Centaur Costumes and Taursuits:

So far the only centaur costumes I have found are handmade works of art. They appear at a range of events from Halloween parties to stage plays. Most are original creations although some are based on centaur from Harry Potter, Narnia or Fantasia. If you know of any commercially made costumes of this type, please let me know! Also if you know of any hand or custom made centaur costumes that I have not listed.

The guy shown on the above has what is probably the most famous centaur costume made by a Renaissance fair regular. This is a full body, static costume with rear wheels.

For more pictures of this particular centaur see--

• Centaur Costume (2007)

• I’m back! Did you even realize I was gone? (2008)

• Back in Time-the characters! (2008)

• When a Centaur Needs to Use a Porta Potty (undated)

• Kegasus (undated)

For the child's design shown right (source unknown) the wheels are a bit less subtle but probably more effective.

For more pictures of other centaur costumes of a similar design see--

• Xena Convention [adult, male](2005)--it's a bit hard to see exactly how this one is constructed.
• 50 Centaur Run-on [adult, male] (2008)
• Halloween [adult, male](2010)--The back legs are a bit basic, but extra points for the pointed ears.
• Dustin Overby [adult, male] (2011)--a novel design with detachable rear end, shown with rider.
• Armored Centaur [adult, male] (2011)--Another view here.
• Girl's costume [child, female] (unknown)--Creative use of papier mache, with shots showing the costume in production.

Without wheels on the rear portion, if it is a full sized replica, the centaur ends up pretty much fixed in place. Some of these examples may actually have wheels but if I wasn't sure I listed them as fixed.

• Model: Ingeborg Svarc Lauterstein design by Robert Rauschenberg [adult, female] (1948)--A great vintage example, see also here, and here.
• Blue Zebra taur [adult, male] (2006)
  
• doombotkillah [adult, male] (2007)
• Contest winner [adult, male] (2007).
  
• Unknown maker [adult, male] (2007)--Extra points for the mustache.
• Unknown maker [adult, male] (2007)--Shown with a winged friend.
• Unknown [adult, male] (2007).
• Well Endowed Centaur [adult, male] (2008)--Adult-ish link.
• Unknown maker [adult, male] (2008)--The centaur is PG but other pictures on this page are probably NSFW.
• Kevin Barnes [adult, male] (2008)
  
• Karl Lagerfeld Halloween Costume [adult, male] (2008)--A nice example of a over-shoulder detachable body. (Baby got back). See also here.
• "Greg" [adult, male] (2009)--Been there, done that, go the T-shirt.... See also here.
• Corbin [adult, male] (2009)
• Unknown maker [adult, male] (2009)
• Centaur couple [adult, male] [adult, female] (2010)
• DarkMoonbeam [adult, female] (2010)
• Jose Rivera [adult, male] (pictured right, 2010)
• Krewe of Centaur [adult, male] (2010)
• Moonfest [adult, female]+[adult, male] (I think) (2010)--Two centaurs in the same shot!
• Unknown maker [adult, male] (unknown)--Male centaur with female bipedal unicorn.
• Multicolor zebra, unknown maker [adult male(?)] (unknown)
• Centaur boy [child, male] (unknown)
• Baby Centaur [child, male] (Unknown)--This is the youngest centaur on the list. Cute!
• Centaur in boots [adult, male] (unknown)
• Centaur [adult, male] (unknown)--A stage play, perhaps?
  

For some reason female centaur costumes are more rare. But a particularly fine example (see right) was on display for the 2008 Bronner Bros Hair Show. A female version of the full body, static wheeled costume can be seen here as created by Laecee R. (2009). See also:

• Female centaur [adult, female] (2003)
  
• tarorae [adult, female] (2005)--With extensive floral accents.
• sadwonderland [adult, female] (2005)
  
• villagelinka [adult, female] (2007)--Possibly a deer-taur based on the tail? Blue-skinned. The same costume also appeared at Anime Boston (2009)--see also here, sans body paint. Another shot of the same costume here suggests the inspiration is Fantasia. (Another shot is here, clearly a popular costume!)
  
• Female archer [adult, female] (2007)
• Girl [child, female] (2007)
• Halloween [adult, female] (2008)--unicorn centaur.
  
• Dyosa costume [adult, female] (2008)
• FairieWorlds [child, female] (2009)--I love how the fur of the horse part matches the girl's hair.
  
• Zombie Party [child, female] [2009]--A papier mache version with no fur. See also here.
  
• First Ave Halloween party [adult, female] (2009)--With wings? See also here.
• Ren Fair [adult, female] (2010). See also here, here and here.
• White centaur [child, female] (2010).
• Brunette [adult, female] (2010)--Another Harry Potter centaur?
  
• Medieval Fair [adult, female] (2011) See also here.
  
• The Mantua-Maker [adult, female] (unknown)--a rare case of a centaur costume that is then fully dressed.
• Unknown--In a jaunty red color.

This simpler, child-sized version was featured on Blame it on the Voices (2009). Original source unknown. Because the horse part of the body is drastically reduced in size it can easily be moved around without requiring wheels or moving parts. This design tends to work better with smaller people and children.

A pint-sized verson of the sophisticated Fair unicorn costume can be seen here. Other similar designs can be seen here, and here.

• Unnamed [child, female] (2007)

Some variations on this costume have the rear legs a raised position so the do not even touch the ground.

• Harry Potter Party [child, male] (2005)
  
• Zaethrose [child, male] (2008a)
• Zaethrose [adult, female] (2008b)
• Minimalist centaur [child, male] (unknown)
  

The simplest method for animating the back legs of centaur costume is the use of strings. Others attempt to simulate a walking motion in the rear legs by tethering them to the front legs to produce a centaur with four moving legs. See:Walking Test #1 [child, female] (2010)

• One example (shown right) is from the Seattle Children's Theater premier production of Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe (2002).
• Male street performer [adult, male] (2008).
  
• Female centaur [adult, female] (2009)

There is also the traditional two person model for constructing a pantomime horse, which works just as well for a centaur design.

• Basic model (unknown)
• Basic model 2 (unknown)
• Centaur clown (unknown)
  

This deer-taur costume (shown right) was spotted at Blizzcon 2007.

Steampunk centaur (2009)--no need to hide the wheels on this one!

In general, costumes that include four legs nd two arms are, regardless of the species represented, as a "taursuit".

These days there is also the option of becoming a centaur online in games such as the Sims.

And of course the old-fashioned version of photo-manipulation, photo-montage (1908)

• islesofday--Etsy

If you know of any centaur costumes not included in this list, please drop me a link!