Lord Of The Rings star Viggo Mortensen is combining his passions for filmmaking and horses by adapting Mari Sandoz's novel The Horsecatcher.

The actor, who purchased the horses he rode in the Lord of the Rings trilogy and Hidalgo after the films were completed, is an accomplished rider and hopes to bring his skills to the set when he directs his first movie.

He tells WENN, "Horsecatcher is a novel that I have the rights to and I've written the screenplay and I'd like to some day direct.

"I don't know if it's the smartest thing to do for my first-time directing because there's a lot of stunt work and horses. I love them but I know it's not an easy thing to film well."

Sandoz's novel centers on a Cheyenne boy who shuns his tribe's wishes to become a warrior.