In the chill of the days leading up to the Binh Ngo Tet 2026, at the Hanh Phuc Garden in Hop Thinh commune (Bac Ninh), a cement horse mascot has just officially been revealed. That is the Hanh Phuc Horse, the last mascot in the giant horse trio of artisan Bui Van Quan. This mascot is a symbol of the steadfast will and solidarity of Vietnamese people after a challenging year.
Although it is the last debut work, Happy Horse is the first "child" that Mr. Quan started to implement. The idea of a mascot symbolizing love has been cherished by him since June 2025.
After more than 3 months of tireless construction, from welding the iron frame, building the cement block shape to the sophisticated carvings, this statue weighing more than 10 tons and nearly 6m high was officially completed.
For Mr. Quan, making mascots is not only creating a beautiful shape, but also breathing into stone, into steel. He confided that horses are animals with very strong spirits, so the process of crafting requires artisans to keep emotions intact in every detail. Each mascot is like a spiritual child that needs to be meticulously cared for, so that viewers can clearly feel the joy and breath of spring through the work.
The image of the Happy Horse appears proudly under the image of a twenty-year-old horse girl spreading her wings. The sharp horn on the horse's forehead is the most special point, playing the role of the soul of the statue.
Anh Quan shared a profound philosophy: "The thing that pierces the diamond is not strength, but the will that is polished with love and loss. That horn is not used to attack but is a symbol of persistent humanity. When sincerity is large enough, it can break through seemingly untouchable barriers, helping people overcome all adversities.
Admiring the work, viewers also encounter the image of a snake (the mascot of the Year of the Snake 2025) crawling into the money bag. This image is not only a New Year's transition, but also a touching implication of upheavals and natural disasters in the old year.
According to the artisan's creative intention, the gold coins do not lie still in their pockets but flow out. That is a metaphor for sharing, the spirit of "the healthy leaf protects the torn leaf" of our people in distress.
It is the spirit of "even if there is only one last penny left, still ready to share" that has helped the Happy Horse grow wings to overcome limits and fly high to a bright future.
As the last piece in the trio of Tet 2026 mascots, Happy Horse fully converges the humanistic spirit through the message: "Strongly move forward, close the pain, keep love and spread happiness".
Through "Happy Horse", artisan Bui Van Quan wants to spread the message of warmth and resilience to the community. In particular, the work will be auctioned to raise funds to build houses of gratitude for families in difficult circumstances.
