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Roy Rogers was a legendary American actor, singer, television host, and owner of the famous palomino stallion, Trigger. The iconic duo of Rogers and Trigger graced the big screens in the 1940s and 50s.
The American icons were beloved for their many cowboy movies and TV shows. “The King of Cowboys” and his beautiful palomino stallion were fan favorites, known for their wonderful Hollywood performances.
Here are seven interesting facts about Trigger, Roy Rogers’ beloved horse and film co-star.
Trigger Originally Went by A Different Name
The original name of Roy Roger’s horse Trigger was Golden Cloud. Golden Cloud was one of many horses that were brought in for Rogers’ to try for his role in “Under Western Stars”.
After the first ride, Rogers knew that the palomino stallion was the perfect match and didn’t even consider any other horses. Golden Cloud was smart, fast, had a nice lope and a good attitude.
While on set, actor Smiley Burnette told Rogers, “Roy, as quick as that horse of yours is, you ought to call him Trigger.” The name stuck, and the stallion’s rise to fame began.
After the release of “Under Western Stars”, Rogers realized his equine co-star was almost as popular as him. As a huge fan of Trigger himself, Rogers set out to buy the lovely palomino so they could star in more films together.
Rogers ended up buying Trigger from his owner Clyde Hudkins of Hudkins Stables. He bought the horse for $2,500 (approximately $30,000 today) and made payments until he was paid off in full. Rogers went on to say that purchasing Trigger was “for sure and certain the best $2,500 I have ever spent.”
Also Read: 17 Famous Horses in Movies and TV Series
Trigger is a Thoroughbred Cross
Trigger was out of a Thoroughbred sire and an unregistered mare, that was sometimes described as cold-blooded. His mother, who was also palomino, was thought to be a Quarter horse cross.
Trigger was said to be born on July 4, 1934, though some sources say he was born in 1932. He was born in San Diego, California and stood at 15.3 hands tall.
Trigger Had Backup Horse for Stunts
For some of his more dangerous stunts, as well as personal appearances, Trigger had backup stunts. Trigger’s famous backups included Little Trigger and Allen’s Golden Zephyr.
Little Trigger was said to be a Morgan that was recognizable by his white blaze and four white stockings. He was slightly shorter than Trigger, standing at 15 hands tall, and had a slightly stockier build. He was said to know over 100 tricks, and he performed some of Trigger’s most difficult action shots.
Allen’s Golden Zephyr, also known as Trigger Jr., was a registered Tennessee Walking horse that also had four white stockings and a blaze. Trigger Jr.’s main job was to make personal appearances on behalf of Trigger. He was also a very successful stud, siring many offspring. Unlike his doubles, Trigger only had one sock on his left leg and a wide blaze.
Also Read: 7 Most Incredible Horses In History
Trigger Was Known as “The Smartest Horse in Movies”
Trigger was often referred to as “the smartest horse in movies.” Famed Hollywood horseman Glenn Randall was Trigger’s trainer and was responsible for teaching the stallion most of what he knew.
Trigger’s signature trick was his vertical rear. However, the stallion was said to know over 100 tricks. One of the most impressive stunts Trigger was able to perform is walking up to 50 feet on his hind legs.
Included in our list of the most famous horses ever, Trigger appeared in 88 movies and 100 episodes of TV.
Though Trigger Was a Stallion, He Was Never Bred
Trigger was a stallion for his entire life, but he was never bred. Rogers opted to not breed Trigger, as he thought the stallion may lose his sweet disposition and find mares more interesting than movies.
Due to his celebrity status and kind nature, Trigger made many personal appearances. He would do events, visit children’s hospitals and shelters.
Rogers would often park his horse trailer with Trigger outside event arenas so even kids without tickets would get the chance to see the legendary stallion.
Trigger Lived to an Old Age
Tigger died on July 3, 1965, at Rogers’ ranch in Apple Valley, California. Trigger was 30 years old when he passed, and his cause of death is unknown.
After a largely successful career in Hollywood, Trigger lived out his days with his doting owner. He was so famous at the time that he even got his own comic books.
Also Read: 8 Oldest Horses in History
After His Death, Trigger Was Stuffed and Mounted
After his passing, Trigger was preserved and mounted by Everett Wilkens of Bischoff’s Taxidermy in Los Angeles. His hide was carefully stitched over a foam mold of his likeness.
The taxidermied Trigger is posed rearing, as that was one of the stallion’s signature moves. He was put on display at the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum in Apple Valley, California, after opening in 1967.
