To many Native Americans, painting was not only an act of artistic expression, it conveyed important messages and bestowed great powers. It is unclear when horse painting first arose, though ledger-drawings provide evidence of this ancient art. Tribes often adorned horses with paint and elaborate dressings before ceremonies. War was also a common time to paint horses. The Cheyenne believed that painting a dragonfly on a horse would increase its ability to move rapidly in all directions, summoning this useful skill from the dragonfly itself. Most tribes painted a white circle around a horse’s eye to enhance its eyesight in war. A red handprint painted on a horse’s shoulder was a great honor, as it indicated that the rider had killed an enemy in hand-to-hand combat.
The Trail of Painted Ponies is a phenomenon that brought this lost cultural expression to America’s attention, all the while rekindling America’s love of art. The original Trail of Painted Ponies were created as a public art project for local Santa Fe artists. Thirty three artists each painted a one-foot-tall resin horse, all of which were displayed at the Governor’s Art Gallery. After an exhibition period, the Painted Ponies were auctioned off and close to $50,000 was raised. Two beneficiaries – a therapeutic equine riding organization and a program that supported arts in schools received the earnings.
The success of the Trail of Painted Ponies project spurred on a second project, even grander in scale. Over a hundred 5’ by 7’ horses were created and painted. Businesses and sponsors got involved, excited to commission an artist of their own. The results were a spectacular exhibition of creativity and variety. When the Painted Ponies were finally auctioned off – some for tens of thousands of dollars – over $250,000 was raised for schools, libraries, charities, shelters, and Indian art and culture organizations. These original Painted Ponies are now located in museums, business lobbies, and private homes all over the world.
Numerous other competitions and exhibitions ensued, before the Trail of Painted Pony figurines were made available to the general public, quickly becoming one of America’s favorite collectibles. Each Painted Pony is based on an original and is categorized into various “herds” of different Pony designs. A couple times a year a new “herd” is released and six Ponies are retired for good, increasing their value. All of our retired Painted Ponies are marked as such. Various “editions” of the same style Pony also exist, and each edition consists of 10,000 ponies. You can view the edition and pony number on the bottom of each figurine.
What makes the Trail of Painted Ponies collectibles so unique is the integrity on which they were built. They serve to remind us of the infinite creative potential of the mind, and the power of charitable will. With their aesthetic, cultural, artistic, and philanthropic appeal, these Ponies are perfect both as collectibles and as beautiful stand-alone figurines.
Kokopelli is continually adding new Painted Ponies in a variety of sizes and styles. A number of our Painted Ponies are retired and will not be available once they are gone. Those with an artistic nature may be interested in our Paint-Your-Own-Pony Kit, for which the possibilities are endless.
**We try to keep this list updated; however we cannot guarantee that every item will be available at any one point in time. If you are concerned, please give us a call before your visit.
Don’t see the Pony you are looking for? We can also special order Ponies we don’t have available in the store. Email or call us via our contact page for more information.
All images and text are property of Kokopelli Inc. or its vendors. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
Trail of Painted Ponies
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To many Native Americans, painting was not only an act of artistic expression, it conveyed important messages and bestowed great powers. It is unclear when horse painting first arose, though ledger-drawings provide evidence of this ancient art. Tribes often adorned horses with paint and elaborate dressings before ceremonies. War was also a common time to paint horses. The Cheyenne believed that painting a dragonfly on a horse would increase its ability to move rapidly in all directions, summoning this useful skill from the dragonfly itself. Most tribes painted a white circle around a horse’s eye to enhance its eyesight in war. A red handprint painted on a horse’s shoulder was a great honor, as it indicated that the rider had killed an enemy in hand-to-hand combat.
