May 9, 2023 · William F. “Doc” Carver was a larger-than-life figure with a pathological flair for embellishment. “One of the first things about him was that he used to lie about his date of birth,” says ...

William Frank "Doc" Carver (May 7, 1840 – August 31, 1927) was a late 19th-century sharpshooter and the creator of a popular diving horse attraction.

Apr 20, 2024 · By 1894, Carver was dabbling with a horse diving exhibition using a sleek, compact mare named Black Bess. It did well and was the talk of St. Louis, where he first debuted the exhibit. But it wasn’t until he put a girl on the horse that the act really took off in 1906.

William "Doc" Carver "invented" horse-diving exhibitions. Allegedly, in 1881 Carver was crossing a bridge over Platte River ( Nebraska ) which partially collapsed. His horse fell/dived into the waters below, inspiring Carver to develop the diving horse act.

Nov 13, 2017 · The idea of the diving horse was invented in Texas by ''Doctor'' William Frank Carver, a 19th century sharpshooter who toured the wild west organizing shows with trained animals and shooting exhibitions.

Mar 19, 2021 · According to Texas Escapes, horse diving was "invented" by a man named William "Doc" Carver. Carver had worked with Buffalo Bill Cody, but by the 1880s he was traveling the country with his own Wild West show.

Jan 8, 2025 · Horse diving began in the 1880s and was an extremely popular attraction for decades, despite the obvious cruelty to the animals and the dangers it posed. According to Texas Escapes, horse diving was 'invented' by a man named William 'Doc' Carver .

Jan 14, 2024 · William Frank Carver. Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain. The dentist-turned-showman, Dr. William Frank Carver, is credited with inventing the possibly deadly stunt. Its emergence was supposedly purely accidental and was devised in 1881, when Carver was riding his horse across the Platte River in Nebraska and the bridge collapsed.

Feb 26, 2022 · William F. Carver was a marksman who had toured in Wild West shows with Buffalo Bill Cody. After first leaving the Wild West shows, he wrote a play. Eventually, he started the horse diving act, traveling the side-show circuit for several years.

May 7, 2014 · Carver’s most lasting contribution to show biz was his invention of the diving horse act, in which a horse would jump off a tall platform into a pool of water. He began presenting these exhibitions in 1894; the was still doing it when he died in 1927.