Trigger was a very popular attraction at the museum, with people coming from all over to view the stunning palomino. In its prime, the museum would receive over 200,000 visitors a year.
That same year, Rogers had a 24-foot tall fiberglass statue of Trigger rearing made. The statue sat on top of the museum for guests to see from the highway.
In 2003, the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum moved from California to Branson, Missouri. Trigger is displayed at the Missouri museum alongside his fiberglass statue, Buttermilk, Dale Evans’ horse, and Bullet, a German Shepherd dog. The preserved animals were on display at the museum until it closed in 2009.
After the museum closed down, the items were auctioned off in 2010 in New York City. Trigger’s preserved remains were sold to television channel RFD-TV for $266,500.
A developer by the name of Bob Tinsley bought the fiberglass statue and in 2018 returned to Apple Valley, California for display.
FAQs
Trigger Was Known as “The Smartest Horse in Movies”
Trigger's signature trick was his vertical rear. However, the stallion was said to know over 100 tricks. One of the most impressive stunts Trigger was able to perform is walking up to 50 feet on his hind legs.
How many triggers did Roy have? ›
Roy Rogers rode a number of horses during his film and television careers - they were all billed as "Trigger". In over a quarter century performing in public, he used three main Palominos: 1. The original, known on movie sets as "the Old Man".
What did Roy Rogers say to Trigger? ›
That same year, Rogers selected him as his mount, paying $US2500 on a time-payment plan. He said of his horse, who was renamed Trigger: “He would turn on a dime and he'd give you 9 cents change.”
How many tricks did Trigger know? ›
Film career
Rogers bought him eventually in 1943 and renamed him Trigger for his quickness of both foot and mind. Trigger learned 150 trick cues and could walk 50 ft (15 m) on his hind legs (according to sources close to Rogers).
How many tricks could Trigger do? ›
Trigger had a signature move which was his vertical rear. He was said to know over 100 tricks and could even walk 50 feet on his hind legs. He appeared in 88 movies and 100 tv episodes.
Why is Trigger called Trigger? ›
Rock & Chips
Trigger went to school with Del, Boycie, Denzel Tulser, Roy Slater and Jumbo Mills. Due to his haircut he later gained the nickname "Trigger" as his haircut made him look like a horse.
How long did Trigger live? ›
On July 3, 1965, at the Rogers ranch in Hidden Valley, California, Trigger, at age 30, passed away. Roy was reluctant to "put him in the ground", so Rogers had the horse mounted in a rearing position by Bishoff's Taxidermy of California.
Was Trigger a fast horse? ›
Smiley was right, Trigger was very fast; in fact he was the fastest horse on the lot. The beautiful golden horse was very athletic and could stop on a dime and give you nine cents change.
How fast could Trigger run? ›
A Trigger can execute up to 2500 times per second.
What was Trigger's original name? ›
In his long-running career, Trigger had 82 movies and 100 TV episodes to his credit. Trigger also had his own Dell comic book series, Roy Rogers' Trigger. Here are a few things to know about Trigger: Trigger's original name was “Golden Cloud.”
Lifespan of Horses
The average lifespan of a domesticated horse is 25 to 30 years old. The average for Mustangs and other horses in the wild is typically closer to 15 years. Domesticated horses tend to live longer because veterinarians can address their medical conditions and dietary needs.
How did Trigger the horse become famous? ›
Roy Rogers instantly fell in love with his excellent attitude and intelligence. While filming `Under Western Stars` fellow actor Smiley Burnette told Rogers, `Roy, as quick as that horse of yours is, you ought to call him Trigger. ` The name Trigger stuck and would become famous all around the world.
How much did Trigger sell for? ›
Rural cable network RFD-TV bought Bullet for $35,000 on Thursday and Trigger for $266,000 a day earlier at an auction in New York City. RFD-TV owner Patrick Gottsch said the Omaha, Neb.
What happened to Trigger and bullet? ›
As proof of Trigger's enduring popularity, the horse and dog Bullet were subsequently sold and moved again. As of 2021 they were on exhibit in the gift shop of the John Wayne Museum/Experience in Fort Worth, Texas.
How many times Trigger will be executed? ›
Statement level triggers executes only once for each single transaction. Specifically used for data auditing purpose.
How old was Trigger when he died? ›
When Trigger died in 1965 at age 33, the Smithsonian Institution wanted to display him in Washington. Mr. Rogers could not bear the separation. He had him mounted (not stuffed) and he remains, in his rearing hind-leg pose, the most popular attraction at the Roy Rogers-Dale Evans Museum in Victorville.
