Horse at Water

The owners of Parx Casino and Racing in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, loved the giant horse head sculpture at London’s Marble Arch so much they just had to have it.

The 34-foot tall, 25-ton bronze equine, formally titled Horse at Water, was created by renowned British equestrian sculptor Nic Fiddian-Green. It was on display in London for several years as a temporary installment before attracting the attention of the U.S. racetrack operators and making the long and logistically arduous journey across the Atlantic to Parx.

Now, the massive head performs its balancing act on a patch of Pennsylvania land, its ears cocked back, its eyes cast downward. Some passersby appreciate the work of art. Others find it creepy. Some can’t help but have flashbacks to the infamous horse head scene in the Godfather.

Fiddian-Green’s momumental horse head sculptures have been installed at horse tracks before. One was displayed at the equestrian park in London during the 2012 Summer Olympics. But the bronze behemoth on display at the Pennsylvania racetrack is the first of Fiddian-Green’s works in the U.S.

After Horse at Water found its way to the States, the artist created an almost identical sculpture called Still Water to replace the much-loved original at Marble Arch.