The Bottom Line
This is a good introductory activity kit for an older child interested in horses and model horses and may be useful for miniaturist's looking for a basic model horse along with buckles and stirrups for tack. The size of the included horse may render it not particularly usable in particular scale scenes for a dollhouse, or with standard available tack sets.
The included booklet has good information on breeds and confirmation of horses, riding styles, grooming and care of horses as well as instructions for the included tack materials and basic instructions for drawing horses.
Pros
- Accompanying book has lots of good basic information on horses, breeds, care, grooming etc.
- Included model horse has been sculpted by Stacey Tumlinson of Tabaskeau Studio.
- Includes instructions and materials for a basic leather English saddle & bridle and a horse blanket.
- Box turns into a horse stable and fencing giving you a complete display area for your model horse.
Cons
- Scale of horse is not evident, horse is sized 6 ¼ inches nose to tail and stands 5 ½ inches tall.
- Included horses are all basic bays. The color could probably be modified by a skilled artist.
Description
- The accompanying booklet has lots of interesting horse facts and horse terms.
- The included model horse is nicely finished with good detail and is a good scale for play and display.
- The range of activities included with the set encourage crafts, art and observation of real horses.
- For scale model scenes the horse is a large pony in 1:12 scale (4 3/4 inches high at the withers).
Guide Review - My Very Own Horse Book (with model horse)
Introductory model horses are fairly expensive. This kit from Klutz is a well designed activity set for children over 8 years, and may be a reasonable way for a miniaturist to obtain a close to 1:12 scale model for a display.
The scale of the kit means this horse model will not fit in with traditional scale model horses which are generally 1:9th scale. In the classic range of model horses (which are generally considered 1:12 scale) this horse would qualify as a large pony, which may suit a modeler’s needs well.
The horse’s open mouth pose will enable it to be shown grazing on bushes, or wearing a full bridle. Although it is not a spectacular pose, it could lend itself to showing off riding dolls in 1:12 scale.
The kit includes small scale buckles and stirrups, to enable the construction of a basic saddle, bridle and blanket, an activity which helps aid in the play value of set. The saddle and bridle are constructed of real leather, a definite attraction for horse mad children!
The booklet is mainly focussed on young women, although teens with disabilities and a few males are shown engaging with horses as well.
