I have read quite a bit about Buttermilk and Dale Evans but last week I received a posting on my face book from a cousin which had a story I had never heard about Buttermilk. I could not find the original source of the posting but I thought you would enjoy it.
HORSE SHOPPING? THINK ADOPTION!
Too many people think of rescue horses as old, lame, or otherwise unappealing, and forget to even visit their local rescues when ‘horse shopping’. Do you remember Dale Evans and her horse, Buttermilk? Buttermilk was a day away from being slaughtered when rescued. He became one of the most famous horses in the world of films and television.
Here’s what you didn’t know about Buttermilk:
Buttermilk was a young colt when he was rescued by a cattle farmer on his way to the slaughterhouse. The farmer bought him from a horse trader and he had been severely abused which resulted in a very unkind demeanor. The new owners quickly began to work with him, and through lots of dedication and care he eventually came around to become a friendly, affectionate and playful horse.
After renaming the bubbly Quarter Horse Soda, Randall introduced Soda to Dale Evans because her movie horse Koko was too much to handle and also resembled Trigger too much. Dale fell in love with Soda and bought him immediately. He was renamed Buttermilk after Dale saw a cloud pattern in the sky that reminded her of the Hoagy Carmichael’s song, “Ole Buttermilk Sky.” Dale rode Buttermilk in almost all of Roy’s movies and in all but six of The Roy Rogers Show television episodes that aired from 1951-57.
A true Quarter Horse, Buttermilk displayed bursts of speed and could outrun Trigger. On the set, Roy asked Dale to please hold Buttermilk back when riding alongside him, since Trigger always had to lead.
Even after he died at the age of 31, he was a valuable horse. Like Trigger, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans had Buttermilk stuffed, and he sold for $25,000.00 at the NYC Christie’s Auction, when the Roy Rogers estate was liquidated in 2010.
The Wannabe Cowboy
The Western Film Preservation Society 
rogersdale said:
After Dale switched to Buttermilk, Rex Allan ended up with Koko. You can see the new pair in “Trail of Robin Hood” (1950). Rex is on Koko right beside Roy and Trigger. I believe that may be the only time the two horses were actually on screen together. Penny Edwards rides Buttermilk in this film.
Buttermilk joined Dale rather late in Roy’s filmmaking career. The first film the buckskin appears in is “Twilight in the Sierras” (1950). Penny Edwards rode Buttermilk in the Roy Rogers films from “Sunset in the West” (1950) to “In Old Amarillo” (1951). Dale took the reins again with “South of Caliente” (1950) and rode the buckskin all the way through to the end of the Roy Rogers Show.
Sonja Yagel said:
Those were thrilling days when evil lost and good won. Wish it was that way today
Dennis D. said:
I really miss those days and I wish even more being brought back!! Need more cowboy channel, TBS, BYU etc.