Dad on original Trigger Dad on Little Trigger Dad on Trigger Jr.
I just got the nicest email from Cher, one of you subscribers. She was talking about her love of Trigger and how she was able to tell the Triggers apart. Above are pictures of the 3 Triggers.
Cher asked me what I know about Little Trigger. Well, it’s not much! As I say in my latest book, “Cowboy Princess Rides Again,” I have never found any paper work on Little Trigger. After making a trip up to around Logan, Utah a couple of years ago, I now think that Little Trigger was probably purchased from a ranch in far northern Utah. There is a ranch up there that has been raising palominos for many years and I know that Dad purchased several horses from them over the years. The owner’s decendents came to a book signing I was doing and showed me pictures in a scrapbook that their father and grandfather had put together. There wasn’t a picture of Little Trigger but there were photos of a couple of other horses that I recognized that Dad’s trainer, Glenn Randall, used in his palomino liberty horse act.
Cher also asked what had happened to Little Trigger, when he passed away (about a year or so before the original Trigger), Dad had the guys on the ranch (in Hidden Valley) dig a big hole and Little Trigger was buried in it.
Cher, these are the best answers I can give on your questions.
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Hi Cheryl, I couldn’t tell the three Triggers apart but I could tell Trigger in movies before your Dad bought him. He was a horse with a personality of his own even before your Dad got him.
Hi Cheryl ~ I appreciate the info on Little Trigger. I figured he probably died in the 60s, because there are a number of pics of him taken in the 50s where you can plainly see his teeth. He was clearly not a young horse. I absolutely loved him in the movie “Son of Paleface.” What a complete doll he was! I also remember Pal. He had an oddly shaped blaze and three white socks. Do you remember him at all? I think he was originally supposed to be your mom’s horse and she rode him during personal appearances prior to Buttermilk.
My favorite Trigger story so far is that they’d hobble him when he wasn’t in a scene but he learned to escape and ‘walk’ in his hobbles and he’d come looking for Roy! He loved Roy!
My Dad took us out to the California museum when I was little to see Trigger. I remember it was packed, and I stood at Trigger’s right rear hoof and was amazed at how big he was. I realize now that must have been very soon after he went on exhibit. We’re trying to get up to Ft Worth to see him again, along with Buttermilk and Bullet while they’re there, before their exhibit ends next month at the cowboy museum!
Just realized something Cheryl, we lived in an amazing time as teens, with real heroes who could be role models. Watched a video of Dusty and Dustin being interview a number of years ago. Dustin was saying he finally realized how important his grandfather was when a sheriff found out who he was and came and gave him a bear hug, and said it was because of who your grandfather was that I am who I am today. That his father wasn’t around but Roy and Dale were. They were loved by many still today. Thanks for your posts.