Breyer Horse Collecting: The American Quarter Horse

Versatile as it is popular, the American Quarter Horse is a breed that is popular throughout dozens of equestrian sports as well as being a companion to millions. This breed has gone from being a horse bred for ranch work to a horse that competes at the highest level of nearly every equine sport and excels!

One of America’s favorite breeds, the American Quarter Horse was first bred as a distinctive breed in the late 1800’s that helped to settle the west and in 1940 the American Quarter Horse Association was formed. The American Quarter Horse Association is the breed organization that holds precedent over registrations of the breed and acceptance of all horses that are registered as an American Quarter Horse. The AQHA as its commonly shortened to also regulates a large national show which is attended by people from thousands of miles away.

The Quarter horse might be known for its Western riding work, but they are actually named after their quick speed on the race track. Quarter Horse racing is still a popular sport that sees fans from all corners of the world. They also can be seen in many hunter jumper rings, pleasure horses and even mounted police! This breed is truly an amazing versatile breed that can be seen in all corners of the equestrian world!

Breyer has created dozens of Quarter Horses and are amongst some of the most popular models they have created! With fans all over the world its no surprise that they are as popular as they are. Reining legend, Big Chex To Cash is one of the most popular Breyer Quarter Horses in recent history. This stunning palomino paint is one of the most successful reining horses ever and has made his way into reining history. Breyer’s Big Chex to Cash features a stunning metallic dappled coat on the popular Smart Chic Olena mold.

A famous cutting horse mare has also become a popular Breyer portrait since her release, Bet Yer Blue Boons! A red roan mare, Bet Yer Blue Boons is striking in appearance and presence. With a white blaze and two socks, her bright red roan coat stands out in a crowd. Known for her cow cutting ability, in which a horse tests its ability in controlling cattle, Bet Yer Blue Boons has created history by earning the top score ever in her sport.

Bringing you just about any breed you could imagine, Golden Oak Stables celebrates this Memorial Day with a truly American breed, the American Quarter Horse. Responsible for helping to settle the west, the American Quarter Horse is a breed all its own that has and will live on through its versatility and adoring fans.

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

Breyer Horse Collecting: Breyer Plush Fun

Breyer creates some of the most realistic and beautiful horses in the world. There’s always something for everyone, from Traditional models that are favorites amongst collectors to Stablemates that are wonderful for play with a plethora of accessories that make for hours of play. One fun line from Breyer is their plush line, which mixes the fun of a plush horse with the realism and care that Breyer brings to each and every horse they create!

Just like there is a Breyer Horse for everyone, there is a plush for everyone! For the Elvis lovers, Breyer has created four of his most favorite horses in plush form! Tucker, Bandit, Candy and Max are  four of Elvis’ horses and have been created in small plush beanie form! Each stand 5.5 inches high and have Elvis’ name and the horses name embroidered on the hoof marking them each as a special horse from the Breyer collection!

Large, gorgeous and perfect for anyone, Molly is a huge, 30 inch laying horse plush that is so pretty in a black and white pinto pattern. She’s cute and cuddly as can be and will look so perfect sitting on the bed of that special horse lover in your life! She’s large enough to have tons of possibilities for play as well as being beautiful enough to display!

Speaking of play, Breyer has created the perfect plush for the vet in training! The Chloe Care For Me Set is the perfect set that will enchant for hours upon hours. Chloe is a bay pinto mare that stands 10 inches tall with a brushable mane and tail! She comes with accessories that will help her caretaker assure that she stays in the best health possible! Chloe also interacts when she is taken care of, the stethoscope has a heart beat sound, the ear light lights up to let you check her ears and her tail swishes when you pick her hooves! She even will let out a content sigh when her mane is brushed!

Breyer and Golden Oak Stables bring you the best model horses in the world, but don’t forget you can also have a lovely plush horse that will warm your heart!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

Breyer Horse New Releases: Weather Girl Treasure Hunt- Rainbows are Arriving!

