
Who collects model horses?
Women and men, children and adults; thousands of people around the world share
the pleasure of collecting horses of every make, mold, and size imaginable.
Man's love affair with the horse
has been going on for centuries, but the hobby as it is known today began in
the 1950s. Back then we communicated through grainy mimeographed newsletters
and classified ads in the back of
Breyer's "Just About Horses" newsletter. "JAH" is still around, but thanks
largely to the Internet the model horse collecting hobby has exploded beyond
anything we might have imagined. Now there are print magazines devoted to our
little horses and countless clubs, email lists, and web sites around the world
that promote model horse collecting. Collecting is a big hobby and a big
business, with four major manufacturers in the
United States alone and hundreds of toy store and online dealers eager to help
feed your addiction.
Besides collecting, some
hobbyists participate in other activities modeled on those of living horses
and their owners. Probably the most popular activity is
showing, which is done via photographs or in person at live shows. Others
create elaborate breed pedigrees for their plastic
horses, then offer their model horses as "sires" and "dams" to other models.
Collectors with an artistic bent may choose to repaint and reshape their
models, creating unique works of art that can be collected and shown in their
own right.
Just like any hobby, model horse collecting has a
language all its own. A brief glossary of terms can
be found on this site, and I've tried to explain unfamiliar terms as I go
along. A basic knowledge of live horses is useful, but there's no minimum
standard of knowledge necessary to enjoy this terrific hobby. Please feel free
to poke around, and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to
email me.
Happy collecting!
Janice Cox