People don’t realize how tiny the Parker ponies are;
I can just about carry one under my arm!

Whoa… who put this here?

Hey, there’s a critter in the studio!

But he’s a cheery fella!

Just my size!

I found a good way to show you…
Letting the studio cats in for a visit with Pinto Pony
(he’s got the turquoise and red bejeweled saddle),
while I did some rearranging and filing.

Pinto Pony on the floor scared Yaman into hiding,
but Savitri and Hari-Gibbs-Fred
thought he was a new playmate.

Leg

Leg

Last week the ponies were assessed.

It is a bit like a checkup:
every inch of them is reviewed,
and legs and tails
are jiggled to make sure they are
sturdy for a kid to climb on.
We list what needs to be repaired,
which can be a lot when you are 100,
and also to understand their history.

They are so beautiful!

We think these two ponies are different ages.
The White Jumper Pony with the turquoise fringed saddle with the horns is much older.
Her finish is more tattered and worn…
She has teeny tiny little feet, while Pinto Pony’s feet are a sturdy size up!
She’s been repaired many times, so much that her
legs and joints have gotten thick and lost definition…See that on the left?
She has more breaks or areas that need to be stabilized.

She is so old that her repairs were done with copper cladding
not unlike the extra leg we found laying about in storage.
we don’t know why, but doubt a woodworker would do that
because it messes with the structure.
We hope to unravel this mystery; we can do that if we get the chance to
repair a leg or tail with the copper cladding in place.

They look the same
until you really look.
The shape of the
Pinto’s head is fuller,
his eyes bigger.
White’s tail is sweeter,
more defined,
and she looks like
she is watching you…
A little wistfully?

Different carvers,
and even the functionality of
the seat shows thought —
Hers holds your bum better,
and has that nice horn.

But wait!  Pinto has jewels
not only on his romance side,
*that’s the side you see when
you look at the carousel*
but all the way around!

And he’s got that Cruella de Vil
streaking thang going on with his mane!
I mean, he is styling!

Pinto won’t be getting the
makeover that White will…
She’s got enough broken bones that
she’ll get some nice new paint on her!

Keep following us for these
updates on our progress…

Written by Kate Powell  ©MPF Conservation.
May be printed for your own use ONLY, not for use on blogs without permission.