Roy Rogers and his horse Trigger are among the most famous duos in American entertainment history — a real-life cowboy and his extraordinary horse who became inseparable on and off screen.
“If it wasn’t for Trigger, there would be no Roy Rogers.”
Trigger was born on July 4, 1934, on a ranch near San Diego and was originally named Golden Cloud. He was a golden palomino stallion, a Thoroughbred cross, and was known for his beautiful coat and white mane and tail. Before meeting Roy Rogers, Golden Cloud was already a movie horse, appearing as the mount of Maid Marian (played by Olivia de Havilland) in the 1938 film The Adventures of Robin Hood.
In 1938, Rogers was searching for a horse for his first starring role in the film Under Western Stars. Golden Cloud, rented from Hudkins Stables, was brought out for him to try. He instantly knew this was the horse he wanted, reportedly not even looking at any other candidates after riding the magnificent stallion. Rogers later purchased him for $2,500.
The name “Trigger” came from Rogers’ sidekick in the film, Smiley Burnette, who commented that the horse was so quick on his feet that he was “quick on the trigger.” Roy loved the name, and it stuck.
Trigger was famously known as “The Smartest Horse in the Movies.” Under the guidance of his primary trainer, Glenn Randall, Trigger learned over 100 tricks and cues. His signature move was his dramatic vertical rear. He could also bow, count by striking his hoof, sit in a chair, sign his name with a pencil, and was even supposedly housebroken.
Trigger appeared in 88 motion pictures and 101 episodes of The Roy Rogers Show on television, co-starring with Rogers and his wife, Dale Evans (who rode her own palomino, Buttermilk). His celebrity was immense; he received thousands of fan letters weekly, and his hoof prints were mounted in cement alongside Rogers’ handprints at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
Trigger was an essential part of Rogers’ personal appearance tours, where he performed tricks for fans. Rogers was protective of his horse and often used doubles, such as “Little Trigger” and “Trigger Jr.,” for dangerous stunts or to help with the strenuous touring schedule. Rogers famously did not use spurs or a whip on Trigger, instead communicating with the horse through gentle touch and hand movements.
Trigger retired from active filming in 1957 but continued to make special appearances. He lived a long life on Rogers’ ranch in Apple Valley, California, and died on July 3, 1965, one day before his 31st birthday.
Roy Rogers, not wanting to bury his beloved partner, had Trigger’s hide professionally preserved and mounted in his iconic rearing pose. This mount was a star attraction at the Roy Rogers-Dale Evans Museum, which operated for many years in California and later in Branson, Missouri. When the museum closed in 2010, the preserved mount of Trigger was sold at auction for $266,500 to the cable television channel RFD-TV, who became the horse’s caretakers.
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