As many fans know, Ben Barnes claimed during auditions for Prince Caspian that he could ride a horse. It turned out to be a stretch of the truth as he had only been on a horse once when he was very small. So they trained him in horseback riding.
While filming Easy Virtue, the last part of shooting involved a big and expensive fox hunt on horseback. The director, Stephan Elliot comments:
“Ben really wanted to ride in the hunt scene, which was the last thing we shot, but the insurance company wouldn’t let him. It was such a shame because he’d learned to ride for Prince Caspian and he knew he was good on a horse. I put all the money we had left into this hunt and it looked great, so I just said, ‘Ben, get on the horse.’ He was thrilled… The producers found out too late and I could see them rushing to the set, where they’d attempt to pull him off the horse. I yelled, ‘Action,’ the hunt took off and Ben rode his horse straight into a tree, was thrown off and knocked himself out. He was fine but for a minute there, I was really concerned… but I thought, ‘Well I’ve got what I need and they can’t take the film away from me.’ The insurance company guys were not happy.”
Ben Barnes is currently preparing for his return to Narnia in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader; shooting starts this July in Australia.
Poor Ben. And they may not be able to take this film away from Stephan Elliott, but they’ll never let him direct another; the insurance companies will refuse to underwrite him.
oh poor Benny!
Well. this had to of been quite awhile back, so I’m sure Ben is laughing about it now and won’t mind if I laugh about it, too. What is it with Ben Barnes and running into trees on horseback? LOL I certainly hope he steers the Dawn Treader much better! :o)
ohh my goodness sakes, poor ben 🙁 but i’m only going to say a comment here and i don’t mean it as an insult, i think the angels were protecting ben on that horse he could have gotten hurt much worse but he didn’t, i think he rode very well in prince caspian also 🙂 i just hope he’s all right and doesn’t stop rideing horseback because of one incident, i can’t wait to see how he does in dawn treader 🙂
yes his guarding angel and God was watching over him ya im sure he’ll still keep riding he better start riding again riding is awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think he rode well too and I’m a rider! I wish I could ride in a movie…
same here i totally 100% agree
I thought he was supposed to do that in Prince Caspian 🙂 kidding! hope that didn’t hurt to much. His guardian angel must’ve taken most of the hit. 🙂
At least there are no horses in Dawn Treader, if I remember correctly… I’m glad he’s OK though…
Reminds me of a quote from Horse and his Boy when Bree askes Shasta if he had ever ridden. “Oh, yes, at least I’ve ridden a donkey!” Perhaps that was what Ben was thinking.
Oh wow! Don’t scare us like that again, Ben! I’m glad he is okay. I think his guardian angel was really watching over him.
Well, you know what they say, “When you fall off a horse, get right back on!” Being a horseback rider myself, I know this hobby can be scary sometimes. I hope Ben isn’t afraid of horses now, but he doesn’t seem to be that sort of a person.
I really hope Ben’s ok and I don’t think this will stop him from riding horses again. 😀
Easy Virtue has pretty good ratings across, but low buzz. How come?
It’s a period-piece with a limited release in the U.S. That’s typical.
Thank goodness Ben’s okay; that’s sort of wierd, since that’s what happened in Prince Caspian. Well, at least he’s alright; they couldn’t do the Dawn Treader without him!
i hope he is okay!!!! but that is so lol!
well i didnt even no about that until now well thats cool that ben wanted to ride i wouldnt blame him but it wasnt cool thta he got hurt i hope he gets back on the horse cause its a real shame wen people get hurt on horses and there so scared that they dont get on them again but man i sure was envyous of that black fresian horse so pretty =)!!!!!!!!!!
i like wen actors really like rding horses its very enjoyable like me man i love rding my horses thank you God that u made horses=)!!!!!!!!!!