It started out simply enough- any horse shaped object (HSO) would do. Then I discovered the Johnny West-Best of the West horses- Thuderbolt, Flame, Thundercolt, Poncho and all the others. Christmases, birthdays.. that's all I wanted. And the... Oh my God... I discovered Breyers, with their beautiful conformation and lovely colors. I bought my first Breyer with my own allowance at K Mart, back whe they carried such things- the Running Stallion in glossy charcoal. I look at his conformation now and I cringe-just what gait IS he performing??? But back then, I thought he was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. (Never mind that I thought 'he' was a 'she' at the time and named her 'Venus'. We'll save my sex education for another time... He has since bee properly re-sexed and is now called Cimmaron.) I still have this horse, he lives on the top shelf above my bed, surveying all who came after him. He fought many battles and wears the scars, but he is one that will never, ever leave my collection.
For many, many years, Breyers were IT. There was a brief love affair with Hartland/Circle H, but they never achieved the realism of Breyers. I had a few I loved dearly- the blck and white rearing stallion, the black Tennessee Walker, and ther was a mare and foal set of 3 Gaited Saddlebreds that my best friend Susan had that I coveted...The mare was a richly shaded dark bay, walking gracefully, and OH!! How I wanted her. I have seen her since, and really, she ain't all that great, but I would still love to have her, just because.
Then, along came the Peter Stone company, and they raised the bar for model horses. I fell head over heels for their Arabian; he's not conformatioally perfect, but he is the closest thing out there to the modern day show-type Arabian. At one time I had a conga of this mold almost 30 horses strong. I have since pared them back a little, have maybe 24 now. Still love them, but they are so damned expensive.
Artist's resis have become 'the' thing in the hobby, horses sculpted by well-kown artists, and produced in small quantities, usually under 100. I have a few, 6 or 7, I think. Again- EXPEN$IVE. Nekkid resis are usually a couple hundred bucks. Too rich for my blood. I just mainly look at them and drool.
Even Breyers have begun out-pricing themselves. Just recently, they did away with their lon-time hobby magazie, Just About Horses and replaced it with on-line 'clubs' that you have to pay to belong to, PLUS pay hundreds of dollars for their sooper-dooper extra-special limited edition models. There was one that I would have LOVED to have had, but alas... again, too rich for my blood. Now they have begun pushing BreyerFest for this year, and all of their (expensive) special runs and the MEGA expensive auction items, which sell for thousands of dollrs.
Really... who has that kind of money for plastic horses?
Obviously, SOMEone does, but that someone ain't me.
So, anyways... My collection now numbers right around 500 models, from tiny, inch tall foals to a pair of concrete horses in my front yard about 3 feet tall. I have been sort of on a hiatus recently; haven't bought any (well, hardly any, I did snag a Traveller off eBay for $15 a couple months ago... He had been a grail for many years!) and I haven't been painting at all. I have gotten a little fed up with the hobby, truth be told. I recently sold off several of my more valuable limited editions and am doating the money to my other passion, a Hoof and a Prayer Horse Rescue. (Learn more about them in my other blog here, https://plus.google.com/105313583369417568302#105313583369417568302/posts ) I may sell ore.
But there are some that will never ever leave my collection. Even if I am 101 and living in a rest home they will be there with me. Here are a few of those special ones:
AMB Simone Sadeek, an artist's resin. He was my first resin. My dad and I attended our first live model show and were blown away by the resins. On our drive home, he told me to get on line whe I got home and pick one out, he would buy it for me for Christmas. As soon as I saw Vicki Keeling's Sadeek, I knew he was the one. I had intended to paint him a bay with all the chrome, my favorite color, but Sadeek insisted that he wanted to be a chestnut... my least favorite color. He was qualified for the nationals in both halter and western trail, and is my pride and joy.
AMB Shai Beau. He started out life as a Peter Stone Arab and I 'tweaked' him, raising and tilting his head, flagging his tail and stretching his left hind. I then painted him dark bay with reverse dappling. Beau is a multi champion in live and photo shows and was qualified for the Nationals.
My first tru Holy Grail, named Encoire Encore. He was a Peter Stone special run called Ra, onlt 200 made, and he sold out immediately. I tried several times to get him on eBay and was always out bid. Then a friend offered to sell hers to me on time payments, and I grabbed hi. He is the one model I say I will be buried with.
AMB Khaos, another artist's resin, my most recent and probably last. I fell in love with his sassy attitude and HAD to have him.
Original finish Breyer named All Jazzed Up. She was a special run from BreyerFest last year, and a model friend was kind enough to do a pick up for me.
One of my customs, called etching, where I take an exacto knife and carefully scratch paint off, leaving the white plastic showing. Her name is AMB Tainted Love, nd she started out as bay Lady Phase. She is a champion in photo shows.
The Price of Fame, an OLD glossy palomino Breyer 5 Gaiter. I wanted this model for YEARS and wasfinally able to find him on eBay in 2005. I love him so much!
Another Holy Grail found; this was a special run for BreyerFest in 2006 or 2007; the mold was made for thi ONE horse and them broke. I was uable to go that year, and just last year, I was able to get this guy, named Valor, thu a trade.
And last but certainly not least Heza Teddy Bear, on the Zippo Pine Bar mold, called Rugged Painted Lark. Love love love this guy, he has the sweetest face.
