He encountered the Elgin Marbles and was struck by the horse of Selene, a remarkably well preserved fifth-century BC carving, which would become the foundational inspiration throughout his career".

Fiddian-Green later reflected that "capturing the skill, vitality, balance and beauty, so evident in these Greek carvings is my continued aim".

The artist works in clay, plaster, beaten lead and marble, and oversees the casting of the sculpture into bronze himself.

The 33 feet (10 m) piece was commissioned to replace an earlier and similar, but slightly smaller, work, Horse at Water XV, which was temporarily installed on the site in 2001.

That earlier work was moved to Daylesford, Gloucestershire, the home of Sir Anthony and Lady Carole Bamford, who had commissioned it.