Little Horses Are Big Business

If you still think of plastic horses as just another childrens toy, youre in for a surprise. Model horses arent just for kids.

While theyre still popular with children, thats only a part of the market today," states Emma Carpenter, who has been researching the subject. Models are becoming increasingly popular with adults."

Adults are doing more with their models than simply placing them on a shelf, too. Model horse collecting, trading, and showing is growing rapidly in this country and across the world.
There are several manufacturers of model horses," Mrs. Carpenter explained, "but the 3 most popular makers are Breyer Animal Creations and Hartland Collectibles, both of whom have been making model horses since the 1950s, and a newer company named Stone Horses." Mrs. Carpenter explained that Stone Horses are also plastic, and that their sometimes confusing name stems from the companys founders, the Stone family.

The largest manufacturer is Breyer. In the 1940s, the Breyer Molding Company was a manufacturer of custom﷓molded plastic parts. In 1950, they were asked to create a plastic horse to adorn a mantelpiece clock.

The horse on that clock was so popular that Breyer quickly made a model of the horse alone, and things grew from there," Mrs. Carpenter continued. Their models quickly became famous for their authenticity and detail." Today, Breyers offers 200 horses and other animals, and companies such as Hartland Collectibles and Stone Horses also have large product lines that are growing.

Regardless of the manufacturer, model horse shows are held throughout the country and the world. The 2 basic types of shows are the live" show where competitors bring their horses to the show, and photo" shows where exhibitors mail photos of their horses to the shows sponsors. The biggest show in America is called BreyerFest, and is held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. This year alone approximately 4,000 people attended the event.

Some models are beginning to command high prices," Mrs. Carpenter said. A horse made by Breyers in the 1960s called 'Gold Charm Fighting Stallion was listed on the Web for over $500, and several of the harder to find 1950s models with riders are approaching and passing that level."

If you would like more information on model horses, you can visit www.TheWorkHorse.com. There you can find links to model horses for sale, and to a collectors guide book.