Snowman was given his name by Harriet DeLeyer (daughter of Harry DeLeyer). He was a former plow horse of mixed breed ancestry, possibly a cross of a grade horse with a U.S. Army gelding. He was purchased slaughter bound to supply meat to the dog food facilities. He became a champion in show jumping in the United States during the 1950's. During his career, he was known as "The Cinderella Horse" due to his "rags to riches" story.
Snowman was originally used for farm work and in 1956 was headed for the "glue factory" at 8 years of age. On that day, Harry DeLeyer, a Long Island, New York, riding instructor, attended the horse auction in New Holland, Pennsylvania, looking for school horses. He arrived late, and the only remaining horses were those loaded onto a truck bound for the slaughterhouse. DeLeyer said that the horse was the only calm one on the trailer that day and made direct eye contact with him. There was just something about that large gray horse and he purchased him for $80. He first used Snowman as a lesson horse for children. DeLeyer recognized talent in the horse after he sold him to a neighbor, Dr. Rugen and the horse jumped high fences to return home several times even after they tied an old used tire to a rope attached to his hind leg. Harry did the only ethical thing he could do and that was to buy him back from Dr. Rugen.
DeLeyer began training Snowman as a show jumper. The horse began winning prestigious classes only after two years of competing. His career lasted until 1968. He was photographed performing unusual feats such as jumping over another horse, and his calm disposition made him a favorite. He was retired in 1969 at the National Horse Show in Madison Square Garden, Manhattan, New York.
DeLeyer also used Snowman as a schooling horse at his job at the Knox School for Girls in Long Island. He was a great family pet and loved to swim in the Long Island Sound with all eight of the DeLeyer children. He was very calm and it didn't bother him when kids pulled on his mane or tail. He was very well known for his laid back disposition.
Snowman also appeared on television shows, The Tonight Show for one, where Johnny Carson climbed on his back. He was the subject of two books, had his own fan club, and was flown abroad for "guest appearances" to Europe and Thailand.
De Leyer kept Snowman through his retirement until the animal was euthanized in the fall of 1974 due to complications from kidney failure at the age of 26.
In 1958 and 1959, he was named both the American Horse Shows Association Horse of the Year and the Professional Horsemen's Association Champion. He retired with over 300 wins. Snowman was inducted into the United States Show Jumping Hall of Fame in 1992.
In 2005, Snowman was made into a Breyer horse model which is no longer manufactured. In 2013, Snowman was reintroduced into the Breyer line. The 2013 model box reads "Snowman - Show Jumping Hall of Famer".
Snowman is the subject of the book, The Eighty Dollar Champion: Snowman, the Horse That Inspired a Nation, by Elizabeth Letts, published by Random House in 2011, a No. 1 New York Times bestseller. A documentary movie was made in 2015, Harry & Snowman, that features original footage of his years as an equestrian family member as well as a show ring competitor. Snowman was featured in Season 21, Episode 8 of the TV show, Mysteries at the Museum.
Snowman was originally used for farm work and in 1956 was headed for the "glue factory" at 8 years of age. On that day, Harry DeLeyer, a Long Island, New York, riding instructor, attended the horse auction in New Holland, Pennsylvania, looking for school horses. He arrived late, and the only remaining horses were those loaded onto a truck bound for the slaughterhouse. DeLeyer said that the horse was the only calm one on the trailer that day and made direct eye contact with him. There was just something about that large gray horse and he purchased him for $80. He first used Snowman as a lesson horse for children. DeLeyer recognized talent in the horse after he sold him to a neighbor, Dr. Rugen and the horse jumped high fences to return home several times even after they tied an old used tire to a rope attached to his hind leg. Harry did the only ethical thing he could do and that was to buy him back from Dr. Rugen.
DeLeyer began training Snowman as a show jumper. The horse began winning prestigious classes only after two years of competing. His career lasted until 1968. He was photographed performing unusual feats such as jumping over another horse, and his calm disposition made him a favorite. He was retired in 1969 at the National Horse Show in Madison Square Garden, Manhattan, New York.
DeLeyer also used Snowman as a schooling horse at his job at the Knox School for Girls in Long Island. He was a great family pet and loved to swim in the Long Island Sound with all eight of the DeLeyer children. He was very calm and it didn't bother him when kids pulled on his mane or tail. He was very well known for his laid back disposition.
Snowman also appeared on television shows, The Tonight Show for one, where Johnny Carson climbed on his back. He was the subject of two books, had his own fan club, and was flown abroad for "guest appearances" to Europe and Thailand.
De Leyer kept Snowman through his retirement until the animal was euthanized in the fall of 1974 due to complications from kidney failure at the age of 26.
In 1958 and 1959, he was named both the American Horse Shows Association Horse of the Year and the Professional Horsemen's Association Champion. He retired with over 300 wins. Snowman was inducted into the United States Show Jumping Hall of Fame in 1992.
In 2005, Snowman was made into a Breyer horse model which is no longer manufactured. In 2013, Snowman was reintroduced into the Breyer line. The 2013 model box reads "Snowman - Show Jumping Hall of Famer".
Snowman is the subject of the book, The Eighty Dollar Champion: Snowman, the Horse That Inspired a Nation, by Elizabeth Letts, published by Random House in 2011, a No. 1 New York Times bestseller. A documentary movie was made in 2015, Harry & Snowman, that features original footage of his years as an equestrian family member as well as a show ring competitor. Snowman was featured in Season 21, Episode 8 of the TV show, Mysteries at the Museum.
