Prancing with a gleam over a rocky outcrop, the Wild Stallions at River Haven welcome residents and visitors to the Navasota neighborhood. The three hot-dip galvanized steel horses are artistically wrought, with windblown manes and outstretched limbs capturing the wild essence of the galloping trio. 

The artist, who has specified hot-dip galvanizing for past projects, chose hot-dip galvanized steel to protect this outdoor sculpture from exposure to the elements.  Given the humid southeast Texas climate, the decision to galvanize was the soundest option to prolong the life of the project with little or no maintenance.  Settled in a suburban environment, the wild horses are expected to last 75 years or more with no maintenance this means the life-cycle cost of the project was greatly reduced when compared to the lifetime of maintenance costs necessary with paint applications.  

With the fragile nature of the sculpture and high possibility of warping, the stallions required special handling to ensure the end product reflected the artists vision.  The 1,522 lbs. of stallion steel, including the fabricated welded body plates and hoof-like base anchors were galvanized and ready for placement in just two days.

Though the artist originally planned to utilize a duplex system of galvanized steel and paint to protect the project from the elements, the artist was so impressed by the aesthetics of the gleaming zinc coating,  he opted to forgo painting and let the sunlight play off of the natural metallic sheen of the horses.  The natural zinc coating blends in with the pastoral surroundings and is also 100% recyclable, enhancing the environmentally friendly nature of this project.
  
With no maintenance for 75+ years, the aesthetic gift of this sculpture will continue to complement the grassy Texas plains.  Thanks to the durable, resilient zinc coating, these stallions will shine proudly, corrosion free, long into the future.