Roy Rogers, the King of the Cowboys, was a legendary TV star, actor, and singer. While he was adored, the most beloved part of his story for millions of fans was not Roy himself but his horse. Trigger, the famous golden palomino horse that rode alongside Roy Rogers, became one of the most iconic animals in Hollywood history. Roy and Trigger are remembered as one of the greatest cowboy-and-horse duos ever put on film, appearing together from 1938 through the mid-1950s in western adventures that defined an era.

Roy Rogers’ horse Trigger was not just a prop, but a true co-star in every sense of the word. Trigger was always billed above the film title alongside Roy, and at one point had his own fan club with members worldwide. But what do most people really know about Trigger, the horse, beyond the golden coat and the famous rear?  Here are seven facts about Roy Rogers and Trigger (plus a detailed FAQ answering every question fans still search for today).

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QUICK ANSWER: Who Was Trigger, the Horse? Trigger was Roy Rogers’ famous golden palomino horse, born Golden Cloud on July 4, 1934, near San Diego, California. Widely regarded as one of the most famous horses in movie history, Trigger, who could perform 150 trick cues, appeared alongside Roy in 88 films and 100 television episodes, earning the title “The Smartest Horse in the Movies.” After his death in 1965, Roy had the horse taxidermied and mounted in his signature rearing pose. Today, the preserved mount is on display at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California.

 

1. What Was Trigger’s Original Name? (The Story Behind Golden Cloud)

Although the world came to know Roy’s horse as Trigger, his original name was Golden Cloud. Roy Rogers’ horse began life as a rental horse at Hudkins Stables in Hollywood, the go-to supplier of movie horses in the 1930s. When Roy Rogers was preparing for his first starring role in Under Western Stars (1938), Hudkins Stables brought their best horses to the studio for Roy to try. After the third horse, a stunning golden palomino, Roy stopped looking.

Rogers eventually purchased the horse Golden Cloud for $2,500 (equivalent to around $30,000 today). Interestingly, Golden Cloud had already appeared on screen before Roy bought him: the horse had played the mount of Maid Marian, ridden by Olivia de Havilland, in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) with Errol Flynn. Roy Rogers’ horse was already a Hollywood veteran.

 

WHY IS TRIGGER CALLED TRIGGER? Roy Rogers’ sidekick and co-star Smiley Burnette gave the horse his famous name. While watching Roy ride Golden Cloud during filming of Under Western Stars, Burnette declared the horse was “quick on the trigger.” Roy loved the name on the spot. Golden Cloud became Trigger, and the name would go on to headline 88 films and 100 television episodes.

 

A common misconception worth clearing up: Trigger was Roy Rogers’ horse, not Gene Autry’s. Gene Autry, Roy’s contemporary and fellow singing cowboy, had his own famous horse named Champion. Similarly, the famous horse named Trigger should not be confused with Silver, the horse ridden by the Lone Ranger. Trigger, Champion, and Silver were three separate horses belonging to three different western stars.

2. What Breed Was Trigger, the Horse? A Golden Palomino Thoroughbred

WHAT BREED WAS TRIGGER? Trigger was a golden palomino Thoroughbred cross. Roy Rogers’ horse was sired by a Thoroughbred stallion out of an unregistered palomino mare. He stood 15.3 hands tall and was born on July 4, 1934. His coat was a rich, deep gold and his mane and tail were flaxen white (the classic coloring of a golden palomino horse).

 

Many people assumed the horse called Trigger was a Quarter Horse or even a Tennessee Walking Horse because of his smooth gait and compact muscling. But his Thoroughbred bloodlines gave him the speed and athleticism that made him Roy Rogers’ ideal partner on film. As a palomino Thoroughbred cross, Trigger was a rare combination: the striking golden coat of a palomino horse paired with the intelligence and athleticism of Thoroughbred breeding.

Trigger stood 15.3 hands tall (about 63 inches at the shoulder) and was described by those who worked with him as unusually responsive and easy to train. His Thoroughbred heritage likely contributed to both qualities. Among famous palomino horses in entertainment history, Trigger remains the most recognized. His golden coat was so distinctive that Roy Rogers himself said the horse’s appearance was half the battle in winning over audiences.

