The Dala Story

In the harsh winter of 1716, soldiers sought shelter with families in Dalarna, a region known for its skilled furniture makers. With scraps of wood left over from the village workshops, one soldier carved a simple horse and painted it red, using paint from the local copper mines. In exchange for the small gift, the local family gave him a bowl of hot soup. The idea caught on, and soon soldiers began carving these wooden horses to trade for food and warmth during the long winter.

According to local folklore, a wandering painter later encountered one of these horses at a farm he was decorating. When a child asked why the horse wasn’t as beautiful as the painted walls, the painter decided to decorate the horse in the same vibrant style and gave it to the child as a gift.

As the Dala horse gained popularity, the need for quicker production arose. A local artist discovered that he could dip a brush into two colours at once, speeding up the process of painting the ornate patterns onto the horse’s bridle. This innovation helped shape the traditional Dala horse we know today, with its signature design rooted in a story of kindness and creativity.

• We all see things differently
• We can all learn new things
• We all have the capacity to grow
• And we can all benefit