Rio Grande (USA 1950) - Ben Johnson Riding Skill

[fitzjamie1]

Ben Johnson==best to sit a horse!!

[42sundown]

I just played this about 3 more times and studied it carefully. There are not really enough words in my vocabulary to describe how well mounted he was for this scene. This is very possibly an ex race/rodeo horse of real quality. See the accelleration from an already fast run when Ben goes over and back with the reins. Also see how fast he was able to stop from an all out run, go down carefully when asked, and lay still while being shot over. Look at his eyes for the gunfight. Magnificient!!

[sonice2behere]

@42sundown : 0:39, I root for the Indians!  Awesome how well they sit (in this case saddle), balance and with hands basically in the air, while shooting guns over their horses heads and all of this, at a run over rocky land. Brilliant skill!!!!

[42sundown]

@sonice2behere..Great, although they were more likely to be Italian than indian, with blankets over regular tack. I would be really interested in knowing a lot more about Indian stunt men, extras, and Indians for cameo and better parts, bias.... I was a kid in the 40s and 50s. I would get to see a movie now and then, and then try out all this stuff on my real mustang. She saved me so many times. I am a sixteenth Indian so I cheered for both sides depending on circumstances.

[42sundown]

Yakima Canut, Slim Pickens, and even Casey Tibbs whose likeness riding Necktie is the statue that you see at the Cowboy Hall Of Fame were champion cowboys who became stunt men and "movie Stars". Lookin back at rodeo money in my day, it was much more lucrative to become an actor or stuntman than be a rodeo cowboy. Probably still is but at least PBR champions can do well now. 1960 I believe, Bill Kornell went to 119 rodeos and won less than 20.000 and be the RCA World Champion Bull Rider.

[42sundown]

Ben Johnson is an Oklahoma legend who is the son of an Oklahoma legend. He was a world champion roper whose father Ben Johnson was a champion and had the Ben Johnson Memorial Roping named for him. I don't know if they still have that roping or not but it was big in the 50s and 60s.  The horses deserve so much credit for these movies. It is so dangerous to ride at that speed across rocky and uneven ground. To have a running horse trip and fall with you is about as bad as it gets.

[jamiehorsey]

This is the best scene in the whole movie, just like the best scene in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon is the escape from the Dog Soldiers. I always loved the twirl he did with his horse at the start of the chase.

[firglenchainsaws]

Ben Johnson was calf roping champion and excellent horseman.

[Hawkswill]

Racing horse was probably Bingo the horse that doubled for Steel, Ben's favorite mount and the one he did the ''take down'' on. Ben was one of the best riders in pictures and Pappy Ford put scenes into movies for the pure joy of watching him ride! KP

[prancingkitty]

Love Ben Johnson. Thanks for the video.

[EpicTrollBeastMan]

I feel like if more of us Americans started acting like "The Duke" again, our standing among the world would improve...

[whitemanrunshim]

What a hell of a ride:)

[duchessofpercy]

"Those rugged men ...in that rugged country" Mrs. Lynette Drewett

[agatematt]

Director John Ford loved to shoot Ben Johnson, who he considered the best horseman he had ever seen, riding in scenes and did it from Fort Apache to Cheyenne Autumn. However, what should not be loss is just how intricate and dangerous a stunt was the near collision between Johnson and the lead Apache. The timing had to be absolutely perfect or it could have ended up with both horses and riders killed or terribly injured.

[emorene]

I read that whenever John Ford needed to fill some space in the Movie He sent Ben Johnson out for a Ride.

[MissMelanie2006]

That was acting and that's how they were directed .He was a very good rider though and so was the Duke.

[MissMelanie2006]

that was acting but he was a very good rider and so was the Duke

[sundownsigns]

Ben Johnson, he was the real deal.

[bobszvetics1]

ben was a real cowboy

[maeuschen64]

Where only is the beautiful Western time ?. I miss them properly. But then I go to your channel and it is the beautiful Western time. Thank you.

The music leaves me always dream again.

Best wishes for you my dear Friend DukeFan :o).

maeuschen64

[DukeFanGermany]

@maeuschen64

thx again maeuschen64. always enjoy do read your fine comments about my uploads. THX :-))