Thanksgiving and Breyer Horses

There’s something very special about the hobby that we have found ourselves in its hard to put into words, but there’s just something special. I’ve been involved in many hobbies other than Breyer horses for the majority of my life, and the amazing things that have come from this hobby make me very nostalgic this Thanksgiving week.

Many of the first time showers to the Golden Oak Stables notice first that people are willing to go out of their way to help new people in the hobby. It’s true, Breyer horse people will answer questions and help out in anyway possible; they’re willing to drop what they are doing to help someone in need. Another great thing about the hobby is the friends you make. There are thousands of us out there, and with our friendly nature its easy to make new friends, and best of all, we all share the same hobby!

I’m also thankful that in the model horse hobby we have dozens of events we can go to just about every weekend of the year! There are events all over the country, but in New England we seem to have events all the time. But for those of you elsewhere in the country there are still tons of events out there that you can go to and spend time on your favorite subject!

Along with events, I’m thankful for Breyer and Breyerfest. Thousands of people were just as lucky as me to be able to attend Breyerfest 2009. Breyerfest is an absolutely amazing event that is put on by Breyer in July at the Kentucky Horse Park. It is the event of the year and is just wonderful.

Lastly but certainly not least I’m thankful for the horses that Breyer is kind enough to produce for us. Breyers are durable, realistic and beautifully painted. Try finding another plastic horse out there that’s more realistic; you won’t. Breyer consistently produces new molds and models that are so realistic and beautiful! In years past Breyer wasn’t producing as many new molds and models as well as a huge improvement in the painting, in many different scales. On top of that, they are so affordable! What more could we ask for?

I know I talk often about how much I love this hobby and Breyer horses, but truly, this is a hobby that stands out among many. You simply cannot be involved in a better hobby. It is the cream of the crop!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. See you all after the holiday!

~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

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

Breyer Horse Rarity and Collectibility Part 2

Last week we talked about what made vintage models collectible and desirable, this week we’ll take a look at current models and what makes them collectible and desirable.

Models today may all look the same when you get them from your dealer, but often times there are subtitle differences that can make them much more desirable than you may think. It is important to remember that there are many factors that determine what makes a model more desirable than the next one and we can’t touch on each one here but we can touch on a few things  that will help you find out why your horse is special!

Most of you know that all Breyer horses are painted individually by hand, and due to this, each one of them is different. Sometimes this creates distinct variations that can be quite collectible. Sometimes you’ll find a horse that has shading thats exceptional, or one that is either significantly darker or lighter than a “regular” one. This can sometimes make the model much more desirable. Another variation that can make a model desirable is missing socks or facial markings. Depending on the mold, variations such as this can make the model very desired by many collectors. The rarest variation to find is a glossy variation. In the past year or so variation glossies have been popping up all over the country, this is the rarest form of variation to find and these models are highly sought after. Please see Friday’s blog concerning glossy models, its very important.

In addition to variations there are other factors that create desirability in newer Breyers. There are many molds that are popular, typically brand new models are most desirable because they are collected by so many collectors. Many people collect what are called “Conga Lines” where they attempt to get every release of a certain mold. Some collectors collect only a certain sculptor or a certain breed of horse so new molds can have fans for those reasons as well.

Special runs can become very desirable based on mold, number produced and color. Glossies are very popular with collectors right now and special runs with a glossy finish are very popular. Newer molds also can make a special run popular, but the thing that impacts how desirable a special run is, is the number produced. Models under 350 produced are considered very limited and models under 1000 made are considered limited. Some models of higher numbers can still be hard to find and very collectible.

There are many factors that go into how desirable a model is, but it all depends on how many people want to add a particular horse to their collection!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

How To: Authenticating Breyer Horses

There’s no question as to authenticity when we purchase a new Breyer from our favorite dealer, but sometimes we purchase used or rare models from individual collectors. The vast majority of collectors are very honest and upfront about the history of a horse, but sometimes, especially with rarer horses, its best to cover all of your bases.

In the past month or so there have been several cases of fake models being sold as real; I’ve had this happen twice to myself. This can happen to anyone, regardless of experience in the hobby. Commonly we purchase second-hand horses via the internet, which is great and convenient for all of us, but we’re purchasing through photographs instead of seeing the model in person. We also may not always know our seller.

