Tim McGraw Explains Why Driving A Wagon On '1883' Is 'Really Intense'

The World Premiere Of "1883"

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Tim McGraw admits that working with horses and driving a wagon on the set of 1883 is no east feat. Although “7500 OBO” singer grew up riding horses, filming the Yellowstone prequel came with its challenges.

McGraw stars as James Dutton, opposite his real-life wife Faith Hill as Margaret Dutton. The country music power couple and their onscreen family embark “on a journey west through the Great Plains toward the last bastion of uncolonised America” in the series, its synopsis reads. In a new statement to his record label, McGraw delved into the challenges of operating a wagon and working with horses on the show:

I mean, I grew up riding horses but being on the wagon was something that was really intense and really took a lot of work. And Faith spends the most time drivin’ the wagon during the show, so she spent a lot of time doing that to where she’s pretty expert at it now. I mean, that’s a harder deal than people think it is to drive a wagon. Those things can get really serious really quickly, especially when crossing the river. It’s just so treacherous and so dangerous. I mean, you never knew where the holes were in the river. You never knew how deep it was. Just about every scene I shot with my horse he was trying to throw me in the middle of the river. I had one scene where my horse is raring up. Its hooves are slashing in the air in my hat falls, I catch it and put it back on. It shows the chaos and the danger and the precarious situation that everybody was in.

McGraw previously said in a statement that the role is “truly a dream job,” and co-star LaMonica Garrett (Thomas) recently said “Tim sings every day” on set. Fittingly, the country artist and 1883 star is gearing up for his next tour. Russell DickersonAlexandra Kay and Brandon Davis are slated to hit the road with him on the McGraw Tour 2022. See the tour dates here: