Dalahorse Red 7 cm

It was almost inevitable that it became a horse. The craft’s roots trace back to the forest cabins of the 18th century, where men gathered by the fire after long days of logging and timber hauling. When meals were cooked and tools inspected, they would often unwind by carving wooden figures. Frequently, it was a horse – a loyal companion that pulled timber in the winter and worked the fields and meadows in the summer. The horse was vital for the family's livelihood and also assisted with travel between villages, markets, and church visits. For children, it brought joy, often ridden bareback, sometimes with several kids at once.

The wooden horses became cherished toys, and during the 19th century, they began to be painted in bright colors and decorated with curly patterns, inspired by traditional Dalarna paintings on cabinets and chests. Traveling tradesmen selling baskets, grindstones, and woodenware often carried these horses with them, sometimes using them as payment for food and lodging. The horses primarily came from the villages of Vattnäs, Risa, Bergkarlås, and Nusnäs, where the most famous carver was Tysk Anders Gunnarsson, known as "Gambel Damben."

In 1928, brothers Nils and Jannes Olsson revived the old craft. Nils was then 15 years old and Jannes 13. Since then, the workshop in Nusnäs has continued to produce the genuine Dala horse – a tradition that lives on.