text: horse rings in portland , oregon horse rings , remnants of a time when horses and horse - drawn vehicles provided the primary mode of transportation , can be found throughout portland , oregon . they were removed from curbs and sidewalks for safety purposes until the late 1970s , when one portland resident complained about the rings disappearing . today , the city of portland helps to preserve the rings by requiring them to be replaced following sidewalk construction or repair . in recent years portland residents have started tethering model horses to the rings , sparking interaction , and drawing attention to part of the city 's history . the horse project , started by one resident of the woodstock neighborhood in 2005 , encourages participation in the urban art movement . the rings and art installations have become a tourist attraction . background and history horse rings , often made of iron or brass , are remnants from the 1800s , when horses , and horse - drawn vehicles , provided the primary mode of transportation . in 1978 , the register - guard suggested that the rings might only be as old as the early 1900s . the rings allowed residents to tether their horses to sidewalks . prior to the late 1970s , rings were removed during sidewalk reconstruction or repair for safety purposes . in 1978 , after one portland resident complained about the disappearance of rings , connie mccready , then a city commissioner , announced that rings could be replaced at a homeowner 's request , likely for a fee of $ 5 . today , the city of portland is committed to preserving the horse rings , which are reinstalled following curb and sidewalk construction or repair . an ordinance requires rings to be replaced at their original location ( or " as close as practical " ) . original street names are also reset or into new concrete . the ring supply is monitored by the bureau of maintenance . portland is not the only city to preserve horse rings . city officials in oak harbor , washington , confirmed that the last in a series of horse rings would be preserved during a february 2011 sidewalk construction project . horse project in september 2005 , woodstock resident scott wayne indiana tied his first plastic toy horse to a horse ring located in the pearl district . of his attempt to draw attention to the rings , and to celebrate portland 's history , indiana said : " i loved the rings , and felt that people just weren 't noticing them . this was an attempt to shake people out of their routines and get them to notice their surroundings . " since then , the horse project has gained momentum and participation ; horses can be found tied to rings throughout the city , especially in east portland . the installations have sparked interaction with residents , who have left hay , , riders , saddles , water , wool blankets , and other " treats " for the horses . horses are often defaced or go missing . the horse project has an official website , which encourages participation , and offers instructions for tethering . the project accepts donations and volunteer support . participants considered selling kits for consumers interested in tethering horses . one portland resident has reportedly installed more than 150 horses . horses are the most frequent animal to be tied to rings , but pigs , dolls , and other animals have also appeared throughout the city . willamette week included the horse project in its best of portland list for 2006 under the category best horse of a different color . in 2007 , the oregonian 's anna griffin mentioned the project in an article about the " keep portland weird " slogan , writing : " the ' horse project ' comes up anytime the subject of portland weirdness arises . " project participation continues despite indiana 's move out of state in 2008 . in 2011 , the documentary film it 's a ring thing : the portland horse project premiered at nw documentary 's homegrown . in 2012 , the oregonian highlighted the engagement of a couple who attribute the start of their relationship to a horse ring installation in the pearl district . the city 's " sustainable stormwater management " calendar for 2012 called the installations " stormwater art " , which " highlights healthy watersheds and demonstrates that stormwater is a resource and an asset " . the horse rings , and urban art installations , have become a tourist attraction .