Johnny Deep recounts a close call with death on set

While filming on the set of the new Lone Rangerfilm, Johnny Depp slipped off the side of a horse during a stunt and slammed to the ground, fortunately not suffering any major injuries, the actor recalled on Late Show with David Letterman Thursday.

Depp, who said he's had experience with horses on several of his films, said the incident could've left him "horrifically mangled."

"We were shooting at a different place in the desert where there's these little bumps and things," Depp said. "And so the horse that I was on decided to jump a couple of these little obstacles. The horse was unaware that the saddle I was wearing to sit on top of it was jury-rigged, kind of faked... to give the effect that I'm riding bareback. So basically it's not very tight on the horse. So when we came down, the saddle slipped and I went to the left and had the reins here and somehow had the wherewithal to grab the mane of the horse. All very calm for some reason, I figured that fear would kick in but it didn't. I was waiting."