When horses are involved, things can go wrong very quickly.
After 15 years of visiting Antelope Island regularly, I rarely see anything completely new. But very early yesterday morning I happened to be in the right place at the right time to document something unexpected and unique.
When I took the first seven photos below I had no idea what hundreds of people and vehicles were doing in at least three of the parking lots and near the shore of Great Salt Lake so very early in the morning. But later that morning, while visiting with three State Park officials, I learned that they were filming a movie or commercial. One of the officials said it was a movie and the other two said it was a commercial. I still don’t know which one it was but the film crew seemed much too large to me for it to be just a commercial. What do I know?
The photos below are presented in the order they were taken. In many of them my subjects were more than a quarter of a mile away and it shows in their image quality.
The first unusual things I noticed were a 4-horse trailer in one of the parking lots and dozens of people carrying various types of gear as they were making the long trek to the shore of Great Salt Lake. The equipment they were carrying included at least one boat.
Suddenly two beautiful dark horses that I hadn’t noticed before started running back in the general direction of the parking lot where I was. They had obviously escaped their handlers. Here we see one of them. They were running full bore, to where I didn’t yet know.
The three guys on the left seemed wary of the charging horses but the one on the right walked to his right and raised his arms in an attempt to stop or turn the running horses around.
But both horses avoided him by running around him as they passed him and…
then turning sharply to their right.
By the time this photo was taken, both horses had turned again and were heading toward the horse trailer in the parking lot next to me. At this point they were so close I could only fit one of them in the frame.
Dang, they were handsome beasts. Both of them.
The horse trailer was their obvious intended destination. I knew there was at least one other horse still in the trailer because I’d been hearing it while I’d been photographing the runaway horses. Here we can see the right nostril of a horse in the trailer through one of the small rectangular openings. Friends.
I could kick myself for not having the presence of mind to switch to another camera with a smaller lens so I could fit more of the scene in the frame. But in all the excitement, that included whinnying, excited horses and the clomping of their hooves on pavement, I just didn’t think of it. This photo is full frame (uncropped).
At this point I knew that the horse’s handlers would soon arrive and attempt to capture the escapees and I figured that my presence might make that process more difficult so I decided to leave the area and look for birds. It was during those wanderings on the island that I ran into the three State Park officials that told me that a movie/commercial was being made.
48 minutes after I left the horses in the parking lot I returned to the area and documented some of the pre-filming activities occurring on the faraway shore of the lake. By then they had everything under control again, including….
the runaway horses. It would be interesting to know what they were using the drone for.
I suspect that these two fellas, a man and a young boy, are actors in the movie/commercial. And these must be the horses that were inside the trailer when the runaways ran back to it.
Apparently, they were planning on doing some of the filming from out on the lake while looking back at the island. I’m damn glad it wasn’t me that had to carry that boat motor all the way to the lake.
I suspect that views like this one are part of the appeal of filming on the island. Yes, all those tiny dark specks on the water are birds.
I’d estimate that there were about 80 vehicles packed bumper to bumper in the primary parking lot the film crew was using and some of them spilled over into at least two other parking lots, including the lot the horse trailer was in and the faraway marina parking lot. No, I don’t know the significance of “BOOM” on the sign.
I did spot, and wave to, Antelope Island Manager Wendy Wilson amongst the crowd. Presumably she was monitoring all the activities. I believe that’s her, in the dark shirt to the far right in this photo. Hi Wendy!
This is the adjacent ‘spillover’ parking lot that I photographed the runaway horses from. That’s the horse trailer that apparently hauled all four horses to the island. This photo, taken with a more ‘normal’ lens, should give you a feeling for how far away I was from the lake.
Well, there were no birds to speak of today but I thought my readers might be interested in something new. It was an experience that certainly made me sit up and take notice. Especially those charging runaway horses.
Ron
I love Friesians. If you were a fan of the old (or the new) Zorro tv show/films, Zorro always had a Friesian for his ride.
Arwen, back in the day I was a fan of the old Zorro tv series. You’re right – his horse looked just like these two.
A very different morning. The horses are magnificent. My partner would not agree. He is convinced that at the scene of any one car accident in the country you will find at least one horse in a paddock beside the road snickering at its success in jumping out in front of the car and spooking the driver.
Is it only me that noticed that one of the people in the first shot has obviously had a fall (mud up his legs)?
EC, your partner has a point. I know of no domestic animal spookier than horses. And it’s unfortunate to be riding one when it happens.
Wow, interesting day. Like may have said already, I believe they are Friesians. Due to their striking beauty they are often used in movies and commercials. Growing up my neighbor had a broad selection of horse breads, he used to be a judge for horse shows around the west and midwest. He had a good eye for horses, much of what I learned was from him while hanging out in the stables. I think he would buy horses he saw while judging. For some time he had a Friesian. The mare was stunning and one of my favorites he had, very smart and even tempered. She was a dressage show horse, I believe her titled name was Midnight’s Dusk. We just called her Dusky. I rode her bareback a couple of times and she had a very long back. We would piled three kids on her and ride around the ring, she seemed to like playing with us.
