Interesting data of "Ben-Hur":
Here, Charlton Heston Training on Chariot for his role in "Ben Hur".
C. Heston takes a spin a four-horse chariot. He is in Rome to film "Ben Hur", and he is training for the big chariot racing scene in the film.
The dramatic scene of the chariot race was shot at Cinecittá Studios, in Rome, on an arena track that covered 18 acres, the largest single set in motion picture history at the time. To set the track, many tonnes of white sand were brought over from Mexico. The track had to be strong enough to support the weight of the chariots, and, at the same time, very smooth, so as to avoid any damage to the horses when they ran around it over and over again during the training and filming sessions.
A total of 18 Roman chariots were built; half of them went to Charlton Heston and Stephen Boyd. Both actors had to spend long hours training to learn to ride the chariots. For Heston, it was faster and easier to learn to ride the chariot, as he was a gifted and talented horse rider. The process took longer for Boyd, who had no experience with horses at all. It is worth noting that both actors decided to film their respective shots themselves, despite the dangers involved. They left only the extremely hazardous scenes to their doubles.