Barns

My Breyer Barn

Homemade barn

Model horse barns are great for play or storage but some barns that can be purchased from Breyer are very expensive. I own one homemade barn, a handmade barn from a craft show, and a very unique barn that is made from storage cubes. There can be simple barns made from things like cardboard boxes, clementine boxes, shoe boxes, and popsicle sticks. There are many tutorials on how to make barns and single stalls for your models.

To make a clementine box stall you will just need the box and a small piece of felt or fleece to cover any holes in the bottom of the box. Covering these holes will make sure that the horse's legs don't get caught and broken. Cut the felt or fleece to fit the floor and then glue it down.

To make a shoebox stall, just remove the lid  if it is attached to the box. Then you can either cut one side out to make a door or you can leave it on. To make a Popsicle stick stall, just glue the popsicle sticks together until you have four walls. Then glue the walls together, making sure to  brace the walls at the top and the bottom. You can also have one in the middle.

Storage cubical barn

Making a storage cube barn is very simple. I have made a stable out of a ClosetMaid Cubicle. Laying on their side, they make four stalls. You can leave the front open or you could make a door or a gate. I have a few cups taped onto the sides and poles across the stable doors. I have two horses stored in each cube. You can use the top row of cubes for storage.

Sometimes, handmade model horse barns are available at local craft shows. I own a beautiful two stall barn that is realistic down to the vents on the sides of the barn. It has a loft, sliding doors on both sides, a paddock that pulls out, a roof, and open space over both stalls. Play is simple, and the stalls are large enough that you could keep two horses in each stall. The entire barn cost $75 and is very sturdy.

The back of my Breyer Barn

I am sure that there are crafters in your area that make barns for horses. Or you could always try making one of your own. An alternative is to buy a barn from Breyer, Amazon, or Ebay. Below are links to a few Breyer barns.

Deluxe Breyer Barn

Breyer two stall barn

Small wood breyer stall

Classic's country stable and wash stall

How to Protect Your Model Horse

Sometimes models can be damaged accidentally. Here are some ways to keep your model safe from scuffs, chips, and breaks.

For shelf storage:

My Model Cobalt Wearing a Handmade Blanket

Putting a blanket on your horse can protect your horse if it falls or tips over on your shelf. Otherwise, your horse may be permanently damaged from falling. Leg wraps can also be helpful.

Another way of keeping your model(s) safe is to put fleece or felt on your shelf to cover the surface so that a falling or tipping model would not be damaged from the fall. Blankets can be easily made or if you do not feel comfortable making the blanket, you can purchase them from the company that makes your model. Peter Stone does not sell a blanket for their model horses. When purchasing a blanket for a Breyer, always make sure it is the correct size for the horse you are buying for. An alternative method of buying blankets is to purchase them from Ebay. Make sure it is the right size by asking the seller. Leg wraps are very inexpensive to buy and also easy to make.

For storage in a model horse barn:

The Hay Mixture I Use in My Barns

Model horse barns are very fun for playing and also make for a very realistic barn scene for photo shows. Horses can still be damaged when stored in a barn. Yet again, blankets and leg wraps are a good idea for your horse. Another way to protect your models is to lay felt or fleece in the bottom that is yellowish colored to mimic yellow straw or hay.

The way that I protect my model horses who are stabled in my wooden barn is by using my own realistic hay mixture.  I shred yellow paper into pieces and cut up yellow yarn before mixing them together and spreading it in the barn. After using this hay mixture for awhile, you will need to add more because it will get packed down easily.

For play:

Scuffs on a Model that has Been Played with Heavily

Model horses are extremely fun to play with, mostly for kids that dream of their own horse but are not fortunate enough to own one. Models can be easily damaged with play. Try to avoid extreme play with model horses because they can get hurt easily.

When your horse is 'walking' through an enclosed space always, make sure there is room for the horse otherwise it could result in scuffing. Make sure when your horse goes into a barn that the stall doors are high enough that the horse's ears won't get scratched or chipped.

When playing with your horses, try not to bump them together. For example, if a horse is rearing and should kick a horse next to it, don't slam the horses together or it would result in a scuff.  Instead, just gently tap them or even  pretend the horse was kicked. Whenever it would fit in a game, your horse should wear a blanket to cover it's body and protect itself.

I know some people like to collect horses and store them on shelves to keep them from being damaged, but I believe that model horses should be played with. Below are some links to Breyer items to help protect your horses from damage during play.

Breyer traditional blanket 

Breyer classic blanket and leg wraps

Polo wrap and saddle pad set,Breyer traditional.

Tips for Purchasing a Model Horse

Purchasing your model horse is very similar to purchasing a live horse. Before purchasing your model there are many things to consider like brand, size, color, gender, and breed. Here are my tips on how to purchase your horse from different venues.

Purchasing from a store: Schleich

When buying a Schleich you want to make sure that the horse doesn't have any factory scuffs or marks on it's body. It can be very frustrating if you go home with your new horse and find marks on it.

Purchasing from a store: Breyer

Mini Whinnies,Stablemate,Classic,and Traditional Scale

When you are buying a Breyer from a store you want to make sure that the horse is free of major marks on it's body. You also want to confirm it is the correct size for your horses or stabling. For Breyer, there are five different sizes. I currently have four in my collection.

The smallest Breyers are Mini Whinnies which for an adult horse is only one inch tall, Stablemates are a bit bigger than Mini Whinnies standing at around 3 inches tall at the tips of the horse's ears. Classics stand much taller than Stablemates or Mini Whinnies, but shorter than the Traditional size model. They stand at around 6 inches tall from the top of the model's ear the the bottom of it's hoof. Traditional Breyers stand at about 10 inches tall, much taller than all the rest.

Purchasing from Ebay: Schleich

When you are purchasing a model from the Internet, ALWAYS make sure there is a photo of the entire model. It is not uncommon for sellers to show a picture of a specific part of the model and not mention that it is only that part of the model that they are selling. I can image that it would be extremely disappointing to be expecting a model and only end up with a piece of the horse.

You always want to look at pictures up close to make sure there are no visible marks on the horse's body. Always read the description of the model to make sure that you aren't overlooking something in the pictures or the listing. 

Purchasing from Ebay: Breyer

Ear Rubs on my Breyer Model Dreamer

When you are buying a Breyer model horse from Ebay, make sure there is a picture otherwise you may end up with a mangled mess of a horse that's missing a leg. If you have a certain size in mind make sure that it is the correct size for the amount of space for your horse. Look over the horse in the pictures and make sure it has all of it's legs and if it's ears are intact. It is not uncommon for a horse's ears to be missing or partially chipped off.

A few of my horses have what are called "ear rubs." which means some of the paint on the ears is partially missing, but not all gone. If you want to stay clear of ear rubs, you would be best off asking the seller if the horse's ears are missing any paint.  You also want to decide with a Breyer if you are buying a vintage or a newer generation horse. The classic scale is a personal favorite of mine.

Tips:

1. If a model is being purchased for a small child, I would suggest buying either a Schleich or a Traditional scale Breyer as they are the more sturdy of the bunch. I would not suggest buying Breyer foals,as their legs snap easily, making the horse almost useless unless you know how to fix the broken model's leg.
2. Schleich is the toughest brand of model horse out there. I have had them for many years and they have endured rough play and never broken.
3. Don't overlook the price of shipping and handling when considering bidding on a horse. Sometimes an inexpensively priced horse has a very high shipping cost.

Do you have any great tips for buying model horses? If you do, please leave me a comment below. I'd love to hear about your experience buying a horse!