The most commonly reproduced models are the glossy prize models that Breyer awards at their sponsored shows and as prizes for other contests. These models have become very valuable and collectible in the past decade and are very desirable. There have been countless cases of these models being reproduced. The common way to tell the difference is the feel and smell of the gloss. Unfortunately you can’t tell this until you get the model home.

At every Golden Oak Stables’ show I give the same speech that I’ll give here. Make sure you know the owner. If you are going to spend several hundred dollars on the model be sure to get the seller’s full name and if he or she won the model, if not, find out who did win the horse. Once you have that make contact with the original winner (If you don’t have their email a google search can help find it) and see what the history of the model is. You can also check JAH for Breyerfest winners for each year, I suggest checking this out and looking for the winner’s name.

These steps aren’t always full proof, but it is a good start. In addition you should ask for up close photos of the horse including the stomach, legs, hooves, tips of tail, under the chin, ect. These are areas where the gloss would drip. It is very easy to purchase a regular run model and place a coat of gloss over them, so checking these places for drips and bubbles will help you weed out the fakes. All Breyerfest models come with a Certificate of Authenticity, but these are VERY easy to reproduce, so do not rely on this to authenticate the horse for you. After you’ve done some homework and if you feel the horse is authentic be sure to use a secure method of payment such as a credit card as well as working out a return policy in writing should the model end up being fake.

Decorators are the second most commonly reproduced models. Decorators (Blue, Gold, Woodgrain, ect) are quite rare and are much harder to reproduce than a glossy model. Most decorators are very easy to tell from photographs which are real and which are fake. Most vintage decorators were produced prior to 1970, so one way to check is to ask for a photograph of the mold mark. No vintage decorators should have the U.S.A mark. Taking a look at the current Breyer guide as well as familiarizing yourself with what these models look like will help you if you should decide to make the plunge.

After you purchase the model though you’ll want to test the model. There’s a cleaning solution by the name of Lestoil that will take off any paint that is not original finish leaving the original paint below. Diluting this in water and leaving the horse soak for a short period of time will either do nothing, meaning your horse is authentic, or the paint will start to peel, which means the horse is a fake. I have yet to hear a story of Lestiol disturbing an original paint job.

Its always best to purchase models in person if possible, but do your homework if you decide to buy online. Check out your seller on Model Horse Hobby Reference for detailed accounts from other buyers about prior transactions and always purchase with a bit of buyer beware, and always remember, you can’t go wrong with a new Breyer from your dealer!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

Breyer Horse Rarity and Collectiblity

Its no secret that there are some Breyer horses out there worth a significant amount of money. Some Breyer models can be worth $1,000 while some are only worth $1. Its hard to tell rare models when you see them, but looking out for a few simple things can help distinguish them from the others. Its good to remember that these are not always true and there are exceptions to the rule. Your best resource is going to be a Breyer guide. Collecitbility and rarity is very difficult to explain, as many of you have asked at Golden Oak Stables event, but hopefully this will give you a better idea of what makes a rare horse rare.

Vintage models can be difficult to both identify and place value to. Condition is always the most important thing to look for. Breaks, chips, yellowing, and major rubs will render nearly any model worthless. In vintage models, the finish is a good indicator or value. Models with a glossy finish tend to be rarer than matte ones. The glossy finish places the age of the horses as older than 1970 in most cases. Another positive to the glossy finish is that it helps to protect the models from rubs.

Vintage models can also have a finish called “Chalky”. Chalky models were produced during the oil crisis of the early 1970’s and are distinguished by their coat of white primer under their regular paint job. Normally Breyers are painted directly on raw plastic, but in the early 1970’s recycled plastic needed to be used, creating plastic of various colors. To combat that a coat of white primer was used. Models that are chalky are hard to distinguish, but they have a few features to look for including thick paint around the hooves and under them and a little “pooling” of paint on the belly. Chalky models have very delicate finishes and are very difficult to find. Many models also appear to be chalky when they are not. An experienced collector is really the only way to tell one from a normal horse.

