Just north of Three Forks, Montana, distant mountain ranges shape the horizon. Here, the Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin Rivers meet to form the mighty Missouri. It’s against this backdrop of wide skies and open spaces that a herd appears on a hillside above Highway 287. From afar, they look real, thirty-nine horses scattered across the slope, grazing or standing alert. But as you draw closer, you discover The Bleu Horses, a remarkable installation by metal sculptor Jim Dolan.

For over 50 years, I’ve been turning steel into life, crafting large-scale public pieces around the world, plus hundreds of private works. My inspiration comes from the beauty and complexity of nature, and the talent and passion I see in people. My goal is simple: to make folks notice the world around them, to spark wonder, and maybe encourage them to pursue their own creative path.

In 2013, I finally brought to life a vision I’d carried for years: the Bleu Horses near Three Forks. Thirty-nine life-sized steel horses, grouped like a real herd, standing on a hillside not too far from my home.

Many of the horses move with the wind, as gears and pulleys shift their necks and torsos. Their manes and tails are thick rope, unwound to flicker like they’re swatting flies. Even the muzzles and ears seem alive, alert to everything around them. I named them all Bleu (that’s b-l-e-u) because the color felt strong and poetic.

Horses have been my favorite subjects since my days at Montana State University. Over the decades, I’ve created hundreds of sculptures, from table-top animals to a 36-foot eagle in Osaka, Japan. But the Bleu Horses are uniquely special. They’re my gift to Montana and its people. I was never commissioned to do Bleu Horses, I just wanted to. For me, art isn’t about fame or money. It’s about giving back, about inspiring a connection to nature, to wonder, and to the great state of Montana.

If you enjoyed meeting the Bleu Horses, don’t miss Rusty, one of my most beloved works, a faithful resident of the Museum of the Rockies since the early 1980s.