Not much would work in the series “Rings of Power” without horses. Not only because the brave warriors gallop through the landscape on the animals. But also because the fictional people of the Númenóreans in particular have a very special relationship with their horses. But behind it is strenuous filming – which has now even led to the death of a horse.
Amazon Prime Video has confirmed that a horse has died while filming the second season of the ‘Lord of the Rings’ backstory in the UK. Previously, there had been reports from insiders. According to Amazon, the animal suffered cardiac arrest during rehearsals for film scenes. The rider was not wearing a costume and it had not yet been filmed, a spokesman told the US portal “Deadline” and was “deeply sad” about the incident.
Regret is not enough for Peta’s animal rights activists, however. The organization responded to the horse’s death with an angry statement. Lisa Lange, Vice President of Peta, even compared the makers of the series to the Orcs from the series, vicious denizens of Middle-earth. The animal protection organization calls for no more use of horses in films and series in the future, but instead for the use of CGI (computer-generated imagery) in such scenes – i.e. showing the horses using computer animation.
The producers should use “humane methods” that “wouldn’t have to scare vulnerable horses to their deaths on the set,” Lange demanded. “If you can’t avoid exploiting animals for your art, you should look for a new medium, because no one wants to see a torture-themed TV spinoff,” the statement continues.
According to a report by the “Hollywood Reporter”, the renowned outfitter “The Devil’s Horsemen”, who was also involved in the production of “Game of Thrones”, provided the horses for the “Rings of Power” shoot. A total of 30 horses were on set that day. According to the Hollywood Reporter, this was the first death in the company’s 50-year history.
Sources: “Deadline” / Peta / “Hollywood Reporter”
