“A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty HI-YO, SILVER!”
These words, spoken with barely-contained excitement, conjure memories of the thrilling days of yesteryear with the Lone Ranger and his faithful steed – and one of our favorite horses – the mighty Silver.
Debuting as a radio show on Detroit’s WXYZ in 1933, the creation of George W. Trendle and Fran Striker, The Lone Ranger quickly became a must-hear show for kids and their parents across the country. An unprecedented early-radio success, the exploits of the masked man and his Indian companion, Tonto, were popular in no small part due to the Ranger’s magnificent white stallion, Silver. Fearless, fiercely devoted, and as fast as the wind, Silver first pledged his equine loyalty (and surrendered his wild life on the prairie) to the Lone Ranger after the hero saved him from a rampaging buffalo.
In 1949, after several years as a radio staple, The Lone Ranger debuted on television. The Ranger was played by Clayton Moore (for our money, the only Lone Ranger), with Jay Silverheels as Tonto (ditto). The part of Silver was played by a gorgeous, specially-trained Golden Palomino named Silver Chief. Silver Chief was trained by legendary Hollywood trainer Glenn Randall, a veteran of many classic westerns.
Among his many special skills, Silver Chief may be best remembered for those iconic images where he was rearing up, which he was specifically trained to do on command. Despite his powerful presence, he was known to be a well-behaved and gentle horse, with both Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels both fondly remembering their time working with him.
Silver Chief was a HUGE hit with fans; the Lone Ranger without Silver would be as out-of-place as the Ranger without his mask. Magazines and newspapers from coast to coast featured numerous features focused on the white stallion. He also starred in his own comics, had his own line of toys, and was a staple of advertising premiums, An awful lot of us equestrians first discovered our love of horses thanks in part to a grandparent who were enamored with Silver, and we’d be willing to bet there wasn’t a kid in the ‘30s, ‘40s, and ‘50s who climbed onto a saddle on the farm or ranch or pony ride and didn’t fancy themselves astride the mighty white steed.
In addition to the Lone Ranger, Silver had another partner in adventure in the form of a paint named Scout. Scout was Tonto’s horse and played by White Flash, who trained with Silver Chief under Glenn Randall.
When The Lone Ranger ended its television run in 1957, Silver Chief retired from show business, living out the rest of his life on a California ranch where he enjoyed a happy and quiet retirement until he passed away in 1973. We have absolute faith that he spent those remaining years eating the finest grass under the watch of loving eyes, fondly remembering his days as the horse who won the hearts of kids (and their parents) everywhere.
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