Bronze Horse Statue Restoration: Restoring Two Giant Bronze Horse Sculptures
At MA Polishing, we regularly work on specialist metal restoration projects of all shapes and sizes. Some pieces can be polished and restored inside the workshop, while others require a different approach due to their scale.
This Bronze Horse Statue Restoration project involved two large bronze horse statues that had become heavily tarnished and weathered over time. Because of the size and weight of the sculptures, part of the restoration had to be carried out outside the MA Polishing workshop frontage.
The full process was filmed using GoPro footage, with additional DJI drone shots used to show the scale of the statues and the work involved.
Assessing the Bronze Horse Statues
Before the restoration began, the bronze horse statues showed clear signs of weathering, oxidation and surface build-up.
Outdoor bronze can change significantly over time. Exposure to rain, air pollution, moisture and general environmental conditions can leave the surface looking dull, uneven and heavily tarnished. On large sculptures like these, the shape and detail of the metal can also make cleaning and refinishing more challenging.
The aim of this Bronze Horse Statue Restoration was to remove the unwanted tarnish, restore depth and colour to the bronze, and protect the final finish with wax.
Large-Scale Restoration Outside the Workshop
Due to the size of the horse statues, the work could not be treated like a small workshop polishing job.
The statues were positioned outside the MA Polishing workshop so the team had enough space to work safely around each sculpture. This also allowed better access to the raised legs, body, head, mane and base sections of each horse.
Large bronze sculptures require patience and control. Every part of the surface needs attention, from the larger open areas to the detailed sections where tarnish and oxidation can build up more heavily.
Controlled Flame Work to Remove Tarnish
One of the key stages in the restoration process was controlled flame work.
The flame was used carefully across the bronze surface to help remove tarnish and prepare the metal for the next stages of finishing. This process requires experience, as the heat must be controlled to avoid damaging the surface or creating an uneven result.
On a project like this, flame work helps break down the unwanted surface layer and allows the restoration team to bring the bronze back to a condition where it can be re-toned and refined.
Applying Bronzing Paste
After the flame work, bronzing paste was applied to the statues.
The bronzing paste helped restore warmth, depth and tone across the bronze surface. This stage is important because the goal was not to make the statues look brand new or overly polished. Instead, the aim was to bring back a rich bronze appearance while keeping the character of the sculptures.
The paste was worked across the surface so the colour could be built up evenly. This helped improve the overall appearance of the bronze and gave the statues a more consistent restored finish.
Brushing and Refining the Finish
Once the bronzing paste had been applied, the surface was brushed and refined.
Brushing helps control the finish and bring out the shape of the sculpture. On these horse statues, this was especially important around the body, legs, head, mane and raised detail.
The brushing stage helped remove excess material, even out the finish and give the bronze a more natural restored appearance. This process also helped highlight the form of the horses without losing the aged character of the metal.
Three Layers of Wax Protection
After the surface had been cleaned, re-toned and refined, three layers of wax were applied.
Wax is an important final stage in bronze restoration. It helps protect the surface, improve the appearance of the finish and slow down future tarnishing caused by exposure and handling.
Applying multiple layers gives the bronze a deeper, richer finish and provides better protection than a single coat. Each layer needs to be applied carefully so the final result looks even and consistent across the entire sculpture.
For these two statues, the three-layer wax finish helped enhance the restored bronze tone and gave the horses a more complete final appearance.
A 3–4 Day Bronze Restoration Project
This was not a quick clean or simple polish. The full Bronze Horse Statue Restoration took around three to four days to complete.
The process included:
- Controlled flame work to remove tarnish
- Surface preparation across both bronze statues
- Application of bronzing paste
- Brushing and refining the finish
- Three layers of wax protection
- Final inspection and finishing
Because of the scale of the statues, the project required time, space and careful handling throughout.
Filmed with GoPro and DJI Drone Footage
The restoration was filmed using GoPro footage to capture the hands-on process up close.
Additional DJI drone shots were also used to show the size of the bronze horse statues and the scale of the work taking place outside the MA Polishing workshop. This helped capture both the detailed restoration process and the full visual impact of the finished sculptures.
The Final Result
Once complete, the two bronze horse statues had a much richer and more consistent finish.
The tarnished, weathered surface was restored with improved tone, depth and protection. The final wax layers helped bring out the bronze character while giving the statues a refined appearance.
This project is a good example of how specialist bronze restoration is about more than simply cleaning metal. It requires understanding the material, controlling the finish and protecting the surface so the restored result looks appropriate for the piece.
Watch the Full Bronze Horse Statue Restoration Video
We have uploaded the full restoration video to the MA Polishing YouTube channel.
Watch the video here:
The video shows the full process, including the flame work, bronzing paste application, brushing, waxing and final reveal of the restored bronze horse statues.
Professional Bronze Restoration by MA Polishing
MA Polishing provides specialist metal polishing, patination and restoration services for a wide range of metals and objects.
Our work includes bronze restoration, brass polishing, copper polishing, stainless steel polishing, architectural metalwork, decorative metalwork, sculpture restoration and specialist finishing projects.
If you have a bronze statue, sculpture, architectural feature or specialist metal item that needs restoration, contact MA Polishing to discuss your project.
