Cavallo Bianco - White Clay Horse Sculpture

The white stallion is a symbol of courage, calm, hope and strength. They are part of many mythological tales and continue to be represented in cultural traditions across many countries. This is my first attempt at larger scale hand made sculpture, completed in 2024, private collection.

Horse Shenanigans

I have loved horses since childhood and drew them all over my schoolbooks, every birthday hoping to find a pony on the front lawn with a pink ribbon around its neck. I rode with my primary school friend, Kate; double-dinkying, grooming, feeding and learning how to handle horses. On one occasion we had to chase her skewbald, Patrick, up busy Shepherds Hill road when he bolted after the blaring CFS Fire alarm went off right next to us! In my teens I spent many weekends at High Country Trails, Normanville, helping, mucking out, brush, tack up and take out rides. We rode fancy dress, galloped through the sand dunes, pulled bridles off each other’s horses while cantering on the beach, and mucked about a lot.

In 2014, I went on a wonderful adventure to the Alpine National Park in the Victorian Alps, for a five night pack-horse ride with my niece, Elouise. The trip was full of adventure with truly incredible scenery, horse antics, tent troubles, sore legs, campfires and wine. We carried all our own gear in two saddle bags, with our bed roll at saddle’s back.

The days were full of little mishaps. My young horse reared while climbing the difficult trail to the top of Mt Fainter (1883m) giving me a fat lip. Later, three of us cantered off to see some wild brumbies, and unbeknown to us the mule carrying all the pots, pans and utensils galloped off after us as the contents of her two huge saddle bags were scattered across the ground. When I finally managed to crack the stock whip while cantering, I was very lucky not to be thrown off!

On the final day we were treated to a spectacular thunderstorm atop the final mountain, and descended precariously into the valley below via a narrow, steep, muddy, slippery short-cut. Torrential rain, Drizabone and cowboy hat on, lightning cracking close above quickly followed by booming thunder and horses keen to get home. It was akin to a scene from City Slickers and I had a grin from ear to ear.

Me on Bell atop Mt Fainter 2014 - (Image: Elouise Giardina)