With the passing of Robert Redford, we’d like to share his lifelong love of horses. Robert Redford learned to ride a horse well enough to do his own stunts for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and later The Electric Horseman after Butch Cassidy was released. He developed a lifelong love of horses starting with a pony ride as a child, and his skill progressed as his career demanded more advanced riding abilities.
Childhood Experience
Redford's love for horses began at a young age, with his first experience being on a pony ride at ages five or six, which he described as "instant love".
Robert Redford starred in movies that featured horses, most notably The Horse Whisperer (1998), where he plays a horse trainer. He also starred in The Electric Horseman (1979) as a rodeo star who steals a racehorse. Even before these, he developed comfort on horseback while filming Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
Here are the specific films:
- The Horse Whisperer (1998)
Redford directed and starred as Tom Booker, a Montana horse trainer who helps heal a traumatic injury to a teenager's horse. - The Electric Horseman (1979)
In this film, Redford plays a down-on-his-luck rodeo rider who escapes with a valuable racehorse named "Rising Star". Redford was known to be attached to the horse from this film, taking it back to his Utah ranch after shooting. - Jeremiah Johnson (1972)
A biographical Western in which Redford plays the title character, a trapper who takes to the Rocky Mountains to live off the land. Horses are central to his survival and lifestyle in the wilderness. - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
While there's no record of Redford's role in this film specifically involving horses, he became very comfortable riding them during the filming of this 1969 movie.
While Robert Redford has not publicly stated a preference for a specific breed in his films, he did form a deep bond with a Thoroughbred named Let's Merge during the filming of The Electric Horseman.
Robert Redford's relationship with the Thoroughbred
- A lifelong companion. Redford grew so attached to the five-year-old bay Thoroughbred that he adopted the horse after filming was complete.
- His retirement. Let's Merge lived out the rest of his life on Redford's ranch in Utah.
Other horses in Redford's career
- Wild mustangs. Beyond his acting roles, Redford has been an outspoken advocate for wild horses. He was an executive producer for the 2020 documentary The Mustangs: America's Wild Horses, which follows mustangs on federal lands.
- Pilgrim. In The Horse Whisperer, the traumatized horse that Redford's character trains was actually played by several different animals.
Charitable Contributions
Robert Redford was a staunch supporter and friend of the wild horse sanctuary Return to Freedom, advocating for their conservation and protection from slaughter and advocating for humane management practices. He was also an executive producer of the documentary The Mustangs: America's Wild Horses and a co-founder of the Foundation to Protect New Mexico Wildlife, which opposed horse slaughterhouses.
Key Charities and Organizations
- Return to Freedom
Redford supported this organization, which runs a sanctuary for wild horses and burros and works on their conservation and advocacy. He was a passionate supporter of their efforts to provide a safe haven and protect the "freedom, diversity, and habitat of America's wild horses". - Foundation to Protect New Mexico Wildlife
Redford co-founded this organization with former Governor Bill Richardson, which aimed to block proposed horse slaughterhouses in New Mexico and Iowa.
Other Contributions
- Executive Producer of "The Mustangs"
Redford served as an executive producer for the documentary The Mustangs: America's Wild Horses, further highlighting his commitment to the cause. - Advocacy Against Horse Slaughter
He was a vocal opponent of the horse slaughter industry, describing it as "fundamentally un-American". Redford signed letters to Congress opposing plans to round up and slaughter wild horses and burros.
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