Horse tattoos are one of the more common tattoo types, partly due to the affection that many people have for horses (teenage girls in particular) and partly due to the qualities that are associated with horses. In particular, horses are considered to represent strength, freedom, loyalty, sexual virility and good luck.
Common formats for horse tattoos include head only, full body, outline and abstract. The recent increased interest in things celtic has also resulted in celtic style designs, a variety of which can be found online for horses. Somewhat less common is to see multiple horses (such as mother and foal). One can also find designs that include famous people, including religious icons such as Saint George slaying a dragon while mounted.
The choice of design depends on personal preference and the message that one wants to communicate. For example, men tend to choose stallions due to the associations of strength and sexual virility, while girls and women tend to choose more feminine topics such as foals.
Aside from the choice of subject and design, there are the normal considerations to take into account, in particular safety. It is best to use a professional and registered artist, working out of a proper studio, as they are more likely to be trained in how to prevent disease transmission (by needles and associated items) and will have the necessary equipment (such as an autoclave) to property sterilize equipment. One also needs to take care of the tattoo until the skin has healed in order to prevent infection. In the event of a rash or itching, one should see a doctor to make sure that there are no problems, such as allergic reactions to the ink or possible infection.
One may also want to consider alternatives to permanent tattoos. For example, one can purchase decals online which are pressed against the skin to make a temporary tattoo. They work by staining the surface of the skin, so they can be washed off or in the worst case they simply wear away as the old skin is replaced by new skin. The permanent approach involves inserting ink under the skin using a needle which is then very difficult to remove should you change your mind (laser and chemical removal are not always 100% successful and sometimes result in some scaring).
An intermediate approach is to use henna, where the ink penetrates into the skin but does not go under the skin. This results in a longer lasting tattoo, of up to a month. However, it has the benefit that it will eventually fade as the old skin grows out.
Doug Stewart is the author or Horse Tattoos as part of his wider interest in Horse Health.
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