This mounted figure is traditionally identified as Hayagake Myōjin (the deity of swift riding). According to the Kinpusen himitsu-ki (secret records of Mount Kinpu), this deity is regarded as the wakamiya (offspring deity) of Katte Myōjin and is also considered a child of Komori Myōjin. The worship of Hayagake Myōjin flourished particularly in the Yoshino region of Nara Prefecture. The figure wears a nae-eboshi (soft courtier’s cap) and is shown seated astride a horse. A portion of an actual cord grasped in the left hand appears to be the remnant of reins. The horse’s muzzle features perforations on both sides, which were intended to accommodate a bit, with the bridle attached at both corners of the mouth; the reins would have extended from this point. The breast strap, crupper, and aori (saddle flap) are rendered in low relief, though no saddle is present. The head of the figure, which originally faced to the left, is missing any facial features as they were carved from a separate piece of wood that has since been lost. The entire right hand is also absent, and if it had been holding the reins, this would correlate with the horse’s head being turned to the right.

Carved from a single block of coniferous wood, the sculpture currently exhibits its bare wood surface, though traces of pigment remain in certain areas, indicating that it originally had a polychrome finish. The somewhat coarse grain suggests the use of cryptomeria (sugi), which, if correct, would establish a material connection to the Yoshino region, renowned for its cryptomeria production. The sculpture was carved with the plainsawn (itame) side of the timber facing forward; this method would have left ample remaining material, from which multiple figures of comparable size could be extracted. It is therefore conceivable that this work formed part of a sculptural ensemble.

While live horses were frequently dedicated to shrines as sacred horses (shinme), and life-size equestrian sculptures were occasionally offered as substitutes (umashiro), indoor devotional images were considerably smaller—the present work measures a modest 17.5 centimeters in height. Sculptures of this scale include ornamental horses, yabusame (mounted archery) figures, images of grooms leading horses, and deities such as in this instance, Hayagake Myōjin. As devotional images (shintai), mounted representations of Hayagake Myōjin are rarely encountered besides as mirror iconography, making this work an exceptional example dating to the Muromachi period (1336–1573). The storage box bears the seal of the nihonga painter Yasuda Yukihiko.