A horse died on the set of Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, prompting condemnation from animal rights activists. The incident occurred on March 21, when the horse experienced cardiac arrest prior to rehearsals for the fantasy series.
On Sunday morning, Amazon Studios issued a statement confirming the situation.
A production horse died on March 21st, confirmed by an Amazon spokesperson. The incident occurred during morning exercise before rehearsals. The trainer was not in costume and filming had not yet started. Both a veterinarian and an American Humane Association representative were present. An independent necropsy confirmed the horse died of cardiac failure. Sources reported over 30 horses were being used on the day of the incident. The horse suffered cardiac arrest while standing with 20 other horses.
PETA released a statement criticizing the use of real horses in productions and calling for changes in the entertainment industry.
In response to the use of horses on the set of “The Rings of Power,” PETA has urged the show’s creators and other producers to consider alternative methods that do not involve the exploitation of animals. This comes after a horse’s death on the set of HBO’s “The Gilded Age” in July 2022, which was attributed to natural causes according to preliminary veterinary findings.
PETA has recommended that equine behaviorists be present on set during film and television productions involving horses, although the organization maintains that such animals should not be used for these purposes.
Peter Jackson faced criticism during the production of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” in 2012, due to the death of three horses and other animals. Jackson’s film trilogies, “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit,” were distributed by New Line Cinema and Warner Bros., while “The Rings of Power” is a production of Prime Video.
“The Rings of Power” has relocated from New Zealand to the United Kingdom for its second season, and has enlisted the services of the Devil’s Horsemen as its horse supplier. The Devil’s Horsemen have been in the industry for over five decades and have worked with other large-scale productions, such as “Game of Thrones.” The first season of “The Rings of Power” had a production budget of approximately $450 million, and Prime Video has committed to producing five seasons as part of a $250 million rights deal made with the Tolkien estate in November 2017.
