The hoof code mostly holds true in terms of Gettysburg equestrian statues, but there is at least one exception. James Longstreet wasn't wounded in this battle yet his horse has one foot raised. (illustration from Longstreet page) The article has a pretty good list of statues that do and don't match the "tradition". Short version of the article -
If a statue depicting a person on a horse with both front legs in the air, the person died in a battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air, the person died as a result of wounds received in a battle. If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.
A significant number of horse statues in Washington, D.C. and in London, England, do not follow these alleged protocols regarding leg location on a horse statue. The U.S. and the U.K. are the two countries in which the contentions about horse leg statue positions are most prevalent.
Winchester’s raised leg symbolizes his rider was wounded in battle (the legs of [General Ulysses S.] Grant’s horse [as seen in another Chicago statue] are on the ground, meaning he was not wounded).” The book makes no mention of what two legs in the air means, but many people seem to think it indicates the rider died in battle.
As Brian Sniatkowski has already pointed out, the number of legs raised from the ground in equestrian statues has no particular meaning, and simply indicates that the artist (or their commissioner) preferred the horse to be posed that way.
The Horse Statue Code There is a commonly held belief that equestrian statues follow a sort of code, which essentially dictates how the rider died. While it seems like it could make sense, all it takes is stopping to consider just how many equestrian statues exist in this world of ours.
The well-known statue of Andrew Jackson in New Orleans (duplicated in Nashville and Washington, D.C.) in which the horse has two legs raised, yet Jackson died of old age in 1845, and the statue of ...
horse statue with two legs up horse sculpture leg position meaning for sale ... horse sculptures for sale sculptures horses leg raised ... large horse statues for ...
Bronze Horse Figurines and Bronze Horse Statue Sculptures ... of large horses rearing up on their hind legs. ... Small bronze horse statue of two wild horses ...
Outdoor Horse Statues Customize your yard, front entry, or porch with an outdoor horse statue. Shop online for deco, modern, Roman, racing, and ornate horse sculptures for your garden or outdoor seating area.
Looking for bronze sculpture ?Send us the message follow the form ?
