Horseplay: 'Uncanny' equine leg extensions

By Leslie Katz on 06 May 2009, 10:29am

It's long been a fantasy of Crave to achieve the power and agility of a horse. Such strength, such speed, such hooves. And no, it's not just us. Seattle artist Kim Graham says her Digigrade Leg Extensions "give a person the uncanny and graceful appearance of an animal".

Granted, they don't look all that comfortable, though the artist insists it takes just 10 to 15 minutes of walking to get used to them. They're made of steel, cable, foam and rigid plastic and add 36cm of height to the wearer -- like stilts with an animal twist.

Graham -- a sculptor who has dabbled in special effects and fantasy-based mould-making -- says the leg extensions work well on level surfaces, while sharp inclines are difficult and stairs are downright risky. Walking briskly is the best way to get around in these attachments, she says. Galloping is a little trickier, as you can see in the video below.

The extensions are custom-fitted and hand-fabricated, and they'll cost you around $750 (£500), or $1,000 (£660) with the optional spring-loaded hooves. If you're really set on fitting in at the stable and want a fur costume built around your leg extensions, that could cost you even more. Graham says it takes an additional three minutes to get into and out of the extensions when they're fur-enhanced.

Currently, you're most likely to see actors and other performers -- and let's face it, furries -- in these odd contraptions, but who's to say they won't ultimately have wider appeal? Maybe we'll see a Grand National for humans one day.