The horse again and again shows us its intelligence and courage to overcome extreme situations. Sometimes they help humans and sometimes being helped by some humans who understand them as beings of great value. Today we will talk about a particularly intelligent horse. A horse that also has helped many horses with its actions. Today we will talk about Metro Meteor, the painter horse.
The horses have given us their support as transport of people for their speed and resistance, as transport of cargo and drive for their strength in physical work and as a company given their high intelligence and nobility.
Horses have shown great sensitivity, strength and courage. In this way it is not surprising that their sensitivity has led them to stand out in a new field for them … The arts.
The horse has inspired many artists throughout history. Many poets, writers, filmmakers have dedicated their “muse” to the qualities and presence of the horse. But just as the horse has been an inspiration, now it is the horse that finds inspiration in its own existence and explores one of our fine arts, painting. Today we will know better this precious and noble animal
Perhaps the horse becomes a competitor of men not only in speed but in artistic sensibility but at least we already have the first among them.
What forces forge the artist? Which forces forged our painter horse Metro Meteor?
Metro Meteor was a horse that, after an accident, went from being a successful racehorse to an injured horse. Thanks to the support of a human, it strength and it sensitivity it was able to overcome the limitations of life by becoming a painter horse.
The circumstances of life shape us and the need to express ourselves is what makes us artists … That special awareness that separates us from the rest and allows us to transmit the beauty of reality beyond their circumstances.
It is under these circumstances that Metro demonstrated its gifts as a plastic artist. Perhaps some are surprised to see a horse become an abstract art painter, but those who have had the pleasure and honor of knowing them can only confirm their suspicions.
How did Metro get to paint?
Metro Meteor was a horse whose work and performance predicted a bright future career in horse racing. Until just before his injury, Metro had begun to stand out. What lasted his career had successful participation in which he won a considerable amount.
However, a disease of the knees ruined its future and among the options that gave his owner was euthanasia. But Metro Meteor ran with the great luck of being adopted by a man with a big heart capable of thinking “out of the box”. His adopter was a plastic artist named Ron Krajewski and he was the one who taught him the art of painting.
Metro Meteor was adopted by Ron for his wife Wendy to recreationally set up. However, after a visit to the veterinarian they were able to verify that the damages to its knees were worse than those indicated by their previous owner. Ron and Wendy took him to the veterinarian. The vet prescribed the medications, special horseshoes and physical therapy that gave him a better quality of life.
In 2012, during a visit to the veterinarian, they discover that their condition is getting worse rapidly. The life expectancy for Metro was two years old. That’s when Ron decides to take matters into his own hands.
Metro Meteor and Ron Krajewski heading for the unknown
“I did not want to put him to pasture and forget him [Metro Meteor]. I was thinking about how to spend time together, I wanted to improve their quality of life “
Ron Krajewski
While Ron Krajewski was dedicated to thinking how to give Metro a better quality of life. By its way, the horse did everything possible to get the attention of Ron and Wendy making movements with his head and raising things.
The Metro Meteor movements captured Ron’s curiosity. Understanding that this was the way of Metro to communicate decided to stimulate it. Ron began to teach him to touch the canvas with his nose. Then Ron taught it to do it with a brush in his mouth. This convert Metro communication and his need to draw attention to his own artistic expression.
Ron began to reward it positively for its capacity of expression and reinforcing his free manifestation instead of pigeon-holing him into careers and obeying … This is how the natural expression of Metro became a work of art
Not satisfied with it, Metro began to show emotion and interest in such activity. So much was its interest in this new activity that when he was shown a canvas he immediately began to paint. In this way towards brushstrokes turning his expression into art very abstract but colorful at the same time.
Ron became his artistic director and assistant at the same time placing colors and brushes in his mouth.
The paintings were worthy of exhibiting in a space. So the owner made the decision to take them to a gallery. At the first week was a resounding success, managing to sell four pieces, nothing bad to begin with.
Metro Meteor’s success
“The brushstrokes of Metro do not resemble anything a person can do, because he does not think what he is going to do before doing it. His strokes are thick, random and sometimes broken, which makes the other colors can be seen. All that vibrates on the canvas”
Ron Krajewski
The fact that a horse has developed the ability to make works of art in this case paintings on canvas captured the attention of the public immediately. Its history was transmitted in television. Metro Meteor gained fame and followers in the United States its country of origin.
Currently, a Metro box has a value that can range between fifty and five hundred dollars. This income that the horse has received has served as a base to pay for the expenses of his treatment.
Metro was a self-sufficient horse, a worthy example for many humans. Only in the course of 2014 he had an extensive list of people interested in acquiring his unique works of art.
In relation to his medical treatment, the veterinarian in charge of this case came up with the brilliant idea. This consisted of creating a practice to use a substance called Tildren only on his knees. In effect it had positive results for this wonderful artist horse.
For the short time the results of the imaging tests showed that the abnormal growth of his joints had stalled. Therefore this gives hope that the horse will continue its existence and so continue to continue making those beautiful and unique paintings.
Plastic artist Ron Krajewski
Many times life takes us along paths where we must reinvent ourselves and bring to light all that potential that we carry inside.
Ron was raised in Alaska where his work was dedicated to fishing. Then he placed himself under the command of the United States Navy. Later it is when it takes its creativity to afloat thus becoming a potential artist.
If you look at his story there is a bond that links him to his horse Metro. Both were engaged in totally different tasks before embarking on what today unites them for life the love of art.
This artist together with his wife show their altruistic and kindly side as an important part of the profits from the sales of the paintings that the horse paints Metro donate to a charity that is dedicated to helping other horses.
Despite all the difficulties Meteor Metro had an excellent quality of life thanks to Ron and Wendy and enjoyed to the maximum the fact of painting the paintings that gave many joys and lengthened the lives of many horses.
Metro Meteor pass away
“Through long talks with Metro’s vet, it was realized that Metro’s quality of life had become drastically reduced and he was living in constant pain. The meds we had to give him to treat one aliment, were causing new ailments. There was no way to win, and nothing more we could do for him. Even though he had lived five years passed his original prognosis, and had overcome every obstacle he faced, Metro just had too many obstacles now, and was losing the battle. The heartbreaking decision was made that it was best for Metro to let him go. To ease his pain. Metro was humanely euthanized on March 28th by his vet and longtime friend, Dr. Kim Brokaw. Metro was 15 years old.”
Metro Meteor Website
It left a legacy … Dozens of horses saved, their own life extended and full of life and works of art that will make us remember forever … Metro Meteor an artist horse, a painter horse
Sources
https://www.pennlive.com/life/2018/04/painting_horse_death.html
http://www.horsenation.com/2018/04/02/in-memoriam-metro-meteor-the-painting-thoroughbred
https://gustavomirabalcastro.online/arte/metro-un-caballo-artista
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