Here’s the Story Behind The Horse That Popped Up in Lafayette’s Moncus Park This Week

Have you noticed the horse standing in Moncus Park?

Earlier this week, a friend shot me a photo asking "what is this?" It was a rainy day and he didn't feel like getting drenched to figure out what this equestrian addition to Lafayette's Moncus Park was all about.

Moncus Park is known as "the horse farm" by many locals—especially the ones who either remember the campaign to save it or those who are old enough to remember when it was an actual horse farm.

Speaking of Lafayette history, a story from Claire Taylor at The Advocate does a good job of answering my friend's question about the horse he saw out of the corner of his eye at Moncus Park.

The horse was "born" just a short drive up the street, but let's just say it took the long way to Moncus Park with a few stops along the way. Cal's Western Store was once a staple in Lafayette, located on Johnston Street where the fiberglass horse stood as somewhat of a landmark since the mid-1960s.

The city grew around it until the store owners closed Cal's in 2018. Upon the store's closure, Lafayette Parish Assessor Conrad Comeaux suggested they donate the fiberglass horse to Moncus Park—a perfect fit for the former University of Louisiana Horse Farm.

The horse got its proper repairs but remained in a shop while the park was still under construction. Soon, the shop owner would need space in his shop, so while rushing to leave town for a planned trip, Comeaux stashed the huge horse in his living room where it would end up sitting for nearly a year.

Earlier this week, Comeaux posted this photo to his

It was time for the horse to head to his final resting perch at Moncus Park.

I've had a few people who have reached out to me about the horse with some saying they noticed it, but didn't connect the dots until seeing the story on social media, while a few others say the horse (are we calling him Cal?) crept up on them, feeling a bit spooky as he oversees the activity at Moncus Park.

One thing is for sure, he's definitely back in familiar territory on Johnston Street in the heart of Lafayette—a city he will continue to watch grow and thrive for years to come.