Model horse collections can quickly outgrow their shelves if you let your collecting habits wander into every scale, make, and color of model horses. Fortunately, there are some fun ways to focus your Breyer model horse collection. Collecting family sets offers an affordable and attractive way to focus your model horse hobby. By acquiring the stallion, mare and foal in your favorite Breyer molds and sizes, you can easily add to your Breyer family collections.
1. Collecting Family Sets of Model Horses
Copyright 2011 by Kollean Gouyton. Used by permission.
Learn more about the basics of model horse family sets, and ideas for collecting by scale or size, mold, color, rarity and more. Family sets consist of a stallion, mare and foal. Breyer releases many sets in various scales, and other companies such as Schleich of Germany also release sets. You can even collect just mares and foals or sires and foals.
2. Traditional Scale Breyer Model Horse Families
Copyright 2011 by Kollean Gouyton. Used with permission.
Breyer introduced the first model horse family sets in the 1950s and 1960s in Traditional scale (roughly 1:9 scale). The Family Arabian Stallion and other Arabians sculpted by Maureen Love Calvert trotted right off the shelves and into collectors' hearts, becoming some of their more popular Traditional scale model horse families.
3. Breyer Classic Scale Model Horse Families to Collection and Enjoy
Copyright 2011 by Kollean Gouyton. Used with permission.
Breyer introduced a Classic scale (1:12) Arabian and Mustang family followed by an Andalusian and other families. Each boxes set included a stallion, mare and foal all in one package. Some horses such as the foals were released separately. Collectors quickly grew to appreciate the value and beauty of the Classic scale sets.
4. Breyer Mini Whinnies and Micro Mini Scale Model Horse Families
Copyright 2011 by Jeanne Grunert. Used with permission.
Breyer Mini Whinnies are the smallest scale of model horses, called micro mini model horses in roughly 1:64 scale. The company offers stallion, mare and foal sets. Breyer sells packages of six stallion, mare and foal models separately, but you can assemble your own little family groups with the Mini Whinnie model horses.
5. Fun with Breyer Foals: Collect Only Breyer Foals
Copyright 2011 by Jeanne Grunert. Used with permission.
Another great way to focus your collection is by collecting only foals. They're smaller, so they take up less room. They are also less expensive than the adult-sized horses. You can start with one mold you particularly love or just collect foals of all sorts. Many foals are also available in fun poses too such as scratching, lying down, grazing or nursing. You can quickly amass an interesting model horse collection by concentrating on foals.