A life-size memorial of a war horse was unveiled in Hampshire last week (Friday 3 July).
The sculpture was officially unveiled by Princess Anne in Romsey’s War Memorial Park.
In World War One the Remount Camp just outside of the town trained 120,000 horses and mules for life on the front, where many died.
After the war the camp was knocked down but the remaining hardcore was used to raise the ground level of the War Memorial Park in Romsey.
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Local equestrian sculptor Amy Goodman was commissioned by a group of Hampshire residents to create a fitting tribute to commemorate the horses, as well as the soldiers who served at the site.
After four years of work the sculpture was finally unveiled last week.
“It was a very special day,” Amy told H&H. “A lot of people have worked very hard to make this happen.”
In 2011 Amy started research on the project, using sketches by Lionel Edwards for inspiration, as well as Munnings’ renditions of Major General Jack Seely and his famous horse, Warrior.
“All my career I’ve wanted to sculpt a life-size horse as a public memorial. It is such an honour to be involved in such a project as this.”
The 40-year-old sculptor wanted to show the “powerful bond” between horse and rider, despite the hardships of war.
“It is attracting many visitors,” added Amy. “They have been photographing the statue, stroking it and leaving flowers on the plinth. Romsey has taken the statue to its heart.”
The statue stands on a plinth that rests on a concrete base. Four horseshoes from the battlefields of Flanders are embedded in the concrete, together with some nail fragments, a Remount Service cap badge and two of the terracotta war horses made at King John’s House.
The entrance to the park has been completely re-designed to make a suitable setting for the new statue.
The project is costing £80,000 with public donations and auctions to fundraise it.
Amy Goodman’s Romsey War Horse maquette won the British Sporting Art Trust best sculpture award at the annual Society of Equestrian Artists “Horse in Art” exhibition in 2013.
For more information visit: www.romseywarhorse.co.uk