The Trail of Painted Ponies is a phenomenon that brought this lost cultural expression to America’s attention, all the while rekindling America’s love of art. The original Trail of Painted Ponies were created as a public art project for local Santa Fe artists. Thirty three artists each painted a one-foot-tall resin horse, all of which were displayed at the Governor’s Art Gallery. After an exhibition period, the Painted Ponies were auctioned off and close to $50,000 was raised. Two beneficiaries – a therapeutic equine riding organization and a program that supported arts in schools received the earnings.
The success of the Trail of Painted Ponies project spurred on a second project, even grander in scale. Over a hundred 5’ by 7’ horses were created and painted. Businesses and sponsors got involved, excited to commission an artist of their own. The results were a spectacular exhibition of creativity and variety. When the Painted Ponies were finally auctioned off – some for tens of thousands of dollars – over $250,000 was raised for schools, libraries, charities, shelters, and Indian art and culture organizations. These original Painted Ponies are now located in museums, business lobbies, and private homes all over the world.
Numerous other competitions and exhibitions ensued, before the Trail of Painted Pony figurines were made available to the general public, quickly becoming one of America’s favorite collectibles. Each Painted Pony is based on an original and is categorized into various “herds” of different Pony designs. A couple times a year a new “herd” is released and six Ponies are retired for good, increasing their value. All of our retired Painted Ponies are marked as such. Various “editions” of the same style Pony also exist, and each edition consists of 10,000 ponies. You can view the edition and pony number on the bottom of each figurine.
What makes the Trail of Painted Ponies collectibles so unique is the integrity on which they were built. They serve to remind us of the infinite creative potential of the mind, and the power of charitable will. With their aesthetic, cultural, artistic, and philanthropic appeal, these Ponies are perfect both as collectibles and as beautiful stand-alone figurines.
Kokopelli is continually adding new Painted Ponies in a variety of sizes and styles. A number of our Painted Ponies are retired and will not be available once they are gone. Those with an artistic nature may be interested in our Paint-Your-Own-Pony Kit, for which the possibilities are endless.
Other Collectibles:
Clay Animal Sculptures
Desert Ironwood Carvings
Front Runner Painted Pony
Wary Pony Painted Pony
Kachina Pony Painted Pony
Twilight Hunters Painted Pony
Dream Warrior Painted Pony
Keeper of Sacred Fire Painted Pony
Sounds of Thunder Painted Pony
War Cry Painted Pony
Carries the Spirit Painted Pony
Year of the Horse Painted Pony
Rolling Thunder Painted Pony
Prairie Horizon Painted Pony
Carved in History Painted Pony
Indian Summer Painted Pony
Native Dancer Painted Pony
Dragonfly Magic Painted Pony
Wovokas Vision Painted Pony
Blondes Painted Pony
Sundancer Painted Pony
Bunkhouse Bronco Painted Pony
Boot Camp Painted Pony
Shiloh-Celeb Series Painted Pony
Best of Show Painted Pony
Bonanza Painted Pony
War Cry Masterpiece Painted Pony
Motorcycle Mustang Painted Pony
Silver Lining Painted Pony
Noel Painted Pony
Tribal Paint Painted Pony
Christmas Parade Painted Pony
Crazy Horse Painted Pony
Spirits of the Northwest Painted Pony
Cowgirl Cadillac Painted Pony
Wounded Knee Painted Pony
Petroglyph Painted Pony
Dashing Through Snow Painted Pony
Trail of Honor Painted Pony
Fetish Painted Pony
Medicine Horse Painted Pony
Children’s Prayer Painted Pony
Silverado Painted Pony
Native Jewel Painted Pony
Copper Enchantment Painted Pony
Bedazzled Painted Pony
Stardust Painted Pony
Sacred Reflections Painted Pony
Paint Your Own Pony
**We try to keep this list updated; however we cannot guarantee that every item will be available at any one point in time. If you are concerned, please give us a call before your visit.
Don’t see the Pony you are looking for? We can also special order Ponies we don’t have available in the store. Email or call us via our contact page for more information.
All images and text are property of Kokopelli Inc. or its vendors. Unauthorized use is prohibited.