Ever won a gorgeous old metal horse, and have it arrive smashed or broken?

I know I have!

Over the past couple of years, I have purchased several large, hard to find metal horses, only to have them arrive in pieces, or damaged in transit so that the collector value is pretty well destroyed. In most cases, the way the horse was packed and protected could have limited or completely prevented the damage in shipping. What a heartbreak! None of these horses is easy to find. None of them were cheap. And worst of all, I paid enough for SH that they should have been wrapped and padded far better than they were.

This is how it arrived:

Smaller metal items are usually fine when they are shipped surrounded with a couple of layers of bubble wrap, a few styrofoam peanuts, and a sturdy box. Packing peanuts are great for these small, light items. But large, heavy objects require more extensive, careful, and expensive packing methods to prevent them from being thrashed, smashed, shattered, and damaged beyond recognition in the hands of the shippers. It doesn't matter who provides the truck. They can all do just as much damage.

A box with a light item inside can be tossed again and again without undue danger to the item. Not so when the item inside weighs close to 10 pounds or more!  This beautiful Abbotware statue weighed over 10 pounds, and had a heavy base.  The seller wrapped him in a wad of newsprint, some old bubble wrap, and an over-sized box that allowed him to slam back and forth during transit.  He arrived with his head poking out the corner, missing one ear, with his base half-ripped off.

Horses that come with heavy bases must be handled with even more care to prevent the heavy base from shifting quickly and snapping off the delicate legs of the horse. I have three Gladys Brown Edwards Quarter Horse trophies that are (or were) in mint, pristeen condition. Only one of them arrived with the base where it belonged, and the horse still attached to the hooves! The other two arrived with the base lying on one side of the box, while the horse (from the knees upward) was in another part of the box. Glue just won't fix these horses. They are too heavy. I am waiting until I can afford to have them professionally (which means expensively) repaired..

So, let's begin.

Sellers, let your buyers know up front in the item description that the packaging is what makes the SH more expensive...even more so than simply the weight. Explain that you charge exact costs of materials and shipping, plus a couple of bucks for handling. Tell your prospective buyers that you want to be sure the horse arrives in good shape. Recommend and offer (or insist on) insurance.

A Post office priority box that holds 15 pounds will cost between $18.00 and $25.00 to go anywhere in the USA.  You can ship a 10 pound item for around $15.00.  A 4 pound horse will go for about $8.00.  That only includes the box and the shipping cost. You should anticipate an additional $1 to $5 for the packing material that you may need to buy to protect the horse on it's journey. (Try to always pre-pack your horse and get the exact shipping from your post office before you state SH in the item description.) Allow a small margin for the zip codes that cost more.

Now, most of the damage to these heavy horses comes from the wrapped horse shifting and sliding back and forth inside the box as it is tossed and thrown and dropped by shippers.  First wrap the horse in clean flannel or other soft cloth prior to packing in bubble wrap to better protect the delicate metal covering that often gets damaged by rubbing against styrofoam or plastic!  Prepare the heavier horse first by using two sizes of bubble wrap. You can buy larger rolls (100 feet) at a stationary warehouse/office supply store for a very reasonable amount. You pay a higher price for a 6 foot roll at the post office or UPS or FedEx office. These super economy size rolls cost far less per foot.

If you are shipping a vintage or antique item, you want it to arrive intact.

You want happy customers, who will buy again. And even though that metal horse may have only sold for $45.00, it is possibly worth far more than that in collector/memorabilia value, so pack with loving care!  Use a box that is about 6 inches longer and wider than your horse is, but not so large it will slip and slide around inside the container. Next, get packing styrofoam! (Not the hard, scratchy kind, but the smooth, sorta cushiony kind.) Most computers these days have styrofoam inserts that are almost like stiff foam rubber. These make excellent frames to protect your horse.  Go to your local Radio Shack or WalMart and ask the electronics department for any old boxes with styrofoam inserts that may be laying about ready for the trash. Go through your garage or attic and drag out the boxes that held the stereo or TV you bought last year. If you are lucky enough to know someone who just bought a set of speakers or a microwave, ask if you can have the inserts! These inserts are perfect.  They can be engineered to fit neatly around the horse to keep it from sliding back and forth and slamming against the sides of the box.  If you know where to purchase smooth, flexible packing foam sheets, buy some. Get the 2" thick pieces if possible. It is a great investment.

Now you're ready to pack!

First, wrap around the entire horse with soft cloth to protect the delicate finish.  Then, gently brace the delicate legs and tail by using smaller, rounded end pieces of packing foam (or thick little rolls of bubble wrap) to gently brace inside and between fragile legs and tails, and to make a small carved "helmet" for the head and ears. Finish the "helmet" by wrapping some bubble wrap over and around the head and neck and securing it with clear packing tape. If the saddle comes off, wrap it separately and secure it in its own little cocoon of bubble wrap, with foam rubber or packing styro inside the saddle to keep it from being crushed. If the saddle cannot be removed for shipping, carefully pad between the stirrups and the horse. (Those fancy western tapaderos snap off as easily as ears!) Secure the legs the same way.

Wrap around the horse several times with small bubble wrap, then a couple more times with large bubble wrap. Build a "football" so that the front and back of the horse is padded by at least three inches of foam or wrap.

If the horse has a base, make sure that the base has a snug divet to fit into, and the horse is snug and tight and supported at a higher point so as not to put pressure or "torque" on the hooves and legs. (If the base will disassemble, do so BEFORE wrapping, and pack the base separately in one side of the box (or ship the base in a separate box), secured by thick pads and tape so that it will not break loose.)

Next, cut and fit a second piece of hollowed-out packing foam to go over the horse to make sure it will fit firmly when you close the box. once the horse is set into the frame of styrofoam, run packing tape around this to secure the horse, and then fill in any empty places in the box.  Add pieces of packing foam or styrofoam peanuts to the sides of the box around the edges of the frame you have just created.  Wads of newspaper or butcher paper will pack down during shipping, so if you use it, made sure it is tight around the frame.

After you are sure the horse will not move back and forth, pack a bit extra padding into the corners of your box. Seal the box and add "FRAGILE!" stickers or stamps all over the darned thing! Now you are ready to sell a beautiful antique horse that you are sure is going to arrive safely (short of the truck running over it). Your customer will thank you.