Snowman was given his name by Harriet DeLeyer (daughter of Harry DeLeyer). He was a former plow horse of mixed breed ancestry, possibly a cross of a grade horse with a U.S. Army gelding. He was purchased slaughter bound to supply meat to the dog food facilities. He became a champion in show jumping in the United States during the 1950's. During his career, he was known as "The Cinderella Horse" due to his "rags to riches" story.
Snowman was originally used for farm work and in 1956 was headed for the "glue factory" at 8 years of age. On that day, Harry DeLeyer, a Long Island, New York, riding instructor, attended the horse auction in New Holland, Pennsylvania, looking for school horses. He arrived late, and the only remaining horses were those loaded onto a truck bound for the slaughterhouse. DeLeyer said that the horse was the only calm one on the trailer that day and made direct eye contact with him. There was just something about that large gray horse and he purchased him for $80. He first used Snowman as a lesson horse for children. DeLeyer recognized talent in the horse after he sold him to a neighbor, Dr. Rugen and the horse jumped high fences to return home several times even after they tied an old used tire to a rope attached to his hind leg. Harry did the only ethical thing he could do and that was to buy him back from Dr. Rugen.
DeLeyer began training Snowman as a show jumper. The horse began winning prestigious classes only after two years of competing. His career lasted until 1968. He was photographed performing unusual feats such as jumping over another horse, and his calm disposition made him a favorite. He was retired in 1969 at the National Horse Show in Madison Square Garden, Manhattan, New York.
DeLeyer also used Snowman as a schooling horse at his job at the Knox School for Girls in Long Island. He was a great family pet and loved to swim in the Long Island Sound with all eight of the DeLeyer children. He was very calm and it didn't bother him when kids pulled on his mane or tail. He was very well known for his laid back disposition.
Snowman also appeared on television shows, The Tonight Show for one, where Johnny Carson climbed on his back. He was the subject of two books, had his own fan club, and was flown abroad for "guest appearances" to Europe and Thailand.
De Leyer kept Snowman through his retirement until the animal was euthanized in the fall of 1974 due to complications from kidney failure at the age of 26.
In 1958 and 1959, he was named both the American Horse Shows Association Horse of the Year and the Professional Horsemen's Association Champion. He retired with over 300 wins. Snowman was inducted into the United States Show Jumping Hall of Fame in 1992.
In 2005, Snowman was made into a Breyer horse model which is no longer manufactured. In 2013, Snowman was reintroduced into the Breyer line. The 2013 model box reads "Snowman - Show Jumping Hall of Famer".
Snowman is the subject of the book, The Eighty Dollar Champion: Snowman, the Horse That Inspired a Nation, by Elizabeth Letts, published by Random House in 2011, a No. 1 New York Times bestseller. A documentary movie was made in 2015, Harry & Snowman, that features original footage of his years as an equestrian family member as well as a show ring competitor. Snowman was featured in Season 21, Episode 8 of the TV show, Mysteries at the Museum.
Snowman was originally used for farm work and in 1956 was headed for the "glue factory" at 8 years of age. On that day, Harry DeLeyer, a Long Island, New York, riding instructor, attended the horse auction in New Holland, Pennsylvania, looking for school horses. He arrived late, and the only remaining horses were those loaded onto a truck bound for the slaughterhouse. DeLeyer said that the horse was the only calm one on the trailer that day and made direct eye contact with him. There was just something about that large gray horse and he purchased him for $80. He first used Snowman as a lesson horse for children. DeLeyer recognized talent in the horse after he sold him to a neighbor, Dr. Rugen and the horse jumped high fences to return home several times even after they tied an old used tire to a rope attached to his hind leg. Harry did the only ethical thing he could do and that was to buy him back from Dr. Rugen.
DeLeyer began training Snowman as a show jumper. The horse began winning prestigious classes only after two years of competing. His career lasted until 1968. He was photographed performing unusual feats such as jumping over another horse, and his calm disposition made him a favorite. He was retired in 1969 at the National Horse Show in Madison Square Garden, Manhattan, New York.
DeLeyer also used Snowman as a schooling horse at his job at the Knox School for Girls in Long Island. He was a great family pet and loved to swim in the Long Island Sound with all eight of the DeLeyer children. He was very calm and it didn't bother him when kids pulled on his mane or tail. He was very well known for his laid back disposition.
Snowman also appeared on television shows, The Tonight Show for one, where Johnny Carson climbed on his back. He was the subject of two books, had his own fan club, and was flown abroad for "guest appearances" to Europe and Thailand.
De Leyer kept Snowman through his retirement until the animal was euthanized in the fall of 1974 due to complications from kidney failure at the age of 26.
In 1958 and 1959, he was named both the American Horse Shows Association Horse of the Year and the Professional Horsemen's Association Champion. He retired with over 300 wins. Snowman was inducted into the United States Show Jumping Hall of Fame in 1992.
In 2005, Snowman was made into a Breyer horse model which is no longer manufactured. In 2013, Snowman was reintroduced into the Breyer line. The 2013 model box reads "Snowman - Show Jumping Hall of Famer".
Snowman is the subject of the book, The Eighty Dollar Champion: Snowman, the Horse That Inspired a Nation, by Elizabeth Letts, published by Random House in 2011, a No. 1 New York Times bestseller. A documentary movie was made in 2015, Harry & Snowman, that features original footage of his years as an equestrian family member as well as a show ring competitor. Snowman was featured in Season 21, Episode 8 of the TV show, Mysteries at the Museum.
Gravesite Details
There is a plaque with his name under the pine trees in a field. This is private property, so please ask for permission from the farm owners to visit his gravesite BEFORE entering the property! Approximate GPS coordinates are: 40.890801,-73.183681
