Certified Animal Action Overview

No Animals Were Harmed™ in the making of this film, thanks to the close oversight and care provided by the AHS and production. In the snowy horseback scenes, trainers thoroughly checked the path for safe footing and spent time getting the horse comfortable before filming began. The snow you see on screen was created with fake and real snow while stunt performers carefully controlled both the horse and the vehicle for a calm, steady ride. Even the icy carriage scenes were safely filmed indoors in a studio with horses wearing rubber boots for traction. Every detail was designed with animal welfare in mind, ensuring the horses were relaxed, protected, and treated with the utmost care.

Detailed Animal Action Report

In the scene where a car slowly follows a woman on horseback into a parking lot during a snowstorm, trainers and CASR’s walked the path and checked all areas for footing before the horses were brought to set. Prior to shooting the scene, the wrangler walked the horse along the path for a half hour prior to starting any work. Once the set was organized, the stuntwoman mounted the horse and rode her to the start mark. On action, production started the wind machine, blowing fake snow which was non toxic and approved by the AHS office. Then the stuntwoman rode the horse while the car was driven by a stuntperson behind her, very slowly.

In the scene where we see a horse drawn carriage following a small tractor clearing the snow, the entire scene was filmed inside a studio, not outdoors like it looks in the final cut. The floor inside the studio was painted like ice. The horse wore rubber boots to improve footing. There was some ice used, but not enough to cause slippage. A stuntperson drove the tractor. Stuntpeople also drove the horse drawn wagon at a walk. The horse kept a safe distance from the tractor for the entire day. At cut, the horse was unhitched and led back to the trailer.

They also filmed the fight sequence in the same studio, using the same techniques, in the studio.

Due to late notification, American Humane Society did not monitor the dog action.