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
