Custom Mini Model Horses

I’m working on an American Cream Draft Horse. He is part resin and part Breyer... so I’m not sure how I’ll show him. The head and neck were a gift from Maggie Bennet —she noticed that I was wearing a name tag at Breyerfest 2018 and gave me a Stablemate casting of a drafter head and neck.  I chose the G4 Vaulting Horse for the Body. I like this mold, but prefer the feet be more underneath the body. So a few leg changes, hoof fixes, and new hindquarters and he’s coming along. This breed often sports a long tail, so that was sculpted separately and is in the process of being finished, Where the mane changes color is where the resin and Breyer meet. Not one to waste a cute face, the Drafter head is on a Gypsy Vanner body... lots of work needed. And the Vanner head is on an Alborozo... the Alborozo head is on a Dungaree... I’ve been making a little progress in prepping this guy: Here’s the model with his Breyer half... the Vaulting Horse A...

I've decided to challenge myself to learn more about horse coat colors by painting mini Alborozos in different colors. This guy, Ignacio, is chestnut, one of the more common colors in the real-horse world... although maybe not in the model horse world where buckskin pinto shows up quite frequently. Because who doesn't love a splash of white on a dilute? I made his mane and tail a little darker than his body color for a little variety in contrast. December, January and February have been cloudy, snowy, windy and rainy. In other words, not good for my favorite photo spot... King of the Wind Farms in Macomb, Michigan where my horse, Mr. Pots lives. So I was happy to be out taking new photos yesterday! Chestnut Stablemate Alborozo by Sarah Tregay

This little sport horse is an Equus Kinsky. His name is Czechmate. I chose the breed because who doesn't love a dapple palomino with metallic tones? Around 40% of these horses have coats in various shades of gold, due to the cream dilution gene while others are bay, chestnut, or black (although black is rare). The coat is extremely glossy and almost metallic.   I got distracted from pastelling and finishing models by the International Customizing Equine Event where I began (and finished customizing) a pair of Akhal Teke buddies. So I'm pleased with this cutie.   The weather has been gray and cold. Maybe the sun will shine on me for a photo shoot!  He looks handsome in the sun!

My horse, Mr. Pots who is half Appaloosa and half Mustang. Appaloosas can be tricky to capture in miniature. They seem to have endless intricate markings from a speckled nose to a striped (or not) hoof, from an oblong heart-shapped spot to a perfectly round one. One of my favorite molds (back when we long-time hobbyists only had G1 Stablemates) was Seabiscuit. This is one of my Seabiscut customs from years ago. So for this Appaloosa project I chose a Seabiscuit. He needed a little help in the feet department due to some mold flaws, but other than that he's pretty similar. Confetti is a leopard Appaloosa mare I used burnt sienna Pan Pastel for Confetti's spots. They seemed like they needed more layers than the black Pan Pastel spots on Party Invite. Party Invite, a mini Alborozo in leopard Appaloosa