BTB: Equine taxidermy: Another kind of stuffed animal...

Equine taxidermy: Another kind of stuffed animal...

Posted: 19 Aug 2010 12:47 PM PDT

I went to a fireman's museum in a coastal North Carolina town (New Bern) back in the nineties, and I was fascinated by one of the taxidermied fire horses on display, Fred. Fred served the town in early 20th century. He was beloved by the town and I felt that his preservation and display honored him in a meaningful way.

They aren't cute, I wouldn't want to own one, and I'd never preserve one of mine in this way. However, taxidermied horses are interesting artifacts of culture, art/craftsmanship, and history. Some famous horses have been stuffed -- more than I thought. Here are a few blog articles on stuffed horses: