Opening the box of a model horse collectible is not a taboo as it is in other collecting circles. In fact, in order to full appreciate all that can be done with a model horse the buyer has to take it out of the box.
So what can I do with these things?
The major manufacturers will attest to the fact that the majority of their sales are not coming from hobbyists, they come from people buying a model because it "looks like their horse" or as a gift. Model horses such as Breyers, Stone Models, and Best Talking Horses are easily found in tack shops, toy stores and sometimes department stores. For those people not buying on a whim there are many things to do with your models. For starters you can try displaying them at home. Many collectors have well over 800 models, sometimes thousands; just keeping them all dust free is a job!
Model horse photo showing
Photo Showing is an inexpensive way to enter the hobby. The premise of photo showing is that you take photos in realistic settings of your models, you choose names, breeds, genders, colors and even lineage for your models, write those on the backs of the photos and then send photos to the show holder. You photos are then judged against others for realism, correctness, and so on.
Model horse live showing
Live showing is similar to photo showing, though it is you and your models that travel to shows instead of mere photos. At a live show there are usually no color classes or gender classes due to time restraints. A typical class list will have Breed Classes, Performance Classes, and Collectors' Classes. If you go to an all halter show you will have just that, all halter classes (color, breed, gender, etc.). The set-ups for performance classes get more intricate and ornate the higher the level of competition. For those competing in live shows NAMHSA (North American Model Horse Showers Association) was established. NAMHSA registers shows that meet certain requirements, and participants whose models place 1st or 2nd qualify to compete at NAN (North American Nationals), held each year (2009 will be in Portland, Oregon).
Model horse showing not cheap
Many entrants in live show performance classes tout very intricate and correctly made tack, with silver and gold adornments. Tack Making is also a large facet of the hobby, and tack sets by really great tack makers look like shrunken counterparts of the real horse world. The costs of these saddle sets easily rival the cost of real horse sets, with prices ranging anywhere from $50 to $350. But if you would like to construct your own set, Rio Rondo, the industry's leading tack supplier, sells kits for just this purpose.
Other model horse activities
For those interested in adding realism to the hobby, there is Pedigree Assignment (PA). PA is an informative and fun way to get into the hobby. Many people put time and effort into finding the correct lineage for their models by looking through old breed and stud books. Customizing (CM) is also a large part of the hobby and can be lucrative if you are artistically inclined. CMing is hard work though and requires a broad knowledge base of horses, breeds and conformation as well as skill.
 |
 |
