A BEAUTIFUL handmade war horse sculpture has taken pride of place at a care home in Sturminster Newton.

In the lead up to the world gathering to pay its respects to fallen armed forces on Tuesday (November 11), residents at Colten Care’s Newstone House care home pulled out all the stops to make the day as special as possible.

Residents teamed up to create a striking 40cm by 30cm shiny black sculpture of a war horse, made of clay fashioned around a metal frame and inspired by an image they saw online.

It is positioned along with a soldier in a small field of bright red poppies, also made of clay, and has been dubbed ‘Blackie’ by some residents because of its colour.

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The residents’ war horse sculpture has taken pride of place in the reception area at the care home Picture: Newstone House/Colten Care

Among those who worked on the sculpture is Ian Loftus, an ex-racehorse trainer who took an expert interest in guiding the look and proportions of the horse’s legs.

He was joined in the sculpting and painting by former Merchant Navy serviceman Tony Stock, while the poppies underneath the horse were made by fellow residents Joyce Ware, Sylvia Pearce and Muriel Haskell.

Newstone House residents Ian Loftus, left, and Tony Stock at work on the war horse sculpture Picture: Newstone House/Colten Care

Tony said: “The poppies really added to the whole design and we were all very pleased with how it turned out.”

Companionship team member Ruth Telford, who worked with the residents on the project, said: “We wanted to do something different for Remembrance this year.

“The idea of making a model war horse, especially with Ian’s professional eye for equine proportions, proved just right.”