ie

. Community _

Editor: Valorie Lennox 656-1151

"Horse creates childhood magic

DREAMING OF ADVENTURE, six-year-old Sarah looks ahead
to the course she will ride on the rocking horse created by

her father, Keith Green.

by Valorie Lennox
The Review

A special magic clings to the
traditional horses of childhood —
the cavorting carousel ponies and
the far-ranging rockers that carry
their young riders to imagined
adventure.

Some of these sturdy steeds are
never, forgotten.

Keith Green still remembers the
rocking horse which sat in the
doctor’s office when he was a
child in Surrey, England.

“Tt used to attract me so much I
used to be ‘sick’ quite often so I
could go ride on the horse.”

Green now suspects the tradi-
tional, English-style, hand-carved
wooden pony must have been an
antique when he was a child.

“Tt carried a host of memories,”
he said.

But when he decided to give
Substance to those memories by
obtaining a similar horse, he dis-
covered the prices put the dream
out of reach for a family with three
children.

So he built his own — drawing
on years of experience as a hobby
woodworker and carver.

“T’ve always found it a relaxing
pastime, being able to go in and
attack a piece of wood relieves
frustrations.”

An aircraft engineer by trade, he
brought the meticulous care of his
profession to the creation of the
horse.

He started collecting the wood
for the project five years ago. This
summer, he began working seri-
ously on the horse.

A variety of woods went into the
steed — maple for the legs, a
yellow cedar body and a red cedar
head.

He carved and re-carved the
head until he had it just night, with
flaring nostrils, prominent cheeks
and alert, forward-pricked ears.

Hours of sanding and layers of
gesso produced a silky finish,

VALORIE LENNOX photo

which was painted in the tradi-
tional dapple gray. More hours of
rubbing brought the gray coat to a
high gleam.

“This horse has more hand-
rubbing than a Rolls Royce,” he
quipped.

Finishing touches include a
thick gray-brown horsehair mane
and tail, glowing amber glass eyes
and brass stirrups.

Many of the supplies came from
England, Green explained.

The saddle and tack are leather,
with adjustable stirrups and a
bridle which can be removed or
put on by a young rider.

For the rocking motion, Green
chose the swinging safety stand
patented in 1880.

Sturdier than curved rockers, the
stand also cuts vibration and holds
the horse in one position so it
doesn’t move across the floor as
the child rocks.

Weighing an estimated 120
pounds, the finished rocking horse
can carry an adult.

In fact, Green said the horse
drew a lot of attention and admira-
tion from adults while the project
was underway.

On fine days, he worked outside
his North Saanich home, attracting
countless admiring visitors.

One welcome visitor was a
woman on horseback, who let
Green study her animal to improve
the proportions of his carving.

Green was surprised by the
widespread admiration for the
rocking horse.

“When you make something,
the imperfections are inclined to
overwhelm you. You see all the
mistakes and flaws but other peo-
ple don’t see them. It’s very
encouraging.”

Given the interest shown in the
horse, Green wondered if there
was a market for a hand-carved
tocking horse.

When the horse was finished in
mid-October, he sought some way
to display his work.

Buddy’s Toys in Sidney agreed
to display the horse in their store
window. Within a week, Peninsula
Gallery asked to display Green’s
creation.

The horse will be at the Beacon
Street Gallery until after Christ-
mas.

The first horse, he says, will stay
in his family as a toy for eight-
year-old Alicia, six-year-old Sarah
and four-month-old James.

Built to last at least three gener-
ations, he has included a small
compartment inside the horse
which will act as a time capsule to
be discovered by a future genera-
tion.

He estimates building another
horse will require two months of
eight-hour days. Such a horse
would cost about $4,000 — giving
Green less than $10 an hour for his
labor.

He knows there are collectors
who pay those prices and more for
traditional rocking and carousel
horses.

Although the craftsmanship in
the horse elevates it to the realm of
art, Green says he hopes his future
creations do not stay in display
cases.

A rocking horse is meant to be
ridden by a child.

“TI like to think of them as
working horses — working toy
horses.”

TheReview Wednesday, December 23, 1992 — A15

Jack Frazer feels your
views on national issues
ARE IMPORTANT.

JACK FRAZER
Saanich & the Gulf
Islands Candidate

REFORM E>

PARTY OF CANADA
MON. TO FRI. - 10 a.m - 3 p.m. 479-0733

AUTHORIZED BY BOB DAVIE OFFICIALAGENT FOR JACK FRAZER

D-I-A-L-A- D-I-A-L
SN-A-C-K MIDNIGHT MUNCHIES LTD.
“DELIVERY SERVICE”

656-2748

New luncheon & evening menu
MON. - FRI. 11AM - 1PM

*SUBWAY & SALADS
(pick up & delivery min. chg. $2.00)

*ROBINS DONUTS VARIETY PACK - 12
(pick up & delivery min. chg. $2.00)

TORTILLA CHIPS & SALSA *BARS, VARIETY, POP
*CHIPS, DIP POPCORN
ay FREE LATE NIGHT DELIVERY
D-I-A-L 656-2748

OPEN FRI. - SUN. & HOLIDAYS
ne 8pm - 1am MIN. ORDER$3.00

Give UsABreak!

SUPPORT THE

SAANICH PENINSULA

HOSPITAL FOUNDATION’S

1992-1993 campaign to raise money for
orthopaedic equipment...

It’s an investment in oy uae

“Orthopaedic Specialist Dr. George Gerrie attends to a young patient’s fracture in the

‘Emergency Room at Saanich Peninsula Hospital.”

|
ee

| would like to support the Saanich Peninsula Hospital
Foundation Enclosed is my tax deductible gift of:

O$25 O$50 O$100 O$500 $1000 O$5000

| prefer to donate $——_—

Name
Address

Postal Code—————_

Your donation will make a difference.

Please make your cheque payable to:
Saanich Peninsula Hospital Foundation

and mail to:

2166 Mt. Newton X Road, Saanichton, B.C. VOS 1MO.
A receipt to acknowledge your generosity will be forwarded.

SAANICH

a PENINSULA
zs HOSPITAL
= FOUNDATION