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3. Did Trigger have a Stunt Double? The Original Trigger vs. His Doubles

Just like any other movie star, the original Trigger horse had stunt doubles. Some of the more dangerous stunts, and many of the personal appearances Roy Rogers made across the country, were covered by stand-in horses rather than putting Trigger at risk. Roy Rogers actually owned a small string of palomino horses over the years that collectively played “Trigger” in various contexts.

The two most prominent doubles were Little Trigger (a smaller palomino used mainly for close-up work and indoor appearances) and Trigger Jr., which was a registered Tennessee Walking Horse officially named Allen’s Gold Zephyr. Roy Rogers preferred to maintain the public illusion that there was only one Trigger, particularly for his young fans who believed in the magic of the one horse they saw on screen.

 

HOW MANY TRIGGERS DID ROY ROGERS HAVE? Roy Rogers had at least three horses that collectively played “Trigger”: (1) the original Trigger horse, also known as Golden Cloud, who performed in most films; (2) Little Trigger, a smaller palomino used for indoor appearances and close-ups; and (3) Trigger Jr. (Allen’s Gold Zephyr), a Tennessee Walking Horse used for stunt work and personal appearances. Roy kept this arrangement private to preserve the magic for his young fans.

 

To tell the original Trigger horse apart from his doubles, look at the markings. The original Trigger had a single white sock on his left leg and a full blaze running down his face. The doubles had slightly different markings, but the difference was nearly impossible to spot from a distance (especially on a TV screen or movie theater).

4. The Smartest Horse in the Movies: Trigger’s 150 Tricks and Film Career

Glenn Randall, one of Hollywood’s most respected animal trainers, was responsible for training the horse named Trigger for most of his career. Trigger had a signature move (his dramatic two-legged vertical rear), but his full repertoire was extraordinary even by today’s standards for trained animals.

Trigger, the horse, was said to have mastered 150 separate trick cues. This is too many that Glenn Randall reportedly ran out of body locations to place the cues. Specific tricks included: sitting down in a chair, signing his name by moving a pencil with his mouth, shooting a prop gun with his hoof, untying knots with his teeth, and covering himself with a blanket while lying down for a staged “nap.” He could walk 50 feet on his hind legs. He was also housebroken, a feat Roy Rogers often called Trigger’s single greatest achievement, given how much time the horse spent in hotels, theaters, and children’s hospitals.

As a result of these abilities, Trigger was always billed above the film title as “The Smartest Horse in the Movies.” He’s one of the earliest examples of an animal receiving above-the-title billing in Hollywood. Roy Rogers’ horse appeared in 88 films alongside Roy. Notable Trigger horse movies include Under Western Stars (1938), My Pal Trigger (1946) (considered the pair’s best film together), and Son of Paleface (1952) with Bob Hope, for which Trigger won a PATSY Award. Trigger also appeared in all 100 episodes of The Roy Rogers Show on NBC (1951–1957).

As for whether Roy Rogers did his own riding stunts: Roy was an exceptional horseman who did perform many of his own riding sequences, but trained stunt riders were used for the most dangerous work, which was a standard practice in Hollywood at the time.

5. Was Trigger Ever Used for Breeding? Trigger Jr. and the Question of Offspring

The original Trigger horse, also known as Golden Cloud, was a stallion his entire life but was never used for breeding. Roy Rogers made the deliberate decision to keep him entire (ungelded) while never breeding him, because he did not want to risk altering the horse’s exceptionally calm and gentle temperament. That disposition (calm enough to stand quietly while the most nervous of children sat on his back) was one of Trigger’s most valuable qualities.

Was Trigger a stallion? Yes. He remained a stallion throughout his life. 

But was Trigger used for breeding? No. The original Trigger horse has no living direct descendants.

Roy’s appearance double, Trigger Jr. (registered Tennessee Walking Horse Allen’s Gold Zephyr), was a different story. Trigger Jr. was used at stud by Roy Rogers for many years. His influence survived interestingly: in 1999, at the 71st Academy Awards ceremony, actor Val Kilmer led a horse named Triggerson on stage as a tribute to Roy Rogers and his cowboy peers. Triggerson was reportedly grandsired by Trigger Jr., making him a descendant of Roy’s second famous horse.

