29/07/2022
Elvis Presly had around 20 horses during his lifetime. He bought horses for his friends and bodyguards, It didn't matter if they wanted one or not, they were getting a horse!
Elvis got into horses like he got into everything; he eased into it right over the top. Elvis cared deeply after his horses.
After a hard ride, Elvis would walk his horse three times longer than necessary to cool him out, just to be sure the horse was safe to return to pasture. He was fastidious about the barn area, and personally marked each person's tack hook and stall … Daddy's, Priscilla's, Mine… The labels remain in the barn to this day.
One of his favourite breeds was Tennessee Walking horse. The last horse he purchased, passed away in 2005 at the age of 32 years old, a Tannessee Walking stallion named Ebony's Double purchased in 1975. While, one of his horses, Mare Ingram lived to the age of 50!
His personal mount was a Rising Sun, a big, beautiful palomino Quarter Horse.
Sometimes Elvis would ride down to the gates of Graceland and show off for his fans, sit and chat from the saddle, and sign autographs. Then to their gasping admiration, he'd take off on Rising Sun at a dead gallop back towards the barn. Elvis was so attached to Bear, a Tennessee Walking Horse, that when the horse died while Elvis was on tour, no one would tell him until he got home, fearing how the news would devastate him.
