Circus Ballerinas - Curious and Curiouser

About five years ago, I came across this photo of a Metlox drafter with a ballerina rider perched on its back.

I downloaded a copy for my files although I cannot find the documentation as to where I got it (eBay, I think) or to whom the photo belongs. 

I have three of the Metlox drafters (also called the Metlox Circus Horses) but I'd never seen the ballerina before that time.

Having played a game called "Circus Girls" when I was a child with my sister, Leslie, you can imagine that I started looking for that Metlox ballerina.  I have yet to find her.

But...

Sally H., who just sold me the blue variation Hagen Renaker Circus Pony, is a huge collector of Metlox horses and vehicles. She, too, has been looking for the Metlox ballerina for years. The only one she has ever seen was on eBay, possibly the same one I saw.

She shared that she thought the Metlox ballerina was extremely rare and so, while she waited to find her own, she had found two Ceramic Arts ballerinas and was using them as substitutes.

Aren't they lovely? (Both photos are by Sally H.)

Look what Sally H. so generously popped into the box when she sent me the HR Circus Pony!

I am thrilled to have this circus ballerina to add to my collection!

I actually had found another Ceramic Arts ballerina a couple of years ago on eBay.

She is a larger scale

and not as detailed or lovely as the blue ballerina.

That's three Ceramic Arts ballerinas known to exist, but where are the horses they were supposed to ride? 

I'd assumed that Ceramic Arts was one of the mid century California potteries

but their stamps say the company was in Madison, Wisconsin.

The larger scale ballerina on my grey Metlox Drafter - obviously she is too large for him.

My new blue ballerina on the same horse - she's maybe just a bit too small.

And on the palomino, just for fun.

Another photo of the Metlox ballerina.

So I'm heading down the rabbit hole with some questions:

- Where are the Ceramic Arts horses that these ballerinas should be riding?

- Or, are these ballerinas simply shelf sitters that never had a companion horse? (Their flat bottoms could indicate that.)

- Was the Metlox ballerina made to be a shelf sitter (it appears to have a flat bottom) or was it paired with one of the drafters?

I'm going to do some research and see what I can find out. Curious and curiouser!