by Rena Sherwood

Created on: July 31, 2009   Last Updated: August 01, 2009

The late, great Hightower is best known as Pilgrim, the crippled horse in the hit Robert Redford film "The Horse Whisperer" (1998). By the time of his death at the age of 26, the chestnut Thoroughbred-Quarter Horse cross gelding was in the top echelon of Hollywood horses.

Unplanned Pregnancy

Unlike most foals, Hightower's parents made an unscheduled tryst with a valuable expensive Thoroughbred broodmare who fell for young stud on the wrong side of the tracks. Details are not known of how the young stallion got to the blue-blooded mare, since no respectable breeding farm wants to reveal that security may have been a little lacking.

Hightower was a very awkward youngster that was thought to not amount to much. The embarrassed horse breeder gave Hightower away when he was two years old. The lucky recipient? None other than Rex Peterson, renowned horse trainer who worked with all of the equine stars of "The Black Stallion" (1979), "Black Beauty" (1994) and "Flicka" (2006).

Peterson thought that that Hightower would earn his oats by helping out on the ranch, where many other famous movie horses lived and trained. But Hightower had something special, although it took years for Peterson to realize it. One day, a bucking bull escaped from his pasture and Peterson took off on Hightower after the bull. After roping the bull, the rope got caught in between the gelding's forelegs and the bull galloped on, literally dragging Hightower 50 or 60 feet. Hightower was not bothered by the incredibly stressful event.

Movie Star

Hightower's movie debut was the mostly ignored historical drama "Winter People" (1988). He appeared in numerous television commercials and series, but was best known for his movie work, especially "The Horse Whisperer". He won the role in a suitably dramatic way. Peterson had Hightower charge Robert Redford with ears back and teeth bared and then turned and went to quietly graze just before flattening the star.

Hightower's slim build and trainability won him the role of Ginger the spirited mare in "Black Beauty" (1994). He had a blaze dyed on his head for the part. By 1998, even A-list celebrities knew about Hightower's reputation. Julia Roberts insisted on riding Hightower for her comedy "Runaway Bride" (1999). Roberts held up movie production until Hightower could finish another movie and then be flown to Maryland where the film crew anxiously awaited him. Hightower's other notable movie appearances included "Sgt. Bilko" (1996) and his last film, "Princess Diaries II" (2004).

By 2003, Hightower was showing signs of arthritis and old age, so after working with Anne Hathaway in "Princess Diaries II", he was retired to a sumptuous pasture on Peterson's ranch. One of his buddies was Docs Keeping Time, the black stallion that starred in "Black Beauty" and the bizarre family cable series "The Black Stallion".

Hightower also had the honor of being Breyer model horse #1112, which was only available for a couple of years after its debut in 1998 to coincide with the release of "The Horse Whisperer".

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