Main Index Page

Created 17/1/2023. Last updated 19/3/2026

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This page is being used to collect information about the history of folded paper horses / ponies. Please contact me if you know any of this information is incorrect or if you have any other information that should be added. Thank you.

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1914

Diagrams for a compound horse, made in three pieces, appear in 'Zhe zhi tu shuo' (Illustrated Paperfolding), compiled by Gui Shaolie, which was published by the Commercial Press in Shanghai in Ming guo 3 (1914). The instructions explain how to make the body. The head and tail are not explained. The head, however, looks like a Boat with Sail.

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The (Cut) Horse - 1929 onwards

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Honda's Compound Horse - 1941 onwards

As far as I know this design, which is made from two bird bases glued together, was first published by Isao Honda in an article in 'Origami Handicraft' in 1941, although I have not seen a copy of the article in question.

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1944

A design for 'El Caballo' (the horse dog) developed from a bird base analoque folded from a 60/120 degree rhombus appears in the second edition of 'Papiro-Zoo: Manual Practico de Papirologia o Cocotologia' by Giordano Lareo, which was published by Libraria 'El Ateneo' Editorial in Buenos Aires in 1944.This design only has one back leg.

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1964

A simple design for a 'Horse' head appears as in 'Happy Origami: Butterfly Book' by Tatsuo Miyawaki, which was published by Biken-Sha in 1964.

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The same design appears as 'Horse' in 'Origami Land: Bossy Book' by Tatsuo Miyawaki was published by Biken-Sha in Matsuyama, Japan in 1967.

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1969

The article 'Mad Origami Zoo of Cliche Creatures' by Giuseppe Baggi, which appeared in 'Mad Magazine' Issue 129 of September 1969, featured a design for a 'Clothes Horse'.

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1970

A design for a heavily cut and accessorised 'Pony' appears in 'Pop-Up Origami: Pony Book' by Tatsuo Miyawaki, which was published by Biken-Sha in Matsuyama Japan in 1970.

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