Breyer has created a frenzy with the release of their newest treasure hunt model, Weather Girl. Weather girl is sculpted by one of the hottest artists in the hobby, Brigitte Eberl, making her quite popular This new Arabian mare has quickly become a fast favorite among many collectors and they’ve been clamoring about possibilities for Rainbow. Well Friday many collectors saw a rainbow when they opened their doors and mailboxes, and now we know a couple of possibilities for what the rainbow holds!

For the 2011 Treasure Hunt, collectors need to collect Sunny, Partially Cloudy and Thunderstorm to receive Rainbow. Thunderstorm is the rarest of the three models, just like a real thunderstorm, and Sunny and Partially Cloudy are popular in their own right. All three are beautiful models that any collector would be thrilled to add to their collection!

Rainbow has a wide variety of possibilities and not all variations have shown up, so no one knows what model you might get! The first Rainbow to show up was a classical rainbow colored horse that will excite any decorator lover. With the colors of the rainbow shining strong, this Breyer is like no other and truly exceptionally unique.  The second variation is a realistically colored model that combines the real horse color rainbow in a stunning and exciting pattern and color palate. You’ll just have to sit tight to see what exactly the rainbow holds though, we wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise!

With many possibilities, you never know what might show up on your doorstep. If you haven’t gotten your Weather Girls yet, full sets of three are sold out but more models are on the way! So keep an eye on Golden Oak Stables.com and Stable News to find out when you can get your own set and find out what the rainbow holds for you!

Be sure not to miss this year’s exciting Treasure Hunt, because unlike years past, this year’s mold will be locked in the Breyer vault for 5 years, so we won’t see a new edition of this mold until 2016! She certainly isn’t one you want to miss!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

Breyer Horse Collecting: Summer Reading With Breyer

There have been hundreds of amazing horse stories written over the history of time. Some happy, some sad, but the ones that we hold in our hearts live on for generations upon generations! With summer break right around the corner vacations are being planned and many find themselves with a bit of free time. Why not bring the story of a cherished horse along with you?

One of the most recognizable stories among horse lovers is that of Misty of Chincoteauge. Every year in July, the Islands of Assateauge and Chincoteague hold a festival to bring their native ponies to auction and send families home with a Chincoteauge Pony home with them! Marguerite Henry is known amongst horse lovers as the author of dozens of horse stories that they have grown up reading for generations. Misty of Chincoteauge is one of her most famous and one of her most beloved. Breyer has been creating their own Misty and Stormy since the 1970’s and they have been some of the most popular models in the Breyer lineup proving the power of Henry’s novel.

Breyer also brings us three new stories of horses that are sure to enchant. The  best part is that each one comes with a Breyer model of the title character. The first is Wild Blue, the story of a wild mustang, this stunning blue roan Mustang is proud and strong standing alert on the high plains! Little Prince is the story of a Shetland Pony who’s sweet and adorable in a beautiful palomino color with a blonde mane and tail. Samirah is an exotic and enchanting Arabian that is a stunning solid dark bay color. Each of these amazing horses come in a set with a Classic scale (1:12) model and their very own novel starring them!

Whether its an old classic or a new one yet to be, taking yourself away to a world within a book is something that each of us can do from time to time! You can start your summer reading with Golden Oak Stables and be taken away to a world full of the most amazing horses that anyone could imagine, and its all within the pages of a book!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

Breyer Horse Collecting: Fun With Vintage

Over the past 60 years Breyer has created thousands of different models and hundreds of different molds. At any time there are a myriad of different models in the current Breyer lineup but if you’re looking for a real challenge, collecting vintage is where its at!

When you decide to collect vintage one of the first things you’ll figure out is that condition is the most important thing and that finding a mint vintage model is a challenge in itself. Vintage models are often played with so you’ll need to take care to purchase models that meet your needs. If you like to live show, finding mint models will be of utmost importance. Take care to choose models that are free from flaws or choosing models that haven’t been played with. There is no model that will ever be absolutely mint, but models that haven’t been played with are a good start to finding a beautiful show model.

Another fun thing about collecting vintage is being able to get models of your favorite molds. Often Breyer will change the color of a mold many times in its life. Some models have dozens of different colors to collect which can be fun. Collectors often refer to collecting all the colors of one model as a “Conga Line” because of the appearance when they are all lined up on a shelf together. Finding variations is also a spin off of this type of collecting. Breyer models are all individually painted and variations happen, especially in vintage models. Some collectors have dozens of all one model just because of variations, its addicting to say the least!

Breyer has released thousands of different models, and while we might not be able to own them all, we can certainly add some interesting and beautiful vintage models to our collections. Golden Oak Stables has one of the most amazing inventories of Vintage models that are all in un-circulated collection! You can be the first to cut off those ties and take your new model out of the box! With dozens of models, you’re sure to find a model you can’t live without!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

Breyer Horse Showing: Building A Performance Live Show Kit

Last time we helped you find some key items for live showing. These items will come in handy for any live show that you may find yourself at, but if you have the desire to show  performance classes you’ll need a few more things.

Performance classes are classes where showers put their equestrian knowledge to the test by creating scenes with their models that attempt to capture a moment where a horse is performing a certain skill or event. This often times includes accurate and scale saddles, bridles, props, accessories and riders. Because of the attention to detail required, performance classes can be very difficult and take many hours of planning to perfect. While at the show hall a kit for performance emergencies can save you frustration and also save your entry!

The most important item in your kit will be either Sticky Wax or Dental Wax that is used to hold bits on your horse’s mouth or a prop in a rider’s hand. I’ve even used this in the past to give the horse a little extra hold if they are in a difficult position or are a bit tippy. This was will become the most important item in your show kit and you’ll find dozens of uses for it! Tweezers are a great item to have for buckling those little buckles on girths and on bridles.  In smaller scales Toothpicks become a great item for tacking up or putting little details in place. Smaller scales require precision so the small size of a toothpick tip will become a quick friend! If you show your horses in both Performance and Halter a Felt Cloth  is a great item to quickly and easily remove sticky wax from your model in a few simple swipes.

Showing performance also means that there is a chance that you’ll have a tack repair that will be needed the day of the show. Bringing along extra Wire to fashion a quick buckle or bit along with a pair of Needle Nose Pliers and Glue will provide invaluable should a repair be needed. Extra Leather and Leather Lacing can be very helpful and will be needed should a strap or stirrup leather break.

Performance can be a bit overwhelming the first time but it is very fun and rewarding! Give performance a shot at Golden Oak Stables’ beginner friendly shows that will let you get a feel for it in a constructive manner!  Beginners are always welcome at Golden Oak Stables!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

Breyer Horse Showing: Building Your Live Showing Kit

Ready to attend your first show? Or perhaps you are a veteran shower that have been showing for a long while. No matter what your experience a Live Showing Kit will make your upcoming show much easier and successful by streamlining everything you need into one kit that holds all that you could need to prevent show day disasters!

The most important thing you’ll need on the day of the show is a Table Cloth. This is the first thing you are going to lay down on your show table when you arrive at the venue. This is a very important item in your kit because a table cloth can prevent your models from getting damaged should one fall over. Tumbles often happen because one little bump of your table can wiggle your horses, so bring a table cloth to keep your horses from hitting the hard surface without protection.

You will want to bring a few things to keep your horses looking good at the show. Judges often look for dust on models so bringing a Soft Brush to dust your models off with. A large makeup brush works well for this task and can be found at any drug store. You can also bring a small Paint Kit if you feel confident in doing touch ups on your models. Eartip and hoof rubs often don’t get noticed until you are out in better light or a small rub can occur in many situations so bringing a small paint kit with you can save the day!

There are some important items that you will need no matter what your show string looks like. Bring extra Hanging Tags that you place around the horse’s leg to identify it at the show because it never fails that one or two goes missing. A few Pens and Pencils will come in handy for writing down your horses’ placings or for filling out raffle tickets! Bringing some Snacks is also a good idea along with a Bottle of Water or two. You don’t want to let your energy drop throughout the day! You might also want to bring some extra Packing Materal or Boxes if you end up bringing a new horse or two home. Don’t forget your Camera to take photos as the day goes on of your horses and of the show! You don’t want to miss the memories of the day!

