Back in 2013, Clydesdale horses Baron and Duke became national icons when the Kelpies were unveiled.
The animals, modelled for artist Andy Scott's 100-foot-tall horse heads that dominate the Falkirk skyline, were central to the £40 million project funded by the Big Lottery Fund to transform a former industrial site into public space.
The iconic horse heads are made up of 900 stainless steel scales and weigh in at a whopping 300 tonnes each.
Erected to represent Scotland's heavy horse of industry and economy of yesteryear, it's rather apt that the sculptures were based on the real McCoy.
Baron, despite the name, came from humble beginnings.
After the horse sanctuary he lived in closed in 2000, the horse was signed over to World Horse Welfare.
He was rehomed by Glasgow City Council, and pulled a dray at Pollok Country Park during his days.
It was here that Baron met his pal Duke, and the duo would go on to become one of Scotland’s newest tourist attractions - a veritable Bonnie and Clydesdale.
When Andy Scott went to Glasgow City Council to ask for two models, there was 'neigh' doubt - two of their most well-mannered horses were chosen.
Speaking to the Daily Record in 2017, Andy said: “He (Baron) and Duke were the first visitors to the studio and it was a real honour to have them stand as models for my early studies of The Kelpies.
“Baron was always very patient - he was a huge, powerful horse but stood with a calmness which really made me think he understood what was going on.”
Baron - who is immortalised as the ‘head up’ horse of the Kelpies - retired in 2014, and died at the age of 19 after a short illness.
A Glasgow City Council spokeswoman said of his death: “Baron was a handsome and good natured animal who brought joy to generations of Glasgow children.”
“He was a true celebrity, appearing at local gala days and events as well as helping to provide traditional dray rides with his companion Duke at Pollok Country Park where he was stabled.”
Sign up to our Glasgow Live nostalgia newsletters for more local history and heritage content straight to your inbox
The famed horse had returned to the care of World Horse Welfare before his death.
Baron and Duke’s legacy will live on, as they stand the tallest equine sculptures in the world.
The sweet tale of the duo is worlds away from the mythology behind a Kelpie - which according to Scottish legend is a shape-shifting aquatic spirit believed to haunt rivers and streams.
The water Kelpie spirits most commonly appear in the form of a beautiful, tame pony whilst on land.
It’s said that they can also manifest in human form, materialising as a young woman.
While this all sounds pretty innocent, Kelpies are in fact thought to be malevolent spirits who use their appearance to lure children into rivers to eat them.
The mythological beasts were said to have the strength of ten horses, a quality which mirrors the agriculture and industry of the area.
Speaking about the sculptures, Andy said: “The original concept of mythical water horses was a valid starting point for the artistic development of the structures.
“I took that concept and moved with it towards a more equine and contemporary response, shifting from any mythological references towards a socio-historical monument intended to celebrate the horse’s role in industry and agriculture, as well as the obvious association with the canals as tow horses.”
READ NEXT:
The mysterious home in Glasgow's west end that's been boarded up for years
10 of Glasgow's historic landmarks and how much they'd cost to build in 2023
When Glasgow band took 'Bananarama track' to top of the UK charts
The mystery over Glasgow bridge with 'Ancient Greek' message written into stone on the Clyde
Glasgow is home to world's oldest surviving music hall that was once a 'freak show'
