Breyer horse toys are so well-loved and valued by their owners that there are even Breyer Horse Shows. Breyer horse shows are a great way to connect with other horse toy enthusiasts. There are two kinds of shows – photo shows, where competitors enter a photo of a diorama, and live shows, featuring actual horse toys.

Photo shows – although entering a photo of a model horse may seem easy, there’s an awful lot to consider. Photos must show the horse toy posed in a realistic setting, meaning entrants can’t simply stand their very small model horse in a regular-sized stable and just click away. Gravel and dirt settings can work well, as can clipped grass – anything that doesn’t upset the scale of the picture. A blank background is fine, though some competitors prefer to include appropriately-sized posters depicting a realistic setting. Just like real horse shows, photo shows have classes (breed, color, and gender), and photos are entered accordingly.

Live shows – live shows are closer to real horse shows. Horse toys are taken to the show to be judged. There are a few pitfalls to consider before entering live shows. Despite being factory-produced, every Breyer horse is different. Some have simple flaws, such as uneven paint, and coloring can vary widely. At a live show, a judge can see any and all of these flaws, making the competition a bit more difficult.

There are two sets of classes in a live show: halter (where only the horse is displayed) and performance (where the horse and tack, including saddle and bridle is also displayed). In a performance class, the model horse is posed according to the category. As categories can be diverse – Western, English, jumping, and dressage are just a few – many competitors use props (as well as tack) to create the desired effect. Some competitors even choose to enter a customized Breyer horse in order to achieve a specific effect. Customized horses are exactly what they sound like – Breyer horses that have been customized in some way. Customizations can vary widely, from a new paint job and coat to replacing the plastic mane with real horse hair to horse toy repairs (replacing an ear, leg, etc). There are no limits on how a competitor can modify their horse, and classes and shows for customized horses have become popular.

Unlike a real horse show, Breyer horse toy show competitors are limited only by their imagination.

Click here to download a free horse toy guidebook filled with hobby tips, ideas and information.

To begin breeding, you first need to get a pedigree for your horse. You can get this pedigree in one of two ways. The most common method of getting a pedigree is to select “parents” for your horse from a list of model sires (mothers) and darns (fathers). There may be a fee associated with selecting these model horses as the parents and listing them on your horse’s pedigree; this fee will be explained in the list. It is usually about .10 per parent horse, and is almost always under $1.00. If you select a horse from a list and pay the breeding fee, you get a pedigree certificate for your horse.

You can also select parents from stallion ads in real breeding magazines. If you choose the second option, you will not actually contact or notify the real owners of the horse, since after all you don’t really want the live horse showing up at your house; it’s just pretend.

Whether you chose the first option or the second option to find parents for your toy horse, you will need to select appropriate parents for your model horse, considering factors such as the age of the horse and whether the horse could have been your horse’s parent in the year your horse was born. Your horse can be any age you want it to be, and is either non-aging (its age never changes) or aging (if you decide the horse is 10, then next year the horse will turn 11 and so on). Since horses often are not bred until they are at least 2 and then they carry the baby for approximately a year, your horses parents should be at least three years older than whatever age you decide your horse is.

You also want to consider the horses breed. In order to have the best pedigree and be listed on a registry of model toy horses, a purebred horse usually comes from parents of the same breed. There are some exceptions to this rule if you have a warmblood horse and only want your horse to be listed on warmblood pedigree registries. Different breeds have different characteristics, like color, size and health needs. Color is especially important, because coloration patterns vary dramatically from breed to breed. Make sure you do your research to find out what breed your horse is before selecting parents of that breed.

After you have decided on the parents and given your horse lineage you can add your horse to the registry lists and your horse can then be the sire or foal of other young horses. Usually, female horses (mares) are only able to have one foal (baby horse) each year, so you may want to limit your model horses breeding to once yearly as well.

By selecting a pedigree for your horse, and choosing parents, you can learn a lot about real horse breeding. Your toy horse will become more lifelike, and you will experience what it is like to register and breed purebred horses, without actually having to buy a real horse.

Click here to download a free toy horse guidebook filled with hobby tips, ideas and information

The first step is to have a clear idea of what you want from the finished product. Then you can gather together the necessary tools and get started. Remember that, while it is possible to make some substantial changes, practice always makes perfect. It might be sensible to do minor modifications the first time, while you get used to the tools and processes. Take a little time to research how real horses look and move, as this will lead to a more accurate finished product. Live horses, videos, photos, and other models can all serve as inspiration.

Next you will need your model horse toy plus the right equipment. An x-acto knife or Dremel tool will be needed to remove unwanted features. A heat gun (or paint stripper) helps soften the resin. Epoxy putty is used to create new features, along with some simple sculpting tools for modeling. Aluminum foil and newspaper will fill empty spaces. Files and sandpaper smooth the surface of your new horse. Modeling paste and acrylic paint finish the job, making your one-of-a-kind model horse.

