Toy horse and rodeo rider

[jpwagoneer1964]

At Lightning Flat the toy horse and rider that Ennis sees on Jacks desk. Childhood toy or a gift of Ennis of the one he carved? You can see tears in his eye as he picks it up. Very heartwrenching either way.
At first I always thought childhood toy but now I'm not so sure.

[gattaca]

I would guess 'childhood toy'. I recall the scene on the main camp tent during the 1st rainstorm and Ennis is carving what appears to be just a horse with no rider out of balsawood (but I don't know where he'd get balsawood up there).

That's not to say that Ennis couldn't have given Jack another gift during their long association.

[bbm_stitchbuffyfan]

I haven't looked close enough to determine whether or not they are the same toy. I choose to think they are just because that, to me, is so profound -- and sad. 

[Penthesilea]

I think it's not the same figurine. The one Ennis carves has no rider on it.
Usually you carve figurines out of one piece of wood. Horse and Rider. Although it is surely possible to carve a horse, then a rider and put them together afterwards.

The horse Ennis carves is much chunkier (coarser?). It's not finished yet when we see it, it's still very raw, so everything is possible. But for my eyes, it's a different style of carving.

And the angle between the horse's head and his jugular is different. The horse carries his head in another way.

I'll attach two pics of the two figurines.

[iristarr]

I always thought it was clearly a childhood toy - certainly not carved out of wood, but molded of some kind of plastic or composite material.  From his childhood -- I imagine boy-Jack dreaming of himself as a grown-up cowboy. There was also a glitch in that scene of Ennis in Jack's room:  he picks up the figurine and examines it, then sets it back down on the desk.  In the next view of the desk I don't see the figurine in the same place he set it. Also, I often wondered what happened to the horse Ennis was carving in the tent. Like to think he gave it to Jack, but he probably just threw it out when they moved back down off the mountain. For what it's worth . . .

[alec716]

I often wondered what happened to the horse Ennis was carving in the tent. Like to think he gave it to Jack, but he probably just threw it out when they moved back down off the mountain. For what it's worth . . .

And here I was, thinking I was the only person who hoped that Ennis gave that horse he was carving to Jack.  That wistful, far-off look on Ennis' face as he is holding the horse and the knife made me sure that he was thinking of Jack as he was carving.  I also noticed that as Ennis was carving the horse, he was lying on his side in the tent as he was in the infamous second tent scene with Jack... other side, but you get the idea.   

And when Jack's turn to carve came later in the movie, he was probably thinking of carving up L.D. Newsome instead of the turkey in front of him, but that is probably a thought for another thread!

I'd bet a can of Bettermost beans that Lureen found that little wooden horse when she cleaned out Jack's belongings.

[iristarr]

You betcha!  Even if Ennis tossed the little wooden horse while they were up there on the mountain, I'll bet Jack snatched it up on the sly, like he did Ennis' shirt. But if so, what did he do with it later?  Another mystery to wonder about . . . Iris

[adrian]

Hello everyone,
   I'm new here, but I can contribute something to this thread.  I currently own the carved horse and knife used in the movie.  I bought it on Ebay, the prop man, Ken Wills, was selling many of the props used in the movie.  I was really lucky to acquire this beautiful piece from this amazing film.  Anyway, I contacted Ken and asked if he was planning to sell the horse and cowboy found in Jacks room.  He said that, that item came from set decoration and NOT the properties dept..  This leads me to believe that this "toy" found in Jack's room was not an integral part of the scene, otherwise it would be part of the PROPS department, and not just set decoration.  It was probably something Jack acquired after Brokeback, reminding him of Ennis (it is wearing a light colored hat).

  For those attending the San Fransisco screening of the movie on June 12-14, I will be displaying the horse and knife, with permission from the Castro Theater management, in the lobby for all to enjoy.

Adrian

[Ellemeno]

Adrian, thank you so much for the honor you gave me tonight at the Castro, allowing me to hold that little horse in my hands.  Once, on IMDb, we had a thread going about what one or two things from the movie would we most want.  For me it was that horse.  Seeing it and hodling it tonight gave it to me.  I treasure that opportunity - and had my picture taken holding it.  I wish you the very best, Clarissa

[David In Indy]

I currently own the carved horse and knife used in the movie.  I bought it on Ebay, the prop man, Ken Wills, was selling many of the props used in the movie.  I was really lucky to acquire this beautiful piece from this amazing film.

Oh my gosh Adrian. You are so lucky to have that horse! I envy you... definately! It sounds like it is in good hands though!