A life-sized horse made of scrap metal is for up for sale — with 10% of the price going to the Injured Jockeys Fund (IJF).
The sculpture is the last in the 2008 collection by Oxfordshire artist Sophie Thompson.
Sophie scours local farms, horse fairs and scrap metal yards to find materials to make her animal sculptures — which can be horses or sheep to crocodiles or chameleons.
The larger figures take about 2 ½ months to complete.
Sophie told H&H: “I make a basic outline — like the spine, legs and hips and then put it together rather like a jigsaw puzzle.
“The sculptures are made from all sorts of materials — plough parts, horse harnesses, horse bits, anything I can get my hands on really.”
Sophie studied fine art in Exeter and started making scrap metal figures when her brother, an agricultural engineer, taught her to weld and gave her materials.
Horses have always been a part of Sophie’s life and an accident in her teens made her want to donate to the IJF.
Sophie said: “A horse reared up and fell on me; it could have been awful and I was very lucky as I was fine and still enjoy riding now. But it was one of those moments where you think — if it did go wrong then you’d need some support, which is why I’ll be donating 10% of the money it sells for to the IJF.”
For more information tel: 01993 831645
www.ijf.org.uk
