Tucked away off Electioneer Road behind tennis courts and the golf course, stands one of the few remaining pieces of the Stanford Estate--Palo Alto Stock Farm. Here, in 1876, Leland Stanford bred trotting horses. Electioneer was one of his prize stallions.
Stanford, along with English photographer Edweard Muybridge, undertook pioneering photographic experiments as well. A monument to Muybridge and his imagery stands on the former Stock Farm.
Today, the Palo Alto Stock Farm is home to Stanford University's Red Barn Equestrian Center.
Gina Haney
Great photos Gina! The galloping statue perfectly captures Muybridge's extensive work on "horses in motion." Sara
ReplyDeleteGina, this statue does capture the horse’s movement perfectly, and thus I agree with the previous comment. However, I wonder about the choice of depicting such a strong outstretched tail. It seems that the sculptor is suggesting more than the simple aide in balance that a tail provides. This one is more like a tiller that steers the boat! I read a couple of places that say tails do add stability in their swing, but mostly they are used for protection for the horse’s rear, expression of emotion, and swatting of flies. It would be interesting to find out if Muybridge thought more of the role of the tail! -- Ariana Baltay
ReplyDelete