Friday, December 13, 2013

The Portland Horse Project

I didn't set out on this walk through Southeast Portland 
to find a horse...

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... but when I spotted it I knew exactly why it was there!  

Either my sister, or a bloggers post a few years ago filled me in on what was going on in Portland.  The Horse Project was taking to the streets.
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It was soon after I could understand my father's spoken word that I learned about the iron ring imbedded in the curb in front of my grandmother's home.  We visited nearly twice a month and each time he fondly recalled how the horse wagons carrying produce or milk could tie up to that ring and sell their items to the neighbors on the block.   When he was 4 or 5, the man with the pony and a cowboy costume came to sell his parents a "photo op".  (Good thing too, it's one of our favorite photos of the boy who became our Dad.)



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In 2005 artist Scott Wayne Indiana (if you click on his name, don't be shy about clicking on the forks)  set out to bring attention to these artifacts which had been designated historic and development ordinances require their preservation.

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copied from The Project's site:


          The Portland Pony Project
It seems that we gallop through life in a haze
And don't notice the things we race by every day
Until a time comes when a change will occur
That will cause us to notice, stop and confer
We talk to our neighbors; ask "was that always there?"
"I never saw it before", the neighbors declare.
So it was with the horse rings 'til Scott came along
Thinking "I've an idea that could gather a throng!" 
He found some toy horses and tied them up tight
Then sat back to watch and see if they might
Cause people to notice what was always around;
What they had been missing – now they had found.
Now many people will pause for awhile
And others will notice, and they also smile
To see these small horses tied up to the rings
Where once their much bigger brothers had been
And maybe they'll even see a lot more
Of what they've been missing; it's happened before!
His project is spreading and now there's a herd
Of horse-loving folks who've also been spurred
To add some small horses to places near you
Hoping they’ll catch you smiling too.
Watch over our ponies, maybe bring them a rider
And we can make Portland a little bit brighter.

Ride on dear Reader, ride on!   Linda   :-)




3 comments:

  1. So that's what the horses are all about! I've always wondered, but never taken the time to research. I do love seeing all the Breyer horses put to good (and slightly eccentric) use!

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    Replies
    1. Welcome Christine, You're my 31st follower! This is quite a milestone for my blog, as I've hit #30 a few times but never over until now. Woo Hoo! (my typed version of fanfare)

      So glad you liked the Pony Project it is one other great quirky Portland(ia) thing. :-)

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Hello! Your comments are the interaction I look forward to while writing my posts.
Cheers! Linda

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