Finally, one last thing to look for is models with “Decorator” paint jobs. Decorators are models of colors that aren’t regular horse colors. Woodgrain, charcoal, Dapple Blue (Copenhagen) , Dappled Gold (Florentine) , Solid Blue (Wedgewood) and Solid Gold (Gold Charm) are some of the more common Breyer decorator colors. Typically any model with one of these finishes can be very collectible, but there are some very common Woodgrains and Charcoal models, so be sure to research what you are buying. Nearly any vintage gold or blue model is very very rare.

Next week we’ll go over what makes current models hard to find and collectible!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

New Breyer Horse Releases for Fall 2009

Today we’ll take a little break from our regularly scheduled “How-To” to take a look at the fall releases for 2009. Not to worry, we’ll be back with the second half of last week’s “How-To” next week.

The fall of 2009 has brought many exciting and new horses to the Breyer lineup. From famous racehorses to horses with stories that will surely become favorites for years to come, each of these models fits into the Breyer line of champion and famous horses in its very own way

Secretariat, one of the most famous race horses of all time was brought to us in the late summer/early fall of 2009 and has become wildly popular already. His dynamic position and wonderful story has created a place in collectors hearts already. The Secretariat is done on the Smarty Jones model and is sculpted by Sue Carlton-Sifton.

Water is the last in the Ethereal series released by Breyer over the past two years. Breyer first teased us with a glimpse of the Ethereal series in 2003 with a small photo in Just About Horses.This series that has been in the works for many years has finally come to a close with a beautiful finale. Water is done in a beautiful dappled blue roan. Water, as well as the rest of the Ethereal series is the epitome of quality and beauty in the Breyer series and is not to be ignored!

Cloud: Challenge of the Stallions is the latest release that Breyer has done featuring the famous mustang stallion’s herd. The cloud series can be seen on PBS and a new special is airing on October 25th, be sure to check it out! The Challenge of the Stallions set features four classic size horses, the two adults are featured on molds sculpted by Chris Hess and the foals are two new sculptures that have been added to the Breyer line within the last year or so.

Wild Blue and Little Prince are both new horses that feature stories to go with them. These new horses along with their novels are sure to become not only popular stories with horse lovers but classics for years to come. Both Wild Blue and Little Prince are classic scale and feature beautiful paint schemes. They both are also sculpted by Chris Hess.

Last but certainly not least Breyer has added three new additions to its ever popular Stablemate line. The Stablemate tractor playset includes a longhorn, llama, horse, farmer, his tractor and more. A new fancy Stablemate trailer set was also released this fall in a pink and yellow color scheme. Lastly for the Stablemate line was a new ranch set, the Cherry Creek Ranch Set. This set offers three horses, animals and accessories.

Breyer has created so many interesting and dynamic models for the fall its hard to guess what they might have in store for the new year, only time will tell! As always you can take a look at the entire Breyer line at Golden Oak Stables‘ website.

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

How we “Play” with our Breyer Horses

If you have Breyer horses you play with them in some way. Some of us collect to admire, some of us collect to pretend, some of us collect to compete, and some of us do all these things! No matter what you do with your horses, if you are having fun with your horses, you’re playing!

Collecting just to collect horses is very common. Often collectors try for all of a favorite mold, creating a game out of seeing if they can get as many of one mold, or sculpture, as possible. This sometimes includes any regular run horses, and sometimes people take on the challenge of trying to collect every single model, including very rare and limited models. This can take years to do when there are only 5 of a certain model! Often collectors just collect what they love and let their collections amass. I’m one of those collectors!

Playing with our horses is something that most of us have done at some point, especially those of us that were kids at some point in our collecting life. Even pulling out horses, re-displaying them, or trying on tack is simply, playing with our horses. In the digital age many adolescents have taken to the internet website YouTube to create videos and movies about their horses. Some collectors are creating movie series about their models that are as intricate and well written as some of the movies we see on television.

Lastly, some of us compete with our models. Model horse shows are commonplace in the Breyer horse hobby with shows all over the country and the world. The thrill of competing is a great reason to collect. Many collectors do not have the time or resources to ride or compete with real horses, and find an easy way to do something very similar. Breyer horse shows are also great places to socialize with other collectors and a great way to see other beautiful models!

