Real Breyer Horses: Arabians

The Arabian is one of the oldest and most recognizable breeds of horses. They are also one of the most beloved breeds with fans all over the world.

Arabian Horses were originally bred in the Middle East over 4000 years ago and the desert climate that Arabians were bred in has created some of the most distinct features of the breed. The Arabian horse was bred by the Bedouins who were nomads in the middle east. The Bedouins bred the horses to withstand anything the vast deserts that they lived and survived in could throw at them. Being a part of the family was also important to the relationship between the Arabian horse and the Bedouin people, creating a kind nature. But don’t let this fool you; the Arabian horse was also used as a war mount and can be quite spirited still.

Some of the characteristics that make the Arabian one of the most easily recognizable breeds include a dished profile and large nostrils. The eyes of the Arabian are also large and the horse is a more “compact” than most full size horses. The rainbow that Arabians come in is large and colorful including Bay, Black, Chestnut, Grey,and Sabino. The dilute gene does not exist in the Arabian breed so there are no palomino Arabian horses.

Today Arabian horses are used in just about any discipline you can imagine. They are popular mounts for endurance riding due to their stamina and when bred with Thoroughbreds they make great mounts for eventing.

Golden Oak Stables and Breyer offer many Arabians that you can bring into your own show string. Azhar is featured on one of Breyer’s first Arabian molds, released in 1956. He is a fiery chestnut with socks and a star and snip for markings. He is a bit stylized but features a very dished profile making him easily recognizable as an Arabian. Any of the Ethereal Models could be Arabian Crosses, especially Wind. His dappled coat and small stature combined with his dished profile makes him a good Arabian cross. The Black Stallion is a famous Arabian offered by Breyer that includes a DVD of his feature film. The Black Stallion film is a great way to help understand a bit more about the breed.

S’Justadream is a new release and a new mold for Breyer that is a famous Arabian horse! This flashy chestnut mare is bright and perky and ready to make her way into your stable! This new mold is proving to be popular already and will be one to remember for time to come!

Arabians are some of the oldest and well known horses in the world today; their beauty and good nature make them a favorite for many horse lovers. Its easy to add one Arabian to your stable, but the hard part will be adding *only* one!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

All About: Breyer Horse Special Runs

At one point or another you’ll encounter the phrase “Special Run”. It may seem like an odd word for people that are new in the hobby, but its really just a phrase that has been adopted by hobbyists to describe a “Run” of Breyer horses that is only available through specific “Special” outlets

Special runs are often referred to as “SR’s” and it can be overwhelming to even begin to imagine all of them. Collecting SR’s can become overwhelming so starting small is a good idea!

You might be surprised to hear that Special Runs have been around since the very early days of Breyer in the 1950’s. At that time, SR’s weren’t collectible like they are today; they were just special orders done for certain outlets. In the late 1950’s Sears offered models that were regular “catalog” models offered by Breyer with special accessories commissioned by Sears. This would qualify them as a Special Run. Into the 1960’s and 1970’s special runs were commissioned by breeders such as the Hog Breeders of America. They ordered a variety of specially painted pig models in many different breeds; some of these were even “customized” at the factory and received bent ears.

Into the 1970’s and 1980’s Breyer started doing special models for Breyer Horse shows. These became some of the most limited and desired SR’s around today. The 1990’s brought Breyerfest which has dozens of Special Runs each year. Events are not the only outlet for Special Runs. Many companies and dealers were able to order SR’s up until production was moved to China in 2002.After that Breyer lost the capability to do many small runs of models due to importing.

But that’s not the end of Special Runs! Today you can find special runs at Golden Oak Stables. Breyer has created special runs that you can bring home today! The positive to collecting Special Runs is that they are limited to a certain number, making some of them very rare. Check out the limited edition section of Golden Oak Stables to see what is current!

Special Runs are a fun thing to collect and can be very collectible, but don’t forget the regular catalog runs as well. And as always, collect what you love, no matter what!

 

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

How To: Verifying Vintage Breyer Horses Part 1

I get many questions at the Golden Oak Stables’ shows asking what a horse is or when it was made. At one point or another you’re going to have a horse that ends up in your collection that isn’t brand new. Sometimes they are gifts from friends or family that may have had a horse or two are some point in their life, or maybe you picked it up at a yard sale. Either way, there are some distinct things that can help you identify the time period your model was made during and from there identify what your model is. Its also interesting to understand a bit of history for the Breyer company and how they have changed over the years.

The Breyer Molding Company was around for many years before they went into the production of model horses, but the first examples of model horses we see from Breyer was sometime around 1950. There were only a few molds that were in production in the 1950’s so these are some of the easiest to identify. The vast majority of the molds used in the 1950’s had a molded on bridle and a detachable saddle. There were also other horse models that did not have tack, but many of them did.

In the 50’s Breyer horses had not received the iconic “Breyer Stamp” yet. Without the stamp they are easily misidentified and looked over. Horses from this time period are made from the same plastic we are used to today. Not many model horses are created from this type of plastic, so being familiar with the “Feel” of Breyer horses will help you identify the plastic.

Breyer’s of this time period were all made in a glossy finish. The paint of this time period is still very similar to other vintage models, but they feature soft shading and delicate details. Models with tack often had hand painted details to the tack or very delicately airbrushed details.

In the 1960’s Breyer was still finding themselves as horse producers. They introduced many new molds during the 60’s and expanded greatly. Many of the iconic Breyer’s that we think of today were released in the 1960’s: the Fighting Stallion, the Five Gaiter, and the Running Mare and Foal.

In the early 1960’s Breyers were often glossy; during the late 1960’s many of the models that were released in glossy were later released in a matte finish. At this point, most Breyers had received the iconic stamp so that will help you identify that you have a genuine Breyer. The last thing to look for in Breyers from this period are details like eyewhites painted in the corner of the eye, and foot pads on the hooves and or tail.

By looking for a few things you can easily identify not only what time period your horses are from but also help you identify the exact model as well as the value.

Next week we’ll go over horses from the 70’s,80’s and 90’s!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

Real Life Breyer Horses: The Appaloosa

The Appaloosa horse is well known for its spotted coat that creates stunning and eye catching patterns. Born out of a Native American background this flashy horse has become a favorite for both horse lovers and model horse lover alike.

Thought to be created by the Nez Perce Indians, the Palouse horse, or Appaloosa was discovered in the late 1800’s and by the 1930’s there were several breeders that were working to keep this breed alive and a breed organization was formed in 1938. The Appaloosa is an extremely popular breed today and is a favorite of countless horse lovers all around the world.

Appaloosas are known for their leopard spotted coat which is the preferred spotting pattern. Beyond the leopard spotting pattern, other pattens include the Snowflake Appaloosa with the appearance of frosted spotting. The Blanket Appaloosa is a pattern that creates a white “Apron” across the hindquarters that contains spots within it. Other patterns include, Frost, Few spot Leopard and Varnish Roan.

Typically Appaloosas were known as stock horses that were active in Western disciplines including cow work, barrel racing, and rodeo work. Recent years have found the Appaloosa horse many new facets including English Riding. Appaloosa’s are quickly becoming mounts for any type of work or discipline.

Breyer and Golden Oak Stables have many Appaloosas in their stables. DZ Weedo is a famous Appaloosa stallion that has become a quick favorite for many collectors. He is a flashy buckskin blanket appaloosa that has captured many hearts. Little Tahoma is the perfect picture of an Appaloosa Yearling. Featured on the Quarter Horse Yearling mold he captures the beauty of the breed and the innocence of a young horse. One of the recent releases that has become a quick favorite is Fire from the Ethereal Series. Fire is an extremely flashy chestnut appaloosa that is detailed to the extreme! His paint job is one of the most detailed paint jobs that Breyer has ever produced.

Big or small, black or white, the Appaloosa is beautiful and flashy. Its a breed that has become both versatile and beautiful and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

Breyer Horse Collectors Event: Fun Foals!

In 2009 Breyer gave collectors a chance to sharpen their skills of both collecting and horse genetics with the Fun Foals Collectors Event.

As in past collectors events, the goal of the event is for collectors to collect models; once collected, the model’s UPC’s can be sent to Breyer to receive a surprise model. This year’s set features two mares and two stallions with the redemption model being one of many foals, but which foal you might get is a total surprise-unless you know a little bit about horse genetics.

The mares that are featured are a dappled chestnut mare that carries a gene for appaloosa markings, and a red roan draft mare. The Stallions are a dapple grey mustang and a palomino pinto sport horse. When you start putting together a few of the combinations you might be able to figure out what you might receive. Any of the combinations of mares and stallions will get you a different foal, so there’s 4 combinations and at least 4 foals, but foals never come out the same, so there’s many more than just four. You also have to remember that horses have the possibility to have twins too; this is a detail that Breyer hasn’t forgotten.

If we put the chestnut mare and the pinto stallion together you might get an pinto, or even a pintaloosa, one of the rarest horse markings that combines both pinto and appaloosa markings. Putting that same mare with the grey stallion could get you a solid foal or maybe an appaloosa. These all would be light breed type foals because the mare and both stallions are lighter type horses.

The red roan draft mare will get you completely different foals from the dappled mare. Putting together the draft mare with the grey stallion might get you a solid grey baby, or maybe a roan one. The pinto sport horse and the red roan mare might produce a pinto of some sort, or again some type of roan or solid foal. Because you are using a heaver bred horse, the foal could come out either light type like the father or draft type like the mother. The possibilities are endless!

I’ve seen a few of the foals around the Golden Oak Stables’ shows, but I’m keeping my lips sealed tight! You’ll just have to take your chances, do a bit of research and send in for your foals. Be sure to do it quickly, because it only goes to the end of the year. With that said, I’m off to send off my horses today. I’m hoping for a draft baby… or maybe even twins!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

Happy Halloween: Breyer Horse Costumes

The thought of a Breyer horse in a costume may sound a bit odd or funny, but its actually one of the neatest thing that you can create for your horse. In honor of Halloween we’ll look at all the interesting some of the “Costumes” that are possible.

With Breyer Horses, the word “Costume” doesn’t just mean witches and pumpkins, it also means any number of historically accurate tack sets that one could think of, things like Native Arabian Tack and Jousting outfits are seen as “Costumes” to the Breyer horse world. Costume classes at live shows tend to be a mix up of all different costumes. There are some times when Arabian Costume will be split out but most times it will be all together, this can make it a bit difficult to bring home that blue ribbon.

When creating a costume the first thing you want to do is to research. Research is the key for any kind of performance entry, but in costume classes it is key. The details really matter and you’ll want to pay attention to every little thing possible. If you are making the costume be sure to pay attention to scale in relation to the horse. If you are just taking up with a pre-made set, be sure that the tack fits properly and that it is adjusted well.

Lastly you’ll want to make sure your horse is accurate. Putting a Clydesdale in an Arabian costume isn’t going to get you many points in the judges eyes, but an accurate Russian saddle set from 1700 with the proper breed is going to pull things far in your favor!

Whatever you decide to do, showing costume is a blast! On this Halloween weekend, why not give making one a shot? Let your imagination run wild and the results will be amazing. Happy Halloween!

The winning costume entry from Golden Oak Stables‘ NEFL

Breyer Horse Review: Fun with Model Horses Set

One of the standouts from the Fall 2009 releases offered by Golden Oak Stables, is none other than a simple dapple grey Morgan that is packaged with accessories to help involved people with their Breyer horses.

The Fun With Model Horses set is a set that is focused on exploring the many facets of the model horse hobby including showing, events and
customizing. Included in the set is a gorgeous dapple grey Morgan on the Flash mold, a halter, travel bag and a booklet to help you get started in the hobby.

The dapple grey Morgan is fantastically beautiful with soft shading throughout his entire body. He also features soft dapples over his stomach, shoulders, neck and hips. To top it off he’s got an adorable snip on the front of his face as well as eye whites and charcoal painted ear tips!

The Flash mold was sculpted in 2004 by Sue Sifton as the portrait of a pony club pony. In 2003 Breyer held a contest for the U.S. Pony Club to write essays about their favorite pony and why the pony was important to you. Flash was chosen as the winner and he’s made his way into thousands of homes.

Flash has been offered in a myriad of colors, from the original bay, to dun, buckskin. The first issue of the mold is the Bay and was in production from 2004 until 2007. He was also offered as a special run with a pony club rider and accessories. In 2005 Flash was created in a striking reverse dapple chestnut for the connoisseur series and was limited to 350 pieces. In late 2005 a special run was released for Tractor Supply Company as a Pony Express pony. In 2006 Breyer held the first Breyerwest and Flash was chosen as the special run model. He was released in a palomino pinto and became a quick favorite. Last but certainly not least was Starlight, the portrait of Carol’s mount from The Saddle Club in 2007.

