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Trigger the Wandering Horse causes a sensation Fake horse brings real joy to adults and kids in South Fayette By Andrea Iglar Trigger the Wandering Horse of South Fayette could appear soon on a lawn near you. The phenomenon of the life-size plastic horse secretly moving locations overnight is like a combination of Elf on a Shelf, Flat Stanley and Where’s Waldo—but it’s uniquely South Fayette. Trigger moves around undetected, appearing in front yards to mark special occasions. Passersby take photos with the statue and post them in a Facebook group dedicated to the equine. Neighbors dress Trigger in colorful hats, sashes and bandanas. Students on school buses scan the landscape for the horse, and drivers slow down and do double takes, questioning if Trigger is real like the horses they just passed at Rolling Hills Ranch. In short, Trigger has become a local sensation. The man behind the horse is Ray Mantia. “I didn’t expect all this, but I enjoy it,” Mantia said. “I’m glad that Trigger has become a staple in the community.” A former beef cattle farmer, Mantia has plenty of experience with cows, but Trigger is his firstever horse. In 2021, Mantia moved from Washington County to 5 ½ acres on Hickory Grade Road near Parkes Farm Estates in South Fayette Township. Two years later, his property is known as the house with the horse. “Not knowing anybody around 36 |
Trigger the Wandering Horse of South Fayette—a restored equine statue—takes a break in his home pasture along Hickory Grade Road in September. (Photo by Andrea Iglar)
