Animal activists are calling for change after a production horse on the set of Amazon’s show “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” died during rehearsals for a season 2 scene.
According to the studio, the animal perished on March 21 after suffering cardiac arrest while being exercised before rehearsals.
“We are deeply saddened to confirm that a production horse died,” an Amazon Studios spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter.
The spokesperson also shared that the trainer was not in costume and filming had not begun when the incident occurred. The horse is also said to have had no known health concerns prior to its death. It was standing with 20 other horses before it died.
“Both a veterinarian and a representative of the American Humane Association were present at the time,” the spokesperson shared. “The independent necropsy has confirmed that the horse died of cardiac failure.”
The studio noted that the horse was one of about 30 that was on set the day it died, all of which were supplied by The Devil’s Horsemen, a well-known outfitter who has worked on numerous big-name productions. In the company’s 50-year history, this is the first on-set animal fatality to occur, the studio shared.
The “Lord of the Rings” franchise, especially the first three films by Peter Jackson, is known for using practical stunts over CGI when it comes to horses.
In the third installment, “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” Jackson made history with the famed Ride of the Rohirrim at the battle of Pelennor Fields, which holds the record for the largest calvary assembly used in film. In total, 250 horse riders from around New Zealand, where the films were shot, were enlisted to help complete the sequence.
Well now, after the death of the horse last week, the Senior Vice President of the animal rights organization PETA, Lisa Lange, is calling for the show to use CGI instead of “lording over animals.”
“It seems that living underground with the orcs is par for the course for the producers of ‘The Rings of Power’ because they have the option to use CGI, mechanical rigs, and other humane methods that wouldn’t run vulnerable horses to death on set,” Lange said. “PETA is calling on the show’s creators — and all other producers — to take on a new quest without using any real horses. If they can’t avoid exploiting animals for their art, they should find a new medium, because no one wants to see a spinoff for TV with torment as the theme.”
The Devil’s Horsemen has been praised for its work in the film industry, most recently by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports, a group considered to be strict about animal welfare. At the end of 2021, the federation released a behind-the-scenes video showing the work The Devil’s Horsemen does with its horses.
As for Amazon’s most-watched original series, “The Rings of Power” is in the middle of shooting its second season, which is expected to be released sometime in 2024.
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