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6. How Long Did Trigger Live? Age, Death & the Trigger Horse Cause of Death

TRIGGER HORSE CAUSE OF DEATH Trigger, the horse, died on July 3, 1965 (one day before his 31st birthday) at Roy Rogers’ ranch in Apple Valley, California. He was 30 years old. His official cause of death was never confirmed, but is widely attributed to natural causes related to old age. A horse living to 30 is considered a long and healthy life; the average lifespan of a horse is 25–30 years.

 

Roy Rogers owned Trigger from 1943 (when he bought him outright from Hudkins Stables after years of making payments) until the horse’s death in 1965, a partnership of 22 years. Roy once described paying $2,500 for Trigger as “for sure and certain the best $2,500 I have ever spent.” When Trigger died, Roy Rogers remarked that the horse seemed to know when people were watching him and “ate up the applause like a ham.”

When did Trigger die? July 3, 1965, at Roy Rogers’ Apple Valley ranch. His remains are partially buried at the Rogers’ former property in Thousand Oaks, California, while his taxidermied hide was preserved separately.

7. Where Is the horse, Trigger, Now? The Full Location History (Updated 2025)

After Trigger, the horse, died in 1965, Roy Rogers made a decision that would make headlines for decades: he had the horse stuffed. The horse was preserved and mounted by Bischoff’s Taxidermy in Los Angeles in his famous two-legged rearing pose. Rather than bury Trigger, Roy had the horse’s hide carefully stretched over a foam likeness of the horse so that they would stay together even after death.

The taxidermied Trigger horse went on public display at the Roy Rogers-Dale Evans Museum in Apple Valley, California, when it opened in 1967, drawing close to 200,000 visitors a year in its peak. Alongside the stuffed Trigger horse stood Dale Evans’ horse Buttermilk and Roy’s dog Bullet (both also taxidermied). The museum moved to Victorville, California in 1976, and then to Branson, Missouri in 2003.

 

WHERE IS TRIGGER NOW? (2025 UPDATE) In 2025, Trigger’s taxidermied mount is on display at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California. Full location timeline of the original Trigger horse (taxidermied mount): 1967: Roy Rogers-Dale Evans Museum, Apple Valley, California 1976: Museum relocated to Victorville, California 2003: Museum relocated to Branson, Missouri 2010: Museum closed; Trigger sold at Christie’s auction for $266,500 to RFD-TV 2010–2021: Displayed at RFD-TV headquarters 2021: Moved to John Wayne Museum/Experience, Fort Worth, Texas 2025: Relocated to Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, Simi Valley, California   Note: A separate 24-foot fiberglass replica of Trigger (not the taxidermied horse) stands at the Spirit River Center on Apple Valley Road in Apple Valley, California.

 

The stuffed Trigger horse traveled through several museum homes before landing at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in 2025 alongside Dale Evans’ horse Buttermilk and Roy’s German Shepherd Bullet.

Roy Rogers and Trigger will forever be known in history as one of the greatest partnerships in American entertainment. Their impact on western film, television, and the mythology of the American cowboy has never faded.

(picture credit: https://ohiomemory.org/digital/collection/p267401coll32/id/15871/)

Frequently Asked Questions About Trigger, Roy Rogers’ Horse

1 : What was Trigger’s original name?

Trigger’s original name was Golden Cloud. Roy Rogers renamed him Trigger after his sidekick Smiley Burnette noted the horse was “quick on the trigger” during filming of Under Western Stars (1938). Before Roy purchased Golden Cloud, the horse had already appeared as Maid Marian’s mount in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938).

2 : What breed was Trigger, the horse?

Trigger was a golden palomino Thoroughbred cross, sired by a Thoroughbred stallion out of an unregistered palomino mare. He stood 15.3 hands tall and was born July 4, 1934, near San Diego, California. He is often described as one of the most famous palomino horses in movie history. People commonly confuse him for a Quarter Horse or Tennessee Walking Horse, but his speed and athleticism came from his Thoroughbred bloodlines.

3 : Where is Trigger, the horse now?

