Mane Attraction

Long before there were brick buildings, students, computers, exams, tuitions and essays, the area in which North Lake College stands today was once a ranch with open space and long grass. Horses ran up and down the little hills and rested in the shadows of mesquite trees – the ones students now park their cars under.

The land was owned by developer Ben H. Carpenter and, thanks to him, wild horses still run in the neighborhood, just a few minutes away from North Lake College. Carpenter’s ranch is now a master-planned community called Las Colinas (which is Spanish for “the little hills”). In the heart of this development called the Urban Center, nine bronze mustangs run in a stream of water in Williams Square.

The Mustangs of Las Colinas is the world’s largest equestrian sculpture, and the horses themselves are huge: one and a half times life-size. Since 1984, as symbols of freedom, these horses have represented the distinctive spirit and heritage of Texas. This year is the sculpture’s twentieth year in Las Colinas.

Like many North Lake College students, the Mustangs have an international background. Contrary to popular belief, mustangs are not American horses. They were brought here from Spain. These horses have carried Spanish explorers, Indians and, of course, Texas cowboys.

Like many students, the Mustangs traveled a long way to arrive in Irving. Carpenter ordered the Mustangs in 1976 from Kenya-born, wildlife artist Robert Glen. Carpenter believed that Glen was able to capture the spirit of wild animals, and he did – but it took him seven years.

The Mustangs went through many phases before they settled in Irving. Glen had actually made the sculptures three times: first he created 47 small statues less than 1/8 of life-size in his studio in Nairobi. He and Carpenter chose nine of them.

Then Glen made sculptures half of life-size. These fiberglass models were shipped to the foundry in England. There the final 1-1/2 life-size models were completed.

After a long and complex process, the sculptures were ready– and yet there was another complex process ahead: shipping them to Texas. Heavy sculptures were very delicate, so shipment was done by air. The Mustangs flew from London Heathrow to Kennedy Airport in New York City. From there, they took a second plane to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. To Las Colinas, the horses came by trucks.

In Williams Square at O’Connor and Las Colinas Blvd. In the Las Colinas Urban Center, the Mustangs have a large open space to run. The square around them is the size of two football fields. But the horses tend to have company: there seems to be an endless number of people who keep coming to see them.

What most of the tourists don’t notice, unfortunately, is “the best kept secret in Irving” – the Mustang Sculpture Exhibit, which is also located in Williams Square. This charming little place offers a lot of information about the creation of the sculpture and a film about mustangs.

Exhibit hours are Wednesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call 972-869-9047. Museum guide Mary Higbie will tell you everything you need to know about the Mustangs.

“The vision of Mr. Carpenter and the skill of Mr. Glen to capture the spirit of the Mustangs make it a joy to see those beautiful horses every day as I come to work,” said Higbie.

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Mustangs of Las Colinas, Robert Glen will have an exhibition with wildlife artist Susan Stolberger. “African Wildlife Sculpture and Paintings” will be held in the Irving Arts Center’s Main Gallery Oct. 29 – Nov. 14.