“If production companies need something, they find it,” says Allegra. At that time, nobody was doing horse and carriage it was like a bygone era.”Īllegra’s horse-drawn wedding business grew, and eventually his antique carriages caught the attention of directors filming documentaries in the New England area. From there, word got around that I had a horse and carriage. Then somebody asked me if I would do a wedding. “I had some horses and always wanted to drive, so I found an old surrey at a car dealership and started to restore it. “It started as a hobby back in 1973,” says Allegra. Allegra has a growing collection of 80 antique coaches and carriages, farm vehicles, and even hearses, one of which was recently used in an episode of the HBO series Boardwalk Empire. John Allegra and John Valley of Allegra Farm in East Haddam, Conn., have been hired to drive horse-drawn carriages for many productions that are set during the 19th century, including Time Machine, Kate & Leopold, Amistad and, most recently, a film with Cuba Gooding Jr. Look for Friesians in the second film of the Hunger Games trilogy, Catching Fire, as well. Friesians in particular can be seen pulling carriages in the ABC series Once Upon a Time and in Universal Pictures’ Your Highness. Horses are often seen in harness for productions that take place during the 19th century or medieval times, or those that bring fairytales to life. Lovgren says Ariaan took up a career in dressage following his appearance in The Legend of Zorro. Sadly, Casey passed away in September 2013, but after Zorro, he went on to work in other films, like Avatar. “The horse that is standing next to the wall crossing his legs and acting drunk is El Lobo,” says Lovgren. One of Ariaan’s backups, El Lobo, starred in one of the more humorous scenes. In another, they’re seen riding through a lake before entering Zorro’s hideout. In one particular scene, Zorro rides Toronado (Ariaan) into the stable, and the two have a “dialogue” sequence. His job called for a lot of rearing and close-up shots. That was a combination of two Friesians: Casey and Duke.”įor the sequel, The Legend of Zorro, a Friesian named Ariaan was the main star. The horse comes underneath him and at the last minute steps out, and Zorro falls on the ground. “Zorro is on top of the building and whistles for the horse. “Later on, he’s in that whole sequence when the barn catches on fire and blows up,” recalls Lovgren. After rearing and breaking free, he runs through the market, jumping over obstacles in his path until Alejandro de la Vega (aka Zorro) walks up to him and calms him down. In one of Casey’s big scenes, Toronado is led into a marketplace by some soldiers on horseback. “Antonio rode him for the majority of that film,” says horse trainer Bobby Lovgren, who worked with the horses on the set of both Zorro films. In the first film, a stallion named Casey was the go-to equine actor for the role. In The Mask of Zorro and The Legend of Zorro, the role of Toronado, Zorro’s beloved steed, is often played by Friesians. TV shows that have cast Friesians include Game of Thrones and Lost. In addition to the Zorro films, the breed has starred in Clash of the Titans, 300, The Chronicles of Narnia, Snow White and the Huntsman, Interview with a Vampire, and Sense and Sensibility, among others. Pair his looks with his calm, friendly disposition and it’s easy to see why the Friesian is big in the entertainment industry. The Friesian is stalwart but elegant, an eye-catching combination. “Typically, I find the Friesians will look at something, but they don’t care very much or try to run away from something silly,” he explains. While any horse cast in a movie or TV show is going to be trained to handle the hustle and bustle of a busy set, Lovgren says the Friesians tend to be naturally calm and steady. “They’re kind horses, and they’re very willing to please. “They are very easy to train and the bloodlines are so good,” he says. Lovgren notes that Friesians work hard and are agreeable in training. “The big thing for me when I’m picking my horses is to know what kind of Friesian I need to do the job at hand,” he says. “You’ve got to make sure you pick the that are suited to the job.” He adds that body styles vary among Friesians, and like any breed, individual temperaments differ too. “The films I’ve done with Friesians have had very fast running types of stunts,” says Lovgren. It draws attention.”įor the Zorro films, the horses were trained to perform skills such as rearing, lying down, retrieving a bottle, looking back, shaking their head yes or no, pawing, and some running and jumping. Every photographer and cameraperson wants that look: the flowing mane, the way they move. “They love the high-arched neck and how proud they are. “Directors love the look ,” says Lovgren.
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