These Colorful 2-D Horses Will Stop You in Your Tracks This Summer

Have you ever been driving and something catches your attention out of the corner of your eye? While I was driving through Goshen, something similar happened to me. I saw this beautifully painted horse and then moments later I saw another one in a different part of the village. I was wondering if they had always been there or I just never noticed them before, ha-ha. Considering that the town hall and museum weren’t open at the time, I decided to do my research. During my investigation, I found that this is the third summer that Goshen has showcased the horses around the village.

These 2D painted horses are actually referred to as The Painted Trotters of Goshen. Local artists created these colorful pieces and the craftsmanship is outstanding! The horses are there to encourage more art in Goshen and to be a reminder of the history of horse racing for hundreds of years.

In addition to the artists, this involves a collaboration with the Goshen Art League, Illuminate Goshen and the Village of Goshen. The horses can be sponsored in which the owner would then place it wherever they chose. Many business owners purchase a horse to put in front of their store which definitely calls attention to their establishment. During the end of each summer, the horses are then auctioned off.

During the auction, half of the money goes to the talented local artist who created it and the other half goes to funding for the following year to have these beauties displayed. The painted trotters were revealed to the public on Sunday, June 16 at the Harness Racing Museum and then sent to the Hall of Fame. Be sure not to miss the auction on Friday September 20^th at Limoncello at the Orange Inn!

These horses are a beautiful addition to the Hudson Valley. It makes sense that they are in Goshen as this village is the home to the Goshen Historic Track which is also known as the world’s oldest, yet still active harness racing track! The National Park Service even named this track as a registered, Historic Landmark, GO GOSHEN!!

Don’t forget, you can also sponsor a painted trotter by going to the following website:

https://www.givegab.com/campaigns/painted-trotters

Drop a comment below and let me know if you have ever seen these painted trotters in person? If not, it’s totally worth the trip to Goshen or even to the auction to have one for yourself!