The term "clinic" makes it sounds as if you're bringing your Breyer model horses to a doctor, but it actually means a special kind of class at a live show, 4H event or another even intended to diagnose the problems in your model horse display and help you improve your show wins at your next live show. Clinics are a fun way to obtain valuable feedback from experienced model horse show judges and other collectors.
What Is a Model Horse Show Clinic?
The term 'clinic' is used throughout the real horse show world to refer to special classes held by a master horse trainer. Many focus on a particular technique; teaching a young horse, round pen work, jumping clinics and the like are very popular. Horse model collectors borrowed the same concept and applied it to model horse shows and model horse tack and prop making. The result are events in which experienced horse model artisans and judges provide direct and honest feedback on your customized model horses, live show setups, tack and more.
Types of Horse Model Clinics
There are many types of horse model clinics. Many are held at live shows as part of the day's fun, but others may be held at 4H meetings or even during 'real' horse events. Anytime you get a bunch of model horse collectors together, it can be time for a clinic. They may also be held as a stand-alone event at a collector's home, giving the model horse collecting community a good excuse to gather together, share some potluck meals, and have fun with their Breyer horses for a day.
Common model horse clinics include:
- Judging clinics: These may be intended to teach novice judges what to look for in a model horse show class or they may be mock classes in halter or performance for model horse showers to gain useful feedback.
- Customization clinics: Customization clinics may be hands-on and include instruction in a customization technique such as fixing a bent leg, repositioning a model, prepping a model for painting, hairing techniques or painting techniques. Sometimes they are feedback-only type of clinics in which participants bring a model they have completed or are working on and ask for feedback and help from the clinic leader and their fellow participants.
- Prop making: Prop making clinics may either be mock-show entries in which the entire setup is judged as if it were a real class or a hands-on class.
- Live show (or photo show) clinics: Live and photo show clinics provide newcomers with the chance to better understand what makes a champion model horse show entry. Live show clinics are often held at a typical live show. A mock 'class' is set up and the judge explains why she picked certain horses over others. Photo show clinics operate the same way except that entrants upload their digital pictures to a website and the judge or clinic leader provides feedback on each photo.
Find a Model Horse Clinic
Model horse clinics may be held at an individual's home, through a 4H program or at a live show. The easiest way to find clinics is to join one of the many free Yahoo groups dedicated to model horse showing and collecting. Most collectors join one of the larger groups and post announcements there. Bulletin boards such as Fallen Leaves and Model Horse Blab also offer collectors the opportunity to seek and find clinic locations.
Live model horse shows often offer clinics but they may not advertise them separately. Look for live shows within a reasonable driving distance from your home, then visit the show's website. There you will find not only the show class list but information about other events such as judging clinics.
Online Model Horse Clinics and Free Feedback
Not everyone lives close enough to a model horse show to visit for a day and have some fun. If you can't go in person, there are plenty of ways to get feedback online either through a formal clinic setting or feedback on message forums.
- Some of the photo showing clubs offer online photo show clinics. Look at each club and ask the club secretary or owner if they offer critiques of photos.
- Model Horse Blab has a forum whereby customizers and tack makers often publish links to their works in progress. Experienced painters, sculptors and other hobbyists often critique the work. Sculptors for example provide detailed feedback on future resin releases and are sometimes able to spot anatomical or breed characteristics that can be improved. If you're not afraid of getting feedback on a public forum, this may be a great choice.
- Ask a friend! As you interact with the model horse community, you'll make pen-pal type friends. Ask them for critiques. Send them photos of your works in progress or your model horse show pictures you have questions about.
Most horse model collectors are friendly people, but there are some trolls living under the bridge, eager to jump out and find fault with anyone else's work. Be prepared for the occasional troll but remember; don't feed them by engaging in a fight with them through a bulletin board or message board. It's better to starve them with inattention!