I was out there one day when they were filming a car commercial on the causeway. They were also using a small plane for areal shots and in between shooting the plane buzzed the island and bays very low scaring the wildlife and birds. I left.
So many errors in my comment! I am too tired today, I better refrain from commenting for today!
April, I suspect that’s one reason Wendy was monitoring the film crew in the parking lot – to make sure they were minding all their P’s and Q’s.
Very nice and fun to see all the filming active and the horses. I too think they are filming a movie. Thanks
Thank you, Trudy.
What a morning! Those horses are magnificent, as is the 6th shot — so much power! I wonder if the drone spooked them.
For those of your readers who are interested in following me down the horse “rabbit hole,” I found this list on the OK State website: https://breeds.okstate.edu/horses/ I had no idea there were so many breeds of horses!
“I wonder if the drone spooked them.”
Marty, I don’t know but I doubt it. In photo #9 both horses look calm and at ease with the flying drone pretty close to them.
Like you, I had no idea there were that many horse breeds.
Very interesting! And very glad the horses decided to return to the trailer and their companions on their own. It looks scary enough for them with all that activity – disaster in the making if they’d had to chase/recapture them? Their hooves look pretty big in the photos – especially when compared with those of the other two in the group photo on the beach. Do you think they were draft horses of some kind?
Thanks, Carolyn. As you already know, I think Amy answered your question in her comment below. It may be the feathering on their lower legs that makes their feet look big.
They do have broad feet. They were a draft horse originally.
Thanks for that info, April.
I believe these horses are Friesians.
The Friesian horse is most known for its all-black coat colour, its long flowing mane and tail, feathering on its legs, a high head carriage, and high stepping action. Black, powerfully muscled, agile with elegant action, thick mane and tail, feather on lower legs.
Friesian horse – Wikipedia
Thanks, Amy!
What Carolyn said.
Speaking of runaway horses. Took the dog to the vet Wed. and there was a horse trailer with horses in the parking lot. Not unusual for this area. As we were waiting heard a clamor and one of the staff looked out and yelled get the gate and everyone tore out of the office. Somehow one of the horses escaped….
Jo, it’s always pandemonium when a horse makes a break for it.
OMGoodness how exciting! Shot #6 takes my breath away. The horse is absolutely stunning! Am afraid of horses (childhood bucking incident) but find them so beautiful.
Kathleen, I’m a little wary of horses too. I don’t think it’s smart not to be. I know of two people who were killed on and by horses – one of them a close family friend who was a highly experienced horseman.
In addition, one of my cousins was hit by a car and killed when she was trying to catch her two escaped horses at night.
https://www.allenmortuaries.net/obituaries/lori-peterson2
Horses can be dangerous in a lot of ways.
While living in Orange County and working in L.A. I often ran into film crews doing a commercial or part of a movie. Excellent photos Ron and especially of the runaway horses. Beautiful horses. I love horses, but don’t know much about them, maybe one of your fans here can tell what kind of horses those two are. You will have to check in with your friend later to find out what they were filming.
An exciting morning for sure.
“You will have to check in with your friend later to find out what they were filming.”
You can count on it. Thanks, Everett.
I really enjoyed this! Thanks!
Good. Thank you, Sue.
Beautiful photos! Thank you for sharing these.
I am a horse & bird lover in NC 💕
Thanks, Theresa.
Gorgeous horse in the full frame! 🙂 Yes, they ARE unpredictable and can be dangerous. Whatever spooked the 2 they weren’t having any of it and the trailer was the “safe spot”.
Definitely NOT what you anticipated when you set out to film birds….. 😉 At leas it seems they were fairly well contained and “following the rules” in that moment.
Judy, I had a lot of experience with horses while I was growing up on the MT farm, including having my own horse, Star. But horses always made me just a little bit nervous.
Little experience with them here but I did learn never to wrap the reins around your hand unless you’re into riding on the neck of the horse! 😉 Then there was Joe’s pony named Poncho that did whatever he pleased including rubbing people off by going under whatever when he was tired of the rider. 🙂
My sister Mona’s horse had the nasty habit of stopping on a dime and turning sharply at the same time in order to dump its rider. That damn horse dumped me into summer fallow countless times while I was trying to teach it a lesson. I was the one that learned the lesson – don’t ever make that horse run!
Fun post today! What beautiful horses!
Thanks, Joanne.
Wow—- I’ll SAY gorgeous horses! Interesting that they seemed
to want to return to the trailer–or maybe to the other horse ? If
you ever find out what it was they were filming, I’d be interested
to know ( maybe include it in a future FP ? ). I’m guessing the
drone was making aerial views–they are surely used a lot these
days for that purpose…..
Kris, I fully intend to at least try to find out what they were filming. If I’m successful, I’ll report it.