Changing a model horse’s position – To move the neck, tail, or legs, use your heat gun to warm up the target area, moving it back and forth to make it more pliable. Don’t forget to include all necessary parts – like joints and muscles – so that your model horse looks realistic. Start with small changes, and reheat as necessary. Once the right position is reached, run the area under cold water. If you are moving a leg from straight to a right angle, remove a small piece at the back of the joint to prevent folds.

A larger change involving the shoulders or haunches will require more careful and invasive toy surgery. Once the whole area has been heated, use an x-acto knife to isolate the part to be changed (but leave it attached to the horse’s body at the top joint). Then warm up the part again and move it into the desired position. For example, if you are moving a front leg forward, start at the shoulder and then move down to the lower joints. If there is a small hole left, fill it with foil, newspaper, or modeling epoxy-type filler.

Removing whole body parts – Sometimes, you may take off the entire head or a leg. This can be accidental or deliberate, but the reattachment principles are the same. One possibility is using stitches to put the body part back on. Since the toy is too rigid for normal sewing, create small holes in both the body and detached part, then attach with fine wire. Another option is to use sturdy wire to create a skeletal structure that extends from the body into the missing part. Make sure to cement the wire in place to set the position. Both approaches need filler to smooth over the join and other gaps.

Before you actually remove a large part on purpose, check the horse toy. Make sure your actions will not create bigger problems. If you are planning to move the neck and head, the mane will need to be reworked. If the tail is attached to a back leg, keep this is mind before starting to cut. It’s sensible to start with smaller changes and work up to complete remodeling – there’s a lot of horse anatomy to master.

Adding details – Adding windswept tail hairs or anatomical features will require some sculpting tools. These can be low-tech, from fingers and toothpicks, to high-end modeling tools. Depending on the details, some experimenting is useful. Consider how fine-scale the features are before selecting an appropriate tool. Small parts like facial features, ears, and hooves may require small bits of filler or epoxy. Wipe with rubbing alcohol to remove residual dirt and oil and help epoxy bond onto the surface. Keep referring back to reference pictures to get the right look.

To create tiny details like veins, try mixing water, paint, or gesso with some modeling paste until it is spreadable. With a fine brush or other tool, paint on the mixture.

Once the desired effect is reached, smooth the surface with a wet brush (either water or rubbing alcohol). Before continuing, clean all your tools to prevent the epoxy from hardening.

Finishing touches – When the model horse toy is dry, sand the surface down with a file or sandpaper. Be prepared to repeat the process several times to get a completely smooth effect. Fix the surface with gesso or white enamel primer. Then you can start painting. Before you know it, you’ll be able to create any look you want.

Click here to download a free model horse guidebook filled with hobby tips, ideas and information.

Although you can’t read a judge’s mind, there are a few things to keep in mind as you prepare to enter your Breyer horses into a photo contest. Contest judges are usually not paid. They volunteer their time because they enjoy the hobby and they’re passionate about Breyer horses and other popular brands of horse toys. Anything you can do for your submission to ensure a smoother process for the judges keeps their frustration levels down and only helps your chances of winning.

As obvious as it sounds, it bears repeating – follow all the contest guidelines as specified in the entry package. You’d be surprised how many folks have dropped the ball in researching the contest rules and guidelines. Most often, the rules are simple and designed to not only protect your entry, but to be sure the judges don’t become overwhelmed with careless disorganized entrants that slow down the judging process.

Be sure everything you submit is properly notated with the right information. Each photograph should include entry specifics as well as your name and address. When judges are forced to play guessing games with the entries they receive, the odds are greater yours will be eliminated from the competition simply because it lacked the right notations.

Avoid these common mistakes with your photo entries:

• Avoid blurry photos – Submit the sharpest picture you can take. You might need to upgrade your camera to get one with a better lens. • Show the whole horse, not just part of it.

• Avoid using Polaroid instant photos because they lack clarity and are generally not giving.

Beyond these things, here are a few more tips. Be consistent with your identifications. If you’re notating your various documentation in the same place (perhaps the bottom right corner), then the judges have less hassle as they sort through the many applicants. In fact, many applicants use colored labels for consistency.

Another great idea is to put your completed entry in an envelope that will go into the mailing envelope. This is just an extra precaution for your entry’s journey to the judges. You can then document the internal envelope with its contents so the judges know what it holds.

Remember to keep a copy of everything you forward for judging. Double check the requirements to be sure you’ve met them all. Don’t forget to include the required entry fees. Add extra postage stamps for the judge’s convenience.

Finally, remember your goal is to submit your best work in a way that allows the judges to enjoy the judging process as much as you enjoy competing. They want to know you’re as serious and passionate about model horse toys as they are.

Click here to download a free Model Horse Toys Guidebook filled with hobby tips, ideas and information.