Live shows can be a great time and you can succeed with a bit of planning. You will find more things that you need to add to your live show kit as you go along, and everyone’s is different, this is just the start! You can try your first show out with Golden Oak Stables‘ and get a feel for the world of model horse showing, but don’t forget to pack your Live Showing Kit which will help you on your way to the Winner’s Circle!

Next time we’ll make a Performance Live Showing Kit for all of you performance junkies! Stay tuned!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

Real Life Breyer Horses: Kentucky Derby 2011

With only two days until the most exciting two minutes in sports comes into the homes of millions with 20 fresh equestrian faces ready to tear up the Thoroughbred Racing scene! That isn’t the only story of the week, Friday the 6th brings the Kentucky Oaks which is a race just for fillies! The favorite filly of many, Rachel Alexandra pulled off a win in the Kentucky Oaks in 2009 which made her a star and began her career as an amazing race horse!

With a field of 20 the Kentucky Derby is sure to be a difficult race to win and it is truly a race where anyone stands a chance. One horse has shown some promise in the early races of the year and has become a favorite amongst many, Uncle Mo. Uncle Mo is a Bay colt that is trained by Todd Pletcher who is no stranger to the Derby Winners Circle himself after winning in 2010 with Super Saver. He hopes to make a trip again with this exciting colt along with his jockey John Vasquez. Uncle Mo had one disappointing pre-derby race but it was attributed to a bit of a stomach ache and many are hoping he’ll be on his A-Game and we’ll see history made!

The rest of the field is a strong one in nearly every way, Soldat has been discussed as a strong contender and star jockeys Mike Smith and Calvin Borel who have been no stranger to the winners circle are riding Twinspired and Twice the Appeal. Both of these jockeys have what it takes to bring these horses into the finish line first but getting through this tough field will be a difficult task to say the least!

Just in time for the Derby Golden Oak Stables has America’s favorite mare in stock, the astonishing Zenyatta! Not to be forgotten is the amazing Kentucky Oaks winner for 2009 Rachel Alexandra! Both of these power mares have given the boys a run for their money and made history in their own right!

Who will make history as the 2011 Kentucky Derby winner? The field is stacked thick with amazing horses, and even experts are left wondering if we’ll see an upset during the most exciting two minutes of sports!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com

Real Life Breyer Horses: Rolex Three Day Event And Breyer

This past weekend the Kentucky Horse Park was host to the only four star eventing competition in the United States and welcomed competitors from all over the world to the Rolex Three Day Event. This star studded event comprised of a Dressage competition on Thursday and Friday, Saturday played host to the exhilarating Cross Country and Sunday demanded the precision of a master with Show Jumping. Riders must have a horse that is talented in all three areas to stand a chance at this difficult competition and only 25 make it to the final stage of Show Jumping! The horse and rider that wins the Rolex is sure to go down in history, but this year was even more special, in many ways!

After the Cross Country event on Saturday the 25 top riders began prepping for the final day of competition, stadium show jumping. Well known american riders Karen O Connor, Kim Severson and Boyd Martin were among the top riders as well as favorites from around the world like William Fox-Pitt and Oliver Townend. The real story was the rider sitting at the top of the leader board not only in first place but in second, Mary King from Great Britain! Among the top ride was the American rider Sinead Halpin who was making her four star premier on her horse Manoir De Carneville! Overcome with joy upon her clean ride in the show jumping phase Sinead shed a few tears as she received a standing ovation from the crowd! Sinead finished in third place with her clean ride and Mary Townsend ended clean on her two mounts putting her in first and second place, an unheard of feat!

From 2011-05-01

From 2011-05-01

From 2011-05-01

From 2011-05-01

This event was one that made history in many ways and you can either bring home a lovely champion from Golden Oak Stables, or why not have a try at painting your favorite from this year’s Rolex Three Day? You can create a portrait of your own champion with a kit that is fun and easy for all ages!

From 2011-05-01

We might not all be able to ride as a champion eventer, but through our Breyers we can all  be champions!

~Stacy

Email Stacy: Stacy@GoldenOakStables.com