Between 1964 and 1966, Nissho pursued realism, choosing subjects that were an essential part of his life. These included cows and horses, and vegetables harvested from the fields. The workhorse was a typical example. He painted even the lie of its shiny hair in great detail, using fine variations in the thickness of the paint to bring out the three-dimensionality and texture of the coat. More preliminary drawings exist for Dead Horse than for any other painting by Nissho. They show how much care he took in producing that painting. Dead Horse is also perhaps the most evocative image among his paintings depicting farm life. The horse has a peaceful expression on its face, as if it is sleeping quietly. Nissho lived with that horse as if it were part of the family and must have felt a deep sense of grief from the loss—feelings that he poured into this work.