Free Spirits at NoisyWater

by Dave McGary - 1995

Located at the Entrance of The Hubbard Museum of the American West

A galloping horse has all four hooves off the ground at some point in its stride. Sculptor Dave McGary has not quite managed to duplicate that feat in bronze - but he comes close.

His $1.5 million work, "Free Spirits at Noisy Water", is a string of 8 larger than life horses bounding down a hillside led by a 2 ton thoroughbred that is balanced on a single hoof.

With 5 of the massive horses balanced on one leg, the exhibit is a marriage of art and engineering. A paint mare foal is totally airborne, welded to its mother.

McGary said he wants people to view the horses and wonder how it's done. "It's a real engineering feat in itself to have these things work like that." Each piece weighs between 3 and 5 thousand pounds.