For me, the best shot for good horsemanship was Ike Clanton riding off after dropping his red sash on the ground. Man, what a rider. Kurt Russell and Sam Elliott always ride nicely ... Val Kilmer's horsemanship looked like he was a little green.
Off subject ... my favorite movie horseman ever ... well, two ... Yakima Canut and Ben Johnson. With Ben Johnson, he just thinks about going over there or halting here, and the horse does it. I love watching him on horseback.
Yeah, those two were real horesmen, and Johnson was a cowboy. I know Canut was Wayne’s main stuntman, was he a cowpoke too?
Any time I see Yakima Canutt as the Second Unit Director on a movie I know I will see really good stunts. Western or no western.
Ivanhoe
Last of the Comanches
Khartom
And Ben Johnson had a ranch in Oklahoma.