Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Gunpowder

"The animal he bestrode was a broken-down plough-horse, that had outlived almost every thing but his viciousness. He was gaunt and shagged, with a ewe neck and a head like a hammer; his rusty mane and tail were tangled and knotted with burrs; one eye had lost its pupil, and was glaring and spectral; but the other had the gleam of a genuine devil in it. Still he must have had fire and mettle in his day, if we may judge from the name he bore of Gunpowder. He had, in fact, been a favorite steed of his master’s, the choleric Van Ripper, who was a furious rider, and had infused, very probably, some of his own spirit into the animal; for, old and broken-down as he looked, there was more of the lurking devil in him than in any young filly in the country."

Sketch of Gunpowder - The Haunted Gallery 2011
I've tried to capture Gunpowder's personality in sound. When the soundscape is released, listen closely for the indifferent canter as his hooves slightly drag the ground. The old horse frequently slows his pace as if falling asleep in mid stride. The occasional jangle of tack can be perceived as Ichabod prods his steed onward.

3 comments:

ZHowell said...

Can't wait to hear this! I love your attention to detail. Really looking forward to it.

ShellHawk said...

Honestly, I think Gunpowder was the one who offed Ichabod, and blamed it on the Hessian...

J.P. said...

Haha. That is certainly an interesting theory. Nobody would ever suspect.