Since this is a family home, I would want to keep that horse head, and get it all cleaned and repaired and reinstalled. Its part of family history.

Your ancestors would be ashamed that you had to ask.

It’s the top part of a hitching post !!!😂😂😂. It’s normally mounted on a post about 4’ off the ground, and you tie the horse to the ring.

Is it mounted on a wall at your front gate? How old is your house?

People pay good money for old items like this. I agree about it having been part of a hitching post.

OP said house was from 1935.

It would bve nice to see exactly where this was from further back. I agree it is hitcheing post so it can be just decorative IMO so clean it up and find a spot for it like mauybe veside th front door or on a post . I need to see the house to really guess.

How many horses were around in San Fransisco in 1935?! Whatever it was used for, it's cool and you should keep it, somewhere. If you don't need it where it fell from, I'd do like your wife suggested and just clean and paint the fence post.

I agree with the post above. It’s cool. Keep it someplace, if not there.

@ShadyWillowFarm: House was built in 1930s in San Francisco, It's mounted on the fence of the front gate

Once we restore it, as it's outside and it's metal, how can we protect it (with coating or something) for lowest maintenance possible? Thoughts? Thanks!

so b/c the house was built in 1935 that means there where no horses in SF ? Or no one kept something dear to them and put it in with their new build? Im confused by that sentiment. Its a hitching post, who knows maybe it was part of the land the new house was built on. Paint it with rust proof paint and then spray it with WD40 when ever you think about it, that will keep water off .