They also brought saddles, saddle blankets, steak, bacon, a coffee pot, and eggs that they nestled into the horses’ grain.

Upstairs, hammer in hand, a finisher drives nails into a saddle blanket on a newly carved, stained and polished wooden model.

Some of the horses have a Washington theme — note the ones painted with cherry blossoms or wearing a saddle blanket covered with presidential signatures.

He credits his design for the horse that became Vincent - a dark gray pony with a Van Gogh-style, “Starry Night” theme to his saddle blanket - for getting him the job.

He clutched an old saddle blanket to his chest.