Chief Joseph, the legendary leader of the Nez perce, is memorialized with this pony. The artist, Kevin Kilhoffer, created this 2008 Trail of Painted Pony using historical information. The horse is an Appaloosa, a breed successfully bred by Chief Joseph.
The Native Americans’ admiration for the horse took many forms. Many times a horse would be dressed for ceremony or war with striking regalia. Notice the impressive mask on this pony. Runs the Bitterroot pony is very colorful with the bright red saddle blanket, bright red reins and cobalt blue mask and trim. She's a beauty!
The base, which is numbered, has a quote from the daughter of Chief Joseph. Made of resin. Dimensions: 6"L x 7"H x 2.5"W
Chief Joseph is remembered for his principled resistance to the forced removal of the Nez Perce from their Idaho homelands. In Chief Joseph’s surrender speech, he said "From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever."
So what is Bitterroot? Today it is a 1.6 million acre forest in southwest Montana and Idaho. Much of its beauty can be attributed to the heavily glaciated, rugged peaks of the Bitterroot Range.
