A widespread symbol
The magic and mystery associated with horses have inspired people to paint, carve and sculpt them throughout the ages. In prehistoric cave paintings and petroglyphs, for example, horses are a common motif.
In 1624 the Bishop of Västerås preached a fiery sermon against the sinful wares he had seen offered for sale in the cityís markets ñ including, he said, wooden horses. It thus appears that carved wooden horses were being made in Sweden at least 350 years ago. And if we are to believe the bishop, they were possessed of magical powers and must be considered a source of sin. In the 1660s, many women stood accused of having used the wooden horses for the rituals of witchcraft ñ from the records of a trial held in Mora, Dalecarlia, we learn that the local children had been presented with magical wooden horses from Blåkulla, whither witches would proceed at Easter to perform their black arts and consort with the Devil. Today, however, we hang a horseshoe above our door to bring good fortune to the house.
Horses have been painted and drawn all over the world, and toy horses are common ñ but none is as widespread or as well-loved as the Dalecarlian horse, or Dalahäst as it is called in Swedish. The ancestors of the present-day Dalahäst were first carved back in the eighteenth century in tiny cabins set deep in the forest. There, during the long winter evenings, the woodmen would sit by the fire after a hard dayís work felling and clearing the forest. Many whiled away the time by carving toy figures for the children back in the village.
And, naturally, they carved horses. For them, horses were of inestimable value. Not only was a horse a faithful family friend, but it could be used to haul heavy loads of timber through the winter woods and work the fields in summer. The horse pulled carts to market and took the family to church and let the children perch on its big broad back. In short, the horse was the pride and joy of the farm.
Many carved wooden horses from Dalecarlia have been preserved in museums and in private collections.