Does your little girl love horses?

Or have you always dreamed of having a pony of your very own?

You and your daughter may not get a pony this year, however, if you love horse figurines as much as you love the real thing then I’ve got a suitable replacement. And these beauties also make excellent Christmas ornaments. What am I talking about? I’m talking about the ever expanding collection of Painted Ponies, of course!

What are these beautiful statuettes? They are the miniature works of art to be sure, but they also have a deeper meaning. Their life-sized journey began nearly 10 years ago in New Mexico when a state salute to creativity in the form of the ultimate symbol of the west, resulted in a mass design submission from corporations, individuals, classrooms, and basically anyone who wanted to participate. The end result was 120 large and colorful uniquely designed equines that were placed throughout the state. The sculptures received national and worldwide acclaim, and a great number of people fell in love with them as they stood guard on display or over some of the state’s “most inspiring” locations for an entire year.

Though the original statues are no longer together, most instead residing in private collections or other individual exhibitions, their legacy lives on as occasionally the state of New Mexico will call for another heard to be created and handled in a similar way, sending any proceeds to various non-profit organizations.

Also, and perhaps more importantly if you wish to have a part of these special creatures in your home, the project has inspired an amazing collection of scaled figures. This collection grows every year, and the designs are always breath-taking. The larger horses, as well as the slightly smaller ones used for Christmas ornaments are highly collectable and still sought after year after year. These works of art are generally reasonably priced, and look as good on a display table as they do on or around your tree or intermingled in the rest of your decorations.

If you are looking for something unique to give to your little girl this year (or to get for yourself), then these little ponies are an excellent choice. Start a new collection, or a family tradition or both, and really, what better way to indulge in a love for horses, all the while teaching your children about creativity, and charity, as they learn the story of these special equines and how they came to be.

Start walking the trail of the painted ponies this season without even leaving your house. Surely it will be a journey you and your daughter (or son) will not soon forget, and the memories made while sharing these moments with your children will be ones that last a lifetime.