The Year of the Horse heads to America to talk horse business.

Being the land of cowboys riding horses and cattle ranching, America is evidently the address for many 'masterpieces' about horses, both in the real world of animals and in various cultural, artistic, sculptural, architectural, and industrial fields…

Apart from the towering Clidesdale horses, standing at 2m tall, robust and weighing 1,000 kg, specialized in pulling the Budweiser beer wagon in famous parades from 1933 till today, there's another tall horse that has made waves worldwide.

'The Wild Horse' at the airport

Every traveler passing through Denver International Airport, Colorado, must have marveled at Mustang standing tall on its hind legs and stretching its front legs high. In that majestic stance, Mustang stands 9.8m tall. The sculptor of this wild horse sculpture on American grassland is Mr. Luis Jimenez, a resident of El Paso city.

In 1993, the board of directors managing Denver International Airport, considering its vast land area, being the largest airport in North America, proposed to Mr. Jimenez to create a masterpiece that would beautify the airport's facade while also portraying the character of Colorado state.

On February 11, 2008, the wild Mustang statue was officially unveiled to the public, weighing 4,100 kg, made of sky blue glass with a striking feature: Mustang's eyes glowing red.

In terms of symbolism, Mustang fits well with the reality of Colorado, a region that once had many horses, Native American warriors, and cowboys. Additionally, it stands out against the azure sky with the airport's aviation terminal built in the image of the Rocky Mountains.

From afar, the series of triangular roofs of the aviation terminal also evoke the white tents of Native American settlements.

But the artist who created it also became its victim. Mr. Jimenez died two years earlier after being hit by the horse's head while he was finishing painting it. Mustang was completed by his assistants and two car painting experts, Camillo Nunez and Richard LaVato.

Not all art critics in the United States were pleased with Mustang. Some demanded its removal from the airport facade. This year, in 2014, its fate will be decided.

Horse on the street

If you happen to be in the United States during the 2014 Year of the Horse Tet holiday, you might have the chance to see some of the world's finest and most majestic horses, categorized and acclaimed by the equestrian community. And if you're a beer enthusiast, particularly fond of tasting 'Bud' bottles/cans, then you're in for a treat because Anheuser-Busch Brewing, the company behind Budweiser, is the proud owner and producer of these renowned horses.

They are the Clydesdale team, consisting of 230 extraordinary horses. Standing at about 1.9 meters tall and weighing 1,000 kg, each Clydesdale consumes around 40 kg of hay, 6 kg of grains, and 30 gallons of water (110 liters) every day.

This team of horses doesn't carry passengers on their backs, nor do they pull heavy cargo. They don't race, nor do they perform circus acts… They simply parade on important occasions related to American history, such as marching during soccer matches between brigades at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, or on Independence Day, July 4th…

Since 1933, Budweiser has always utilized the Clydesdale team in its brand and product promotion campaigns. The image of the majestic hitch or team of Clydesdales pulling Budweiser beer has gradually become famous worldwide.

Before joining the parade lineup, each horse undergoes meticulous grooming for 5 hours. Their long coats are thoroughly brushed, and their tails are neatly tied.

Their primary residence is a large horse ranch in St. Louis, Missouri, where they are born and spend their carefree childhood until the age of 2, after which they move to the area where they become 'buddies' with humans. Then, at the age of 3, they transition into training for parades, ready to become stars, touring approximately 320 days a year.

However, the time these horses shine in the public eye only lasts about 10 years, and then they retire, living a dull life for the remaining 15-18 years. One comforting assurance for these early retirees is that they are guaranteed not to be sold to slaughterhouses to be canned meat for dogs and cats.

If you're traveling to the United States and happen to miss major events where the magnificent Clydesdale horses parade, you still have the chance to see other tall and impressive horses on the streets of New York. Mounted on them are American police officers, who are also quite large and impressive.

Iron Mustang Horse

Furthermore, on most streets in American cities, there are other unique horses to admire. These are the Ford Mustang cars.

The Year of the Horse 2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the Mustang car line with the image of a wild horse galloping freely, famously featured in many Hollywood movies. By the end of 2014, the 2015 Ford Mustang model also began to be released for stylish customers.

***

Source: Travel guide from Mytour – According to iHay