th, 2009 — Filed under
Cari Swanson,
Hidalgo,
horses in film,
Rex Peterson,
RJ Masterbug,
Windrock Farm
Tagged
Cari Swanson,
Hidalgo,
horses in film,
R Masterbug,
Viggo Mortensen,
Windrock Farm — No Comments
After 5 years from its premiere, the Disney film “Hidalgo” remains popular among many horse lovers. Every week I receive emails from fans asking about the number of horses used in making this epic tale. Here are good friends, Viggo Mortensen (the human star) and Rex Peterson (the horse trainer) on TJ and RJ behind the scenes on the set in Morocco. You can see the make-up running off the horses faces. Each morning the 2 main cast horses had to sit for over an hour while the make-up crew painted them to look alike. Just another example of the magic of making movies.
Posted January 12th, 2009 — Filed under
Cari Swanson,
Clinics,
horse care,
Icelandic Puppies,
Rex Peterson,
RJ Masterbug,
Shows,
Training,
Windrock Farm
Tagged
Bridling,
horse training,
Horse Wisdom — No Comments
This uniquely designed tool, the Sugar String will help you teach your horse to put his head down whenever and where ever you ask him to. Designed by Rex Peterson as an easy and humane way to teach a horse to drop his head and open his mouth for effortless bridling and clipping around the head. Taken to an extreme, the Sugar String can help teach your horse to walk next to you with his nose at your ankles. In the movie Dreamer, the horse had to walk next to Dakota Fanning, the kid and safely keep his distance. He also learned to carry her backpack and nudge her gently along. Everyone wants a well mannered horse, and this tool is ideal to train your horse to drop his head and become submissive to you on command. Check it out on the following web site!
Swanson Peterson Productions
Rex Peterson demonstrates his skills training RJ to free jump a course.
Rex and RJ just finished their final demonstration to a pleased crowd. We have three hours remaining at this year’s Equine Affaire–an event that shouldn’t be missed for horse lovers.
The thing that stands out the most from our time here is the number of devoted fans of RJ because of the film “Hidalgo.” This stallion is truly a star. Men and women alike see him and melt. Stories abound of how people have seen the movie over and over and over. The fans know that more than one horse played Hidalgo and they know which horse Viggo Mortensen (the human star of the movie) bought. Rex spoke about why he kept RJ and how Cari pried RJ away from him, at least partly. It’s RJ’s larger than life personality that won Rex’s and Cari’s hearts as well the hearts of millions of devoted fans.