Armando Jimenez, grandson of the legendary Don Manuel Jimenez, carves this horse mid-stride, one hoof lifted, tongue out, looking like it just can't wait to get moving. Unlike jaguars or coyotes, the horse wasn't part of Mexico's ancient animal traditions, it arrived with the Spanish in the 1500s, but it quickly became a beloved fixture of rural and ranch life, and Oaxacan carvers have embraced it wholeheartedly ever since, giving it the same playful, imaginative treatment as any other alebrije.
Deep reddish-brown fur is covered in short pale dashes that mimic real horsehair texture, while the mane and tail burst out in bold zebra-striped black and grey, an unexpected twist that gives this little horse a wild, untamed edge. Bright yellow eyes and a mustard-colored snout finish off the expressive face.
Hand-carved from copal wood, an authentic piece of Oaxacan folk art with three generations of family craftsmanship behind it.
