Setting up my Original Finish Spotted Mule for the Longears Championship judge-off at the 2001 NW Expo Live Show
I was first introduced to Breyer horses in the late nineties when my grandmother bought me Henry the Norwegian Fjord for my birthday. I soon discovered Just About Horses, customizing, showing, and other aspects of the model horse hobby. I already had a herd of toy horses, but Breyer showed me a new level of authenticity and variety, and I was hooked.
I collected Breyers for several years, subscribed to Just About Horses, tried my hand at showing, and dabbled in tack making and customizing without success. When I was twelve I promised my parents that I would sell my models to finance a real horse, and happily I got my wish in January 2002.
My beautiful horse, Cochise
As promised, I sold most of my models in order to buy tack and equipment for my beautiful, living, breathing horse. I still followed the hobby a bit and gained a horse or two, but my interest dwindled. By the time I went to college I had culled my Breyer collection to one model, an old grey Brighty which I bought at an antique fair.
During college I had some health problems and found myself nostalgic, missing my horse, and looking for a new hobby that didn’t require too much energy. Around this time my friend, another ex-hobbyist, gifted me the Breyer micro mini trailer set. We were enchanted and spent a very happy spring break customizing micro mini (1:64 scale) and stablemate (1:32 scale) models. When I went back to school I started my return to the hobby.
Despite my excitement, I remembered the disappointing aspects of the model horse hobby that I had experienced as a child- feeling disheartened with my tack and customs compared to what I saw others making and being unable to afford higher quality models and accessories. So although I was excited to collect models again, I wanted to lay down some strict ground rules about my intentions.
My first custom (early 2009) and some early props and tack
Thus my commitment to do-it-yourself and “on the cheap” collecting was born. Every horse I own (with the exclusion of the aforementioned Brighty) is a custom of my own creation or a gift from a friend. I make all of my own tack and props. I strive to spend as little as possible on materials and so I am always looking for ways to recycle used or household items into hobby fodder. I believe that model horse collecting should be a fun, crafty hobby. It allows me to connect to the horse world although I can no longer regularly ride, and also lets me indulge in childhood fantasies of farm ownership.
I started writing this blog as a way to share my ideas and creations with others and contribute to the amazing online hobby world. I love to connect with others who share my commitment to DIY collecting.
