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Trigger (originally named Golden Cloud, 1932–3 July 1965) was a 15.3 hands (63 inches, 160 cm) palomino horse, made famous in American Western films with his owner/rider, cowboy star Roy Rogers. Though often mistaken for a Tennessee Walking Horse, his sire was a Thoroughbred and his dam a grade (unregistered) mare who, like Trigger, was a palomino. Movie director William Witney, who directed Roy and Trigger in many of their movies, claimed a slightly different lineage, that his sire was a "registered" Palomino stallion (though neither Palomino registry existed at the time of Trigger's... MORE

Trigger (originally named Golden Cloud, 1932–3 July 1965) was a 15.3 hands (63 inches, 160 cm) palomino horse, made famous in American Western films with his owner/rider, cowboy star Roy Rogers. Though often mistaken for a Tennessee Walking Horse, his sire was a Thoroughbred and his dam a grade (unregistered) mare who, like Trigger, was a palomino. Movie director William Witney, who directed Roy and Trigger in many of their movies, claimed a slightly different lineage, that his sire was a "registered" Palomino stallion (though neither Palomino registry existed at the time of Trigger's birth), and his dam was by a Thoroughbred and out of a "cold-blood" mare. (Trigger, Jr, who was no relation to Trigger, was in fact a registered Tennessee Walking Horse.) Though Trigger remained a stallion his entire life, he was never bred and has no descendants. Golden Cloud made his movie debut as the mount of Maid Marian, played by Olivia de Havilland in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938). A short while later, when Roy was preparing to make his first movie in a starring role, he was offered a choice of five rented "movie" horses to ride and chose Golden Cloud. Roy bought him that same year, 1938, LESS