George S. Patton spent a lifetime with horses. He played polo, fox-hunted, and competed in mounted steeplechases. He was a participant in the first modern pentathlon at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden, placing sixth out of 23 in the equestrian phase.
Col. Charles Reed of the 2nd Cavalry played a huge roll in saving not only the Spanish Riding School, but a large number of Arabian stallions in Czechoslovakia, reputing to be more responsible than George S. Patton by taking action in the field. He served as technical advisor on the film and has a cameo eating oatmeal when a report comes in about the horses.
The red uniform that is used at the end of the movie is not original. The Spanish Riding school never used a red uniform. Disney found the original brown uniform too simple for a gala opening and introduced these uniforms.
General George S. Patton wrote that a cavalry leader "must have a passion-not simply a liking-for horses.
Alois Podhajsky: can be seen in the end gala performance, first just screen right of Robert Taylor, then just screen left.