Use by Francesco Baracca

Francesco Baracca, originator of the Prancing Horse. His original design is displayed to his right, painted on the side of his SPAD S.XIII aeroplane.

Francesco Baracca, a highly successful Italian flying ace, first used the Prancing Horse in 1917, when his squadron permitted its aviators to apply personal symbols to their aeroplanes. In a letter to his mother dated 27 April 1918, he claimed to have adopted the horse in tribute to a cavalry regiment he once belonged to, which had used a similar symbol since 1692.^{[2]: 37–38 [4]} Many additions to the story circulate, however, including claims that the horse stems from Baracca's equestrian hobby, that it references a specific stallion he owned, or that it was originally red, only painted black after Baracca's death in an act of mourning by his squadron mates.^{[2]: 38 [5]} In defiance to the final claim, the Museo Francesco Baracca has found evidence that the horse was black during Baracca's lifetime.^[4]

One version of the story claims that the emblem originated as a kill mark, applied after Baracca shot down a German pilot from Stuttgart, a city whose coat of arms depicts a similar horse. If true, this would make the Prancing Horse distantly related to the horse found on Porsche's logo, itself derived from the arms of Stuttgart.^[1] Though this claim is plausible—it was common at the time for aces to paint an opponent's coat of arms on their planes—it does not appear to have any supporting evidence, and the Museo Francesco Baracca holds no documents that support the idea.^[2]: 38

Adoption by Ferrari

In his autobiography, Enzo Ferrari offered an account of how he acquired permission to use the design. After a 1923 victory in Ravenna, the Baracca family paid him a visit, and Paolina de Biancoli, Francesco's mother, suggested that he adopt the horse as a good luck charm; Enzo accepted the request, and the Prancing Horse was first used by his racing team, Scuderia Ferrari, at the 1932 Spa 24 Hours.^[2]: 43 In 1947, the Ferrari 125 S became the first car to utilize the rectangular version of the logo.^[1][3]

Enzo was on good terms with the Baraccas, who were patrons of the Alfa Romeo dealer where he worked, and they considered each other friends. However, it is unknown exactly why the Baracca family gave him permission to use the symbol. Many explanations focus on their intersecting life experiences, which include Baracca's studies at the Military Academy of Modena, as well as Enzo's older brother having volunteered for Baracca's squadron's ground crew.^{[2]: 35–36} Enzo's own rationale for adopting the design was based around a personal admiration for Baracca dating to his adolescence, as well as his love of La cavalla storna, a poem written by Giovanni Pascoli.^[4]

Ferrari's adoption of the Prancing Horse was concordant with the cultural landscape of Fascist Italy, which, drawing from the Futurist art movement, idolised speed, machinery, and military sacrifice. Baracca's activities during World War I were mythologised by the Italian right wing, and things associated with him were positively received by the general public.^{[2]: 39–40} Ferrari's use of the symbol, among other things, allowed it to establish an image that appealed to populist political values; this would later help it procure military contracts during World War II. After the war, Ferrari denied any involvement with fascism and downplayed the symbol's connection to Baracca, choosing instead to focus on its association with the company's racing heritage. Within general consciousness, this re-orientation effectively obliterated Baracca's connection to the Prancing Horse.^{[2]: 46–48}