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The Golden Gate Park Carousel features 62 animals of which 38 are horses.
Although horses are not the only carousel animal they are the most popular and well known figure.
Carousel horses are a part of the American heritage.
In the early 1900's there were 8 major carving companies producing animals in the U.S. See our Carousel Restoration - History page for more details.
The pose of the horse determines if it is a Stander, Prancer or Jumper.
Standers have 3 or 4 feet on the platform and are stationary.
Prancers are also stationary, but only their hind feet are on the platform.
Jumpers have all four feet in the air, are always interior animals, and are the only animals that move on the pole as the carousel turns.
The outside row has the most elaborate animals and the most elaborate of them all is the "Lead" animal.
Ticket takers use the Lead to mark the start of ticket collection.
Each horse has an elaborately carved "Romance" side that faces outward and a simple side that faces in.
The Romance side has a theme with special carvings, often from mythology, fantasy, or folklore.
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| Parrot Horse - Outside Stander with carved parrot. Poster available. |
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| The Knights Horse. This is the "Lead" horse. Dutch silver leafing and metallic silver paint were used for a shimmering effect. |
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| The Knights horse before restoration. Legs had dry-rot. | The simple side of the restored Knights horse | Knights Horse head. Poster available. | ||
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| Rose Horse - Outside Stander with carved rose on neck, before restoration | Finished Rose Horse. Poster available. | |
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| Ruby Newman painting a horse | Shaping repaired areas | Anton Fuetsch, Wood carver | ||
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| Medieval Soldier Horse. Outside Prancer |
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| Detail of the Medieval Soldier carving, before restoration | Medieval Soldier after filling with industrial marine grade filler, re-carved and sanded. | |
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| Finished closeup of Medieval Soldier. The original glass jewels were missing from the shield, so German glass "jewels" were added. | Working drawing by Ruby Newman | |
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| Jumper with tiger skin | Simple Jumper | |
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| Susan Witka preparing a horse for paint | Detail of hand painted eye | Demonstrating how worn areas are filled and then sculpted | ||
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