I'd really appreciate some help on this one because it has become quite maddening. Twenty three years ago I had a good mate from the service who was very proud of his Danish heritage and his mom had these wood carded horses that were painted orange and had a black blankets on them with flowers. Supposedly they were 'very common' in Denmark. A few years later I moved to Estes Park, Colorado and there was a Danish Sop with a very large one of these horses on the front lawn and for sale inside were many more for sale. I never paid it much mind thinking it was the Danish Shamrock if you will. But recently I have been teaching Danish students- this is my third group- and none of them know of this orange horse I'm speaking of!? So where have I got my wires crossed?
2
goldcrest
I think the little horse that is being referred to is "the dala horse" from the province of Dalarna . I think it is also known as the dalarna horse - a little red wooden horse with painted flowers on it! Bought one on my travels to Sweden last year. Its one of a kind!
4
grinninggnome
That's the one! But it's Swedish not Danish? That's the odd part, but the pictures are exactly the ones.
5
goldcrest
2 Swedish brothers apparently started making them them in the 1920's. Prehaps your friends Mum came from the Sweden/Denmark border.
7
soderkisen
Well, it has nothing to do with either Denmark or Scania. The horse is an old Swedish toy, carved of left over from clocks by clockmakers to their kids in Bergslagen and Dalarna.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalah%C3%A4st
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