No matter why you collect or what you do with your models, we’re all doing the same things overall, we’re playing! Sometimes collecting or showing can get stressful, and its a good idea to remember that in the end, we’re all just playing.

For those of you in the Concord, NH area, Golden Oak Stables’ New England Fall Live Breyer show is filling up quickly! For more information visit here.

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

Small Talk: Breyer Stablemate Horses

Breyer stablemates are collectible and favorites among many collectors. Their size, variety and price makes them easy to collect and fun. These horses are around 3 inches tall or 1/24th scale. Breyer has been making Stablemates since 1975 and currently has over 30 different stablemate molds. With breeds ranging from Pony to Draft as well as 1/2 a dozen foal models, the variety that is offered is grand!

One look on the Golden Oak Stables’ site will bring up dozens of Stablemates that are ripe for collecting! In my collection I’ve collected over 400 Stablemates! With them priced around $3 a horse and under $20 for most sets, its very affordable to start this “tiny” collection.

Not only are they fun to collect but they are also competitive show horses! The Stablemates are some of the most realistic horses that are offered in Breyer’s line and their size does not effect their ability to be shown! At our first Golden Oak Stables‘ show, a simple Original Finish Stablemate was one of the big winners! You can even see her in the Just About Horses’ Winners Circle this month!

There are special shows as well that cater to smaller scales, including Stablemates. This provides an even playing field for smaller horses that may have gotten overlooked when put on the show table with the big guys. But don’t count them out in the big show ring either! They can hold their own in most cases!

Stablemates winning at a Stablemate Scale Show

Stablemate Performance winner at a Stablemate Scale Show

There are also people that show their Stablemates in performance, making custom tack for their horses. The challenge of creating and showing tack for one of the smallest scale of horses is a fun for some collectors, including myself, and creating in extreme miniature is also a large pull. There are dozens of artists out there creating tack specifically for Stablemates only.

Stablemate horse being show as a Cross Country Horse

Stablemate horse being shown in Western

Stablemates are versatile and easy to collect. They are easy to afford and you can fit many more on a shelf than you could with traditional models! My only advice is that they are like potato chips, you can’t have just one!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

Why we collect Breyer Horses

Collectors of all ages have hundreds of different stories about how they started collecting. Some started as a child, unable to have a real horse, some as older adults start collecting because it looks like a real horse that they had been exposed to, some collect to show them, and nearly everyone collects them to bring joy to their lives. Collecting for the many years I have, my reasons for collecting have changed to fit just about every facet of the hobby.

When I was younger I knew nothing of the hobby, being a kid in the hobby, in the early 1990’s was difficult. It was before the dawn of the internet and instant communication, the hobby as we knew it was mail and publication based. I collected mostly because I couldn’t have a real horse, and also because my parents were sick of me buying cheap plastic horses that wouldn’t ever amount to anything. For the first few years of collecting I loved every Breyer horse that came into my life.

About 10 years into collecting I started to see my toys as a hobby, and while I had been to Breyerfest many times, it was never for anything more than to buy new toys. Around that time I started to meet other hobbiests that were involved in the hobby, and helped expose me to the other activities that were possible.

Showing became a normal thing for me. I began buying horses based s0ley to win ribbons, and did this for several years. I was very successful in showing, but not really attached to my collection.

My “Show” horses were sold and I scaled back largely. This was the perfect time to refocus my collection. I decided that while I liked to show, I was also interested in preserving the wealth in my collection, while still buying only models I was in love with and wanted to keep forever. Show holding for Golden Oak Stables, and judging also became important recently which helped to take the focus off of buying horses to compete myself with.

A refocus of my collection helped to show me what I really wanted out of the hobby and find even more enjoyment out of it than I thought was possible.

By finding the reason why you are collecting can help you focus your collection as well as helping you keep better track of what you have and what you want.

We all collect for different, but similar reasons. Most importantly, we all collect because our plastic horses make us happy, but also because we have a deep love of horses.

Whatever your reason, as long as you have a true love for what you have, your collection will hopefully keep you happy for the rest of your life.

Leave us a comment and let us know why you collect. We’d love to hear your stories!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com