What are model horses? From toys to equisite works of art, model horses are miniature horse statues that are collected, shown in competitions like real horses, repainted into equisite works of art, and played with by children of all ages.   Collecting model horses can be enjoyed by children or by adults, and taken as far as you like it.  Some collectors simply acquire models for their beauty.  Others enjoy creating miniature saddles, bridles, dioramas and more, and recreating the entire horse world in miniature.  Competitions are available for those with the competitive streak to  see if their models and props are the best, or you can simply create a wonderful collection by acquiring only one color, one breed, one make or model, or perhaps all the colors that were released by a particular company in a particular make and model that you fancy.   Whatever your choice, once bitten by the model horse bug, it's hard to give up the hobby!

A  VERY Brief History of the Model Horse

In the 1950's, the Breyer Company, a plastics manufacturer, created an eight inch tall standing horse cast in acetate plastic to use as lamp and clock bases.  The company they were making the bases for went out of business and they were stuck with hundreds of these plastic horses.   They decided to repackage them and sell them through Woolworth's as toys.  They were a runway best seller, and the model horse as we know it was born. (for a longer history of both the Breyer company and the history of model horses, see other articles).   A division called Breyer Animal Creations was born.  The company began creating highly realistic horse and animal figures in plastic, painted in natural colors.  

Throughout the 1960's, 1970's, and 1980's Breyer was the only kid on the block with this type of plastic horse, selling hundreds and hundreds of beautifully manufactured and painted plastic horses.  These horses were mostly sculpted by Christian Hess, although Breyer purchased the rights to cast in plastic several Hagen-Renaker porcelain horses sculpted by Maureen Love.   Each horse was painted in beautifully realistic colors.   Many a child was deligthed to find a Breyer horse model under the Christmas tree!

During this time, Hartland plastic horses and the Marx toy company also released horse models.  Hartland models often came with rider dolls and had themes, such as the Lone Ranger and Silver, Tonto and Scout, or famous soldiers and their mounts.   Marx had the Johnny West series of horses, dolls, accessories, vehicles, and more, to recreate entire wild west scenes.  The Marx toys were not as realistic as the other companies' models, but were a lot of fun to play with and included jointed dolls for imaginative play.

Other Model Horses

While the majority of people who are model horse collectors collect Breyer models, many other brands now exist.    There are too many to list here.   The Model Horse Gallery is an online resource for finding brands, brand marks, and photos of vintage model horses. 

Some of the more collectible and noteworthy brands include:  

• Breyer (plastic): made from the 1950's to the present day
• Peter Stone model horses:  plastic models made from the 1990's to today
• Hartland: plastic models
• Creata: Micro mini (1" or smaller) plastic models, made in the 1990's then molds sold to Breyer
• Julip, Grand Champion, Blue Ribbon: plastic horse toys
• Marx: plastic models, action figures, playsets, Western themed
• Hagen-Renaker: china/porcelain
• Beswick: china/porcelain
• Lakeshore Collection:  fine porcelain,  newer company
• Black Horse Ranch:  resin models, first produced in the early 1990's to present day

Model Horse Sizes

Collectors use common terms, most coined from the Breyer company, to describe sizes of model horses.   Traditional is the largest size and typically measures 8-10 inches tall.  Classic is the next size down, and measures around 6 to 8 inches tall.  Little Bits, Paddock Pals, and Stone Chips size is another size down; it is also called "Curio Cabinet" size, and typically measures 4 inches tall or so.   "Stablemate" size comes from the Breyer company and is used to describe horse models at 3 inches tall.    Candace Liddy, a famous equine sculptor and model horse creator, coined both "Bantams" (two inch tall models) and Micro Minis, models standing just one inch tall.    While some horse models are larger than Traditional size, so far we haven't found anything smaller than micro mini!

The Model Horse Collecting Hobby

The model horse collecting hobby as we know it started with Breyer.  Although many people collected fine porcelain horse statues by Beswick, Hagen-Renaker, Josef, and other Japanese-made ceramics, many little girls who received Breyers as presents grew into adults and refused to give up their Breyer collections.   Repainting and remaking Breyer plastic horses by changing the leg positions, repainting into other colors, and even adding hair manes and tails was an art form.   Nowadays these horses are called "customs" and are fun and artistic both to create and collect.

In the 1970's and 1980's, live and photo showing of model horses became popular.  What is live showing?  Live shows are gatherings of model horse collectors who bring their models, rider dolls, miniature saddles and bridles, and props to a central location and compete against one another in classes that mimic for the most part the real horse show world.  Horses are entered into "halter" and "performance" classes.   Shows range from local, fun 4-H type shows to NAN (North American Nationals), a yearly competition that one can only complete in by earing points and certain wins in local shows, in which hundreds of competitors fly or drive across the United States to show the cream of the crop in model horses.    There are clubs and organizations that host shows and manage points, awards, and wins.

Photo showing is nearly the same, except for people who cannot travel to a central location, photographs may be taken of the horse models and entered into various classes.  Photographs are then mailed to a judge for a show being held on a specific date, along with sufficient postage to return the photos.  The use of digital photography today has revolutionized photo showing, and now pictures can be emailed or posted for a show.  Photo showing enables those with limited budgets to enjoy the fun of competition too.