Flash has seen quite a few colors but the newest release is a true stunner, don’t let him slip by!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

Event Report: New England Fall Live Breyer Horse Show

Saturday, October 24th 2009 was the first annual Golden Oak Stables‘ New England Fall Live. NEFL brought together new and old collectors alike from all over New England as well as bringing a few into New England. We had a collector that joined us from Florida! With 30 entrants the judges had their hands full with classes stuffed to the brim with dozens of horses.

Our experienced judges were wealth’s of knowledge and I’m sure that everyone learned something new. At the end of the day dozens of ribbons were awarded as well as dozens of beautiful trophies. Entrants also qualified hundreds of horses for the New England Regional show as well as the North American Nationals that will be held in Kentucky during the week of Breyerfest! The day was a huge success and while we wind down for the winter, I can say that 2010 holds bright plans for the Golden Oak Stable’s show series.

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

How To: Overview of Live Showing Breyer Horses

Tomorrow is the first annual Golden Oak Stables’ New England Fall Live. In honor of that, today we’ll take a look at all of our past articles on Live showing with a few more tips tossed in!

Showing for the first time can be very intimidating for anyone, especially if you don’t know anyone that is showing with you. While its quite easy to make new friends at the event itself, we took a look at how to find collectors in your area. You may also want to mention to the show holder that you are new to showing and may not know anyone that will be there. In most cases, she’ll be more than happy to put you next to someone that lives near, or someone that she feels would be a good table buddy for the day. Its also normal to ask to be seated next to someone who’s more experienced and can help you with you questions. Breyer horse collectors are very friendly and eager to help by nature, so don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Before you go to the show you’ll want to take some time to pick your very best horses to show. Choosing which models to take to a live show can be difficult, but you’ll need to remember to choose your very best models only with the least amount of flaws. Once you’ve chosen what models that you own that are the best condition, you’ll want to try to pick the ones that you feel are suited best for the breed. Choosing horses that are realistic and that have realistic coloring will show best. If the show has collectiblility classes, it may seem confusing as to what makes a Breyer horse collectible, but a few simple guidelines will help you understand why it is rarer than the next model.

Lastly, before you leave for your show you will want to make a first aid kit so that you have everything you could imagine in case of emergency. It will be the best thing you can do for yourself the day of the show.

If you are in the New England area tomorrow please make plans to stop by Golden Oak Stables! Its an event not to be missed. If not, try to seek out a model horse show in your area. Its great to get involved with your models and meet others that have the same interests.

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

Real Life Breyer Horses: Rags to Riches

There are many great colts in Thoroughbred racing but a great filly doesn’t come along every day. In 2007 we got to meet a filly that has found a place in many hearts.

Rags to Riches was born in 2004 out of A.P. Indy (Sire) and Better than Honour (Dam). On her sire’s side was the famous Seattle Slew, Secretariat and Bold Ruler, and on her dam’s side was the famous Northern Dancer. Rags was bred out of the small Skara Glen Stables in Pennsylvania, known for its Thoroughbred breeding program, but not just race horses, they are also known for their hunters and jumpers!

In 2005 Rags to Riches was brought to Keenland for sale and sold for an astonishing 1.9 million dollars to Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith. She was sent to training at the age of two with Todd Pletcher. It was clear that, while she was fast, she would flourish at long distances. In January of 2007 she was brought into competition at Santa Anita race track and won her first race by six lengths. She then went on to win a few other races and eventually the Kentucky Oaks. This little filly was really making people notice!

In June of 2007 she was entered in the prestigious Belmont stakes and she truly made it memorable. She faced Curlin, the horse of the year and a strong competitor himself. She stumbled out the gate and while that would take a normal horse out of the race, she still found her way to the front of the pack and dueling it out with Curlin at the final stretch. In the end, it would be the first time a filly had won the Belmont in over a century!

Rags was retired shortly after due to a front pastern injury and was bred for the first time in 2008. In early 2009 she gave birth to her first foal and is expecting again!

Breyer’s Rags to Riches is featured on the wonderful Ruffian mold who is also a famous champion filly. She is in full stride heading towards the finish line with a wreath of flowers already over her winning neck. She is a stunning bright chestnut and has a long blaze down her face with three socks. She’s truly a beauty to behold.

Check out all the race horses that Breyer has to offer at Golden Oak Stables and keep an eye out for Rags’ offspring, they’re sure to make a splash some day soon!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com