The animals · Horses
Conformation, and People Who Can Read It
Horse people can read conformation at a glance, which makes this the least forgiving animal we cast and the one where accuracy matters most.
Four or five good photographs is enough to tell you whether this will work, what it costs, and how long it takes.
.999
Fine silver, hand-poured, made in the USA
1 of 1
The design is retired after casting. Yours is the only one
2004
Casting solid metal since
Approved
You see and sign off the design before any metal is poured
The audience is expert
A dog owner knows their dog. A horse owner knows conformation as a discipline — shoulder angle, topline, hock, the way a particular horse carries its head. An approximate horse is obvious to them in a way an approximate dog is not to most people, so the reference standard here is higher.
Tack is the decision that most changes the commission. A horse cast bare is a study of the animal; a horse in tack is a portrait of a partnership, and it is substantially more work. Neither is more correct, and it is worth deciding early because it affects both the design and the cost considerably.
What we need for a horse
- Conformation photographs — standing square, side on, both sides.
- Head detail, including markings and the shape of the face.
- The horse working, if the piece is meant to show movement.
- Tack, if it should be included — it adds real complexity.
- Any detail the owner particularly wants right.
What conformation photographs need to show
Standing square on level ground, side on, from both sides, with the head up and the legs visible. Not a show stance, not mid-stride, and not from the front three-quarters where the geometry foreshortens.
Add a straight-on head shot and any markings you want captured. Riding photographs are welcome as well, and they tell us about movement rather than about structure.
How we handle it
- 01Work from conformation photographs, not from stock reference.
- 02Design and get approval before casting, at a higher level of detail.
- 03Include tack only where it can be done properly.
- 04Cast in .999 fine silver, hand-poured, one of one.
- 05Retire the design after casting.
Send proper conformation shots — square, side on, both sides, on level ground. Riding photographs are lovely and they distort the geometry we need, so we want both and we build from the standing ones.
Said plainly
Where we stop
A horse at any real size is a significant weight of silver and the cost reflects that directly. We will tell you the figure early, and a smaller piece done well is a better object than a large one compromised on weight.
FAQ
Common questions
- What photographs do you need?
- Conformation shots — standing square, side on, both sides, level ground. Riding photos as well, but we build from the standing ones.
- Can you include tack?
- Yes, where it can be done properly. It adds real complexity and cost.
- Why is a horse more expensive?
- Size means a significant weight of silver, and that is the largest cost driver.
- Can it show movement?
- Yes, with working photographs alongside the conformation shots.
How it works
The Photographs
photos needed custom pet statue commission
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Size & Metal
silver pet statue size weight cost
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Turnaround
how long custom silver statue take
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Memorial Pieces
pet memorial silver statue after loss
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What We Will Not Do
custom statue limits what cannot be done
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Next step
Run it both ways before you decide.
No credit check and no obligation. Tell us what you hold and what the money is for, and if selling is the better answer for your situation you will be told that first.