The model horse hobby is an educational hobby and great for children and adults.   Hobbyists study horse breeds, colors, genetics, anatomy, history of horseback riding (for authentic tack and diaramas), art (to improve sculpting, painting, and customizing skills), saddles, bridles and authentic tack, and even business if they want to trade, sell on Ebay, or do other kinds of hobby related shopping!  The possiblities are endless.   You can collect miniature plastic model horses that sell on Ebay for $5 or less or Artists Resins, limited edition, gorgeously sculpted models that sell when painted for hundreds of dollars.  Most collectors settle in the middle, and collect either the original Breyer Model Horses, now manufactured by Reeves International Company (but still sold under the Breyer name), Peter Stone Plastic model horses, or china models such as the Lakeshore Collection.    Resin companies are new, but you can find Artist Resins through the EquinArt Creations Model Horse Company, Resins by Randy, and Horsing Around in the United Kingdom.  

Where to Find Model Horses

Where can you buy model horses?  Local toy stores, tack stores, and of course - Ebay!  Hundreds of companies sell through mail and catalog order in both the USA and the UK.  The hobby is popular worldwide, and most companies will ship worldwide too. 

Today's Model Horse Manufacturers and Companies

The hobby has expanded greatly since the original plastic Breyer Horses.  Now you can choose from either Breyer or Peter Stone plastic horses, Schleich of Germany, or other plastic models; Lakeshore Collection limited edition china; and many, many other manufactured brands.     The Stone Company is worth noting.  Peter Stone, the son of the founder of Breyer, branched off to start his own company after Breyer was sold to Reeves.  Stone plastic model horses are slightly more expensive than Breyer plastics, but the colors are fantastic.  These are hand-painted in the United States at the stone factory in Indiana, and are often released in highly limited edition colors.    The Lakeshore Collection model horse company was started by long-time collector Cindy Neuhaus.  Each limited edition sculpture is cast in fine bisque porcelain, but is actually quite sturdy.  Cindy offers original finish (OF) Lakeshore horses as well as highly limited edition colors, glazes, and now Raku, a ceramic technique that is highly artistic.   EquinArt Creations, founded in 2004, offers Artist Resins as well as pewter micro minis.  Micro minis are highly affordable original artist works, standing only one inch tall, and fun for adults to collect.  They can either be left in their natural pewter color or painted into realistic colors by the hobbyist.

Artist Resins

The latest expansion in the hobby has been in the field of Artist Resin model horses.   Artists sculpt an original, then cast a limited amount, typically 50-100 pieces into urethane resin, a white compound that picks up the details of the original sculpture.  These models are highly detailed and highly prized.   The models are prepped by sanding off seams, rough edges, and repairing any defects from the molding process, primed with automotive primer, then painted into gorgeous colors using airbrush painting techniques (the most popular) or hand-painted in acrylics or oils.  Colored pencils and pastels can also be used to great effect.   Artist Resin model horses by great artists such as Candace Liddy, Sheri Rhodes, Sarah Rose, the Bogucki family, Cathy Bercier and others can fetch hundreds if not thousands of dollars when painted.  Ebay is a great source for these models.   They are collected like works of art and truly prized for their extreme realism.   Sometimes when you view a photograph of a really well-painted Artist Resin model horse, you cannot tell it is an eight inch tall painted statue rather than a full-sized, living, breathing horse!

The world of model horses is fascinating, educational, and fun! If you love horses, it's a great hobby for people of all ages.  It is even expanding now into collecting cattle, dog and cat statues.   Children can collect inexpensive plastic horses, and adults who enjoy fine art can collect limited edition Breyers, Stones, Lakeshore Collection, or Artists Resins.   Whatever you explore, we hope that you find the world of model horses delightful and fun for the whole family.

If you would like a free information package on the model horse hobby, please contact the Ebay seller equinartcreations. 

Model Horse Pictures: Artist Resins

Above is a beautifully painted Amirah, from the EquinArt Creations company, an Artist Rein painted by Karen Zorn.  Photo used with permission.  EquinArt Creations has an Ebay Store where unpainted versions of this Traditional size Arabian mare resin are sold. 

EquinArt Creations Model Horse Company Ebay Store

Above is the Lakeshore Collection porcelain horse, Status Symbol.  Photo used with permission of the company.

The Schleich toy company of Germany makes wonderful, realistic action playsets of horses, knights, cowboys, dressage rider (pictured above) and all sorts of props and accessories.  The horses are made of plastic and hand-painted.   They stand about four inches tall.  Above is the Lippizan mare, and the Hanoverian mare (with rider) and the dressage playset (rider, tack).   Photo used with permission of the company.

Starlite Creations is the latest model horse sculpture company.  The above is the 2006 jumping horse sculpted by artist Kitty Cantrell, with color designed by Carolyn Boydson.  Both artists are 'famous names' in the model horse and Artist Resin world.  The company experienced manufacturing problems in early 2006 and switched all manufacturing to a different factory in China; currently these models are hard to find, although the new shipment is expected in September 2006.   The above horse was originally released unpainted as an Artist Resin calledl "Nighthawk" and is now sold as the limited edition "Jumping Horse" in dappled gray by Starlite.  The horse is  Traditional size and made of porcelon, which feels like a very heavy, highly glossy china.

Breyer and Stone horses are very easy to find through Ebay searches.

There is an online "museum" of model horses called the Model Horse Gallery.   Here you will find as many manufacturers as people have contributed. If you are searching for a maker's mark, a particular horse, or trying to determine the rarity of your Ebay item, look here!