As of 2025, the taxidermied Trigger horse is on display at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California, alongside Roy’s dog Bullet and Dale Evans’ horse Buttermilk. After the Roy Rogers museum closed in 2009, the stuffed Trigger was sold at Christie’s for $266,500 to RFD-TV, later moved to the John Wayne Museum/Experience in Fort Worth, Texas (2021), and then to the Reagan Library (2025). A separate 24-foot fiberglass statue stands at the Spirit River Center in Apple Valley, California.

4 : What was Trigger’s cause of death?

Trigger died on July 3, 1965, at Roy Rogers’ ranch in Apple Valley, California, at age 30. His official cause of death was never publicly confirmed but is believed to have been natural causes related to old age. A lifespan of 30 years is considered long and healthy for a horse. Roy Rogers had the horse taxidermied rather than buried.

5 : Did Roy Rogers have Trigger stuffed?

Yes. After Trigger died on July 3, 1965, Roy Rogers had him preserved and mounted in his signature rearing pose by Bischoff’s Taxidermy in Los Angeles. The taxidermied Trigger horse then went on display at the Roy Rogers-Dale Evans Museum in 1967. Roy Rogers could not bring himself to bury his famous partner. The stuffed Trigger horse is currently on display at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California (2025).

6 : Whose horse was Trigger? Was Trigger Roy Rogers’ horse?

Yes, Trigger was Roy Rogers’ horse. Roy first rode the horse (then named Golden Cloud) in 1938 and purchased him outright in 1943 for $2,500. Trigger was not Gene Autry’s horse (Gene Autry’s horse was Champion), and he was not the Lone Ranger’s horse (the Lone Ranger’s horse was Silver). Trigger belonged exclusively to Roy Rogers from 1943 until the horse’s death in 1965.

7 : How many Triggers did Roy Rogers have?

Roy Rogers used at least three horses collectively known as “Trigger”: (1) the original Trigger horse, Golden Cloud, who performed in most major films; (2) Little Trigger, a smaller palomino used for indoor appearances and close-up shots; and (3) Trigger Jr. (Allen’s Gold Zephyr), a Tennessee Walking Horse used for stunt and appearance work. Roy preferred to maintain the public image of a single Trigger, especially for young fans.

8 : Did Trigger, the horse, have any offspring?

The original Trigger horse was a stallion but was never used for breeding. Roy Rogers chose to keep Trigger entire (ungelded) but did not breed him, wanting to preserve his gentle temperament. His appearance double, Trigger Jr. (Allen’s Gold Zephyr), was later used at stud. The horse named Triggerson, led on stage at the 71st Academy Awards in 1999 by Val Kilmer, was reportedly grandsired by Trigger Jr. The original Trigger horse has no living direct descendants.

9 : What was Dale Evans’ horse’s name?

Dale Evans’ horse was named Buttermilk, a buckskin Quarter Horse mare who appeared alongside Trigger in The Roy Rogers Show on NBC (1951–1957). The famous duo was often Roy and Trigger alongside Dale and Buttermilk. Like Trigger, Buttermilk was taxidermied after death. Trigger and Buttermilk are currently displayed together at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California (2025).

10 : Was Trigger the Lone Ranger’s horse?

No. Trigger was Roy Rogers’ horse, not the Lone Ranger’s horse. The Lone Ranger’s famous white horse was named Silver (“Hi-yo Silver, away!”). Roy Rogers and the Lone Ranger were separate western characters in separate film and TV franchises. Trigger, Silver, and Gene Autry’s horse Champion are three of the most famous horses in western entertainment history, but they each belonged to a different cowboy star.

11 : Who suggested the name Trigger?

Roy Rogers’ sidekick and co-star Smiley Burnette suggested the name Trigger while watching Roy ride the horse during filming of Under Western Stars (1938). Burnette commented that the horse was “quick on the trigger,” and Roy adopted the name immediately. Golden Cloud officially became Trigger, a name that would headline 88 films and 100 television episodes.

12 : Is there a connection between Trigger and the Denver Broncos?

Yes. When a 24-foot fiberglass replica of Trigger was commissioned for the Roy Rogers Museum in Victorville, California, the Denver Broncos received Roy Rogers’ permission to create a second identical statue. That statue, renamed Bucky the Bronco, now stands above the south scoreboard at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado. It makes Trigger arguably the only horse in history with a monument at both a presidential library and an NFL stadium.