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Horses in Susan Slade: Cameo of Champion stud, Captain Topper

posted 10 years ago by danarosecrystal_journali
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"Captain Topper, Champion Stud," made an appearance when Susan went to see her horse Chulo for the first time. According to the pedigree data base, that horse was a Shetland pony born in 1956. According to The Victoria Advocate (July 23, 1961), "The world's most costly Shetland pony, for which its owner paid $6000, was used in scenes for Warner Bros.' Susan Slade, filmed in Monterey County. The pony, named Captain Topper, belongs to Miss Patricia Burton of Detroit. Miss Burton operates a stud farm on the Monterey peninsula. Captain Topper was adjudged the greatest model stallion at the National Congress Pony Show in 1958 and 1959. It has won 17 championships and 40 blue ribbons."

I was wondering if the stables used in the film, "17 Mile Stables" was the very stud farm owned by Patricia Burton?

[–] danarosecrystal_journali 10 years ago

Horses in Susan Slade: also, Chulo, Gordinia, "Sir Pristine" and others.

In the book, Chula, a black and white mare was Susan's horse, not the brown and white male pinto Chulo of the film.

Wells Corbett's horses, which he brought to Hoyt's stable, in the book, were named:

Major (a stallion) and Kerrydown Charm (a mare, his sister), both chestnuts.

In the film, Wells brings:

Gordinia (a chestnut mare) and her brother, a black gelding, which was pronounced by Bert Convy as Wells in such a strange way that it sounded like SOO-PREE-STEE, but according to the caption was "Sir Pristine."

I was interested in the horses' actual names and such, for trivia.