Who owns Trigger the horse now? ›
A local group, including Hitt and Tinsley, saved Trigger from being auctioned off after the Branson museum closed. The same group still maintains control of Trigger and the statue's present and possible future location.
Do horses have 2 Hearts? ›
Horses, like other mammals, have only one heart. However, the frog in each hoof acts like a pump to push blood back up the leg with each step a horse takes.
Do horses have 4 eyes? ›
Q: How many eyes does a horse have? A: 4. It has two eyes on the outside and two eyes on the inside.
Do horses ever cry? ›
Do horses cry? The general answer for if horses cry is that no, they do not openly weep like people do. However, they do have functioning tear ducts that can come into play when there is an irritation.
We call a stimulus that impacts behavior a “trigger.” Triggers can be both positive and negative. An example of a positive trigger is smiling back at a smiling baby. However, it is the negative triggers that we need to become aware of that can cause us to “go reactive.”
What are triggers Name 2 types of trigger *? ›
Types of Triggers –
We can define 6 types of triggers for each table: AFTER INSERT activated after data is inserted into the table. AFTER UPDATE: activated after data in the table is modified. AFTER DELETE: activated after data is deleted/removed from the table.
What is trigger known for? ›
It has produced anime works including Kill la Kill (2013), Little Witch Academia (short films, 2013 and 2015; TV series, 2017), Promare (2019), BNA: Brand New Animal (2020), and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (2022). Trigger Inc.
What kind of dog was Trigger? ›
There he became pals with a Chesapeake Bay retriever named Trigger. Now, whenever the rancher tossed Donald into the pond so that he could be with the other ducks in other words, his own kind Trigger would immediately dash in and retrieve him.
Who is triggers father? ›
What movies was the horse Trigger in? ›
Trigger
What game is Trigger from? ›
Chrono Trigger is a 1995 role-playing video game developed and published by Square. It was originally released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as the first game in the Chrono series.
Was there a Trigger Jr? ›
Trigger Jr., registered as Allen's Gold Zephyr, was the most famous of all yellow horses. He was foaled in 1941; his sire was Barker's Moonbeam (#380497) and his dam was Fisher's Gray Maud (#420776). He was bred by C. O. Barker, Readyville, Tennessee.
What is a famous horse name? ›
Top Famous Racehorse Names
- Secretariat.
- Seattle Slew.
- Man o' War.
- Citation.
- Red Rum.
- Seabiscuit.
- Kelso.
- Native Dancer.
Trigger, Roy Rogers' beautiful Golden Palomino stallion, and co-star with Roy in many of his movies and Roy's TV show, was often billed as "the smartest horse in the movies".
The items were from the now-closed Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum in Branson, Mo. They fetched more than expected, including Rogers' stuffed horse Trigger, which went for $266,500.
How old was Trigger the horse when he died? ›
When Trigger died in 1965 at age 33, the Smithsonian Institution wanted to display him in Washington. Mr. Rogers could not bear the separation. He had him mounted (not stuffed) and he remains, in his rearing hind-leg pose, the most popular attraction at the Roy Rogers-Dale Evans Museum in Victorville.
What breed was Trigger? ›
Trigger was a registered palomino. His sire was a Thoroughbred and his dam believed to be a Quarter Horse mix. Trigger was a stallion, but he was never bred. Rogers was afraid that the horse would find that occupation more interesting than movie work!
What animal is Trigger? ›
Trigger, Roy Rogers' beautiful Golden Palomino stallion, and co-star with Roy in many of his movies and Roy's TV show, was often billed as "the smartest horse in the movies".
What was Trigger's character name? ›
Colin Ball, more commonly known as Trigger (born 22 April 1948), is a fictional character in the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses and its prequel Rock & Chips. He was played by Roger Lloyd-Pack in Only Fools and Horses and Lewis Osbourne in Rock & Chips.
Who bought Trigger and Bullet? ›
Its run there wasn't successful enough to survive. The museum closed, and the collection was sold at auction in 2010. Trigger went for $266,500 to a cable TV company, RFD-TV, which also snagged Bullet and Buttermilk.
Who bought trigger Jr? ›
Cowboy Elmer Rudd, who sold Trigger Jr. to Roy Rogers, dead at 83.
Which cowboy had a dog named Bullet? ›
He was billed as the 'wonder dog,' and made his debut in the Roy Rogers film Spoiler's of the Plains in 1951, produced by Republic Pictures. Bullet was a regular on The Roy Rogers Show on NBC television from 1951-1957 and CBS from 1961-64.
