People in Saratoga Springs love horses. In fact, even an inanimate herd of the animals can attract droves of residents and tourists.

At 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 24, the general public got its first opportunity to see the 34 completed fiberglass thoroughbreds of “Horses, Saratoga Style, 2007” at the Whitney Field Polo Grounds in Saratoga Springs. The unveiling celebration marked the only time all the horses will be on display together.

 “Horses, Saratoga Style, 2007” represents the second time the project organized by the Saratoga County Arts Council has been put on. The previous event was done in the summer of 2002.

SCAC Executive Director Joel Reed said the organization was hesitant at first to do the event again because they had already done it. The level of interest, excitement and enthusiasm surrounding the project changed his mind. 

“I’ve been answering questions from the public for months,” Reed said. “Since we originally did it, people have been constantly asking when we were going to bring the horses back. So, they are back by popular demand.”

The sculptures which will soon decorate the city are the result of months of labor by artists from New York, Massachusetts and Vermont. Reed believes people will be impressed by the creativity of the regional artists. 

Reed said the public art also helps tourism by creating more foot traffic and has developed a significant partnership between the Arts Council, local artists, area businesses and the city.

“It was very popular when it was done previously,” he said. “People loved it. It was a real part of the whole summer season that summer.”  

Flashback. Linda Buerkley, one of the three owners of Riverfront Studios and a local artist, finished shaping her horse, named “Remembrance,” at the end of April. Purchased by the Inn at Saratoga, the horse required approximately two weeks of daily work from Buerkley.

To produce the feel of a tabloid from the 1840s, Buerkley spray painted the horse beige and yellow and researched old lithographs and etchings in publications like Harper’s Weekly at the Saratoga Library. Scenes of Saratoga were sketched using a brush and acrylic paint, primarily colors like burnt sienna, black and blue.

“It’s not very colorful,” Buerkley said. “I wanted it to be like the ink they would have used then.” Buerkley said a lot of people visited the studio to check out her progress and give feedback or suggestions. Overall, she received a very positive response and expects the horses will attract people wherever they are located.  

The horses, of course. Reed said part of the fun of “Horses, Saratoga Style, 2007” is that it’s like a scavenger hunt. People can pick up a map at the Arts Center and visit all the different locations of the sculptures.

“People will want to see them all and take pictures,” he said. “This gives people one more thing to do in Saratoga Springs that they’ll really enjoy.”

The majority of the 34 horses are located in Saratoga Springs, but Broad Street in Schuylerville will be home to three of them as well. Twenty-seven horses will be set up on or within a block of Broadway. In addition, two will be at the National Museum of Dance, one at the Saratoga Automobile Museum and one at Skidmore College.

On Friday, May 25, the horses were moved to their various locations and Reed said the goal is to have them all in place by June 1. The horses will stay out through October; they’ve all been weather-proofed to protect them from the rain and sun.

For more information regarding “Horses, Saratoga Style, 2007,” call The Saratoga County Arts Council at 584-4132.