Herd Dispersal Sales...

Every now and then I will see a post on Model Horse Blab that someone is selling off their collection.  Usually the reason given is because they need the money to pay bills or to fund a horse or whatever.  On Model Horse Sales Pages, I see "Leaving the Hobby" sales where they sell of collections they've been growing for years.  Seeing those posts always makes me sad and I wonder why they started collecting to begin with.  What drew them into it.  For me, it was a love for horses and a new friend who had some.  As a young kid without a job, I couldn't have every horse I wanted so it took awhile to build my collection and at one time I had over 200.  Small potatoes compared to some collections, I know, but it was a lot to me.  When I had that many, I was actively showing.  I didn't have a real horse so the plastic ones helped me feel closer to the real ones.  There was a period of time when I stopped collecting and I got rid of a bunch of them, but I didn't have a big sale.  I gathered up my non-showable ones and donated them to a thrift store.  I was stupid.  I wish I hadn't done it, but I did.  End of story.  When I wasn't collecting, I still loved horses.  I still went to real horse shows and read magazines and such.

Recently I became aware of an auction site on the internet and saw an auction that resulted in this blog post.  Now granted, I don't know if all the items up for sale were by one person, but I followed a link to a certain person's auction that leads me to believe it was all the same person.  Not only were they selling a collection they'd obviously had going for many years, but they were also selling pictures and books about horses.  Did this person, in their decision to leave the hobby after all this time, also decide to leave their interest in horses?  Most people who start collecting plastic horses (or resin or china or whatever their favorite kind is) do so because they love horses.  Some have their own horses or work at a horse ranch or have some sort of daily encounter with them, but many don't.  They either can't ride due to physical reasons or they don't have a horse for financial ones.  Let's face it, real horses are expensive.  I just can't imagine not liking horses anymore so I can't comprehend why someone would sell off horse books and photos/paintings because they were leaving the hobby.  I guess collecting model horses is a hobby.  I don't know.  I never gave it much thought.  But if you don't want to collect anymore why not keep some that mean the most to you and sell the rest?  Put them away for awhile if you don't have room to display them.  I did that myself.  I had a few on my shelves in my room and the rest in a large plastic tub.  Last year, I took the ones out of the tub and found room for them.  It wasn't easy, but I like being able to see what I have.  In the next few months I see myself PIFing some of my models and maybe giving some away again, but not because I'm getting out of the hobby.  I'll do it because I want others to have ones they're really looking for and because I want to focus mainly on a few molds.  I don't know.  I haven't decided yet.  But what's good for me obviously isn't good for everyone else and I don't judge people for why they decide to sell their collection.  I'm just saying it makes me sad to see it when it's because they are leaving the hobby.

On a happier note, I want to share some beautiful models from another hobbyist's collection.  She has some beautiful models and I always enjoy reading her blog.  She makes tack, too.  I wish I could do that.  Hahaha.  Anyway, these models are all owned by Jennifer Bray Buxton and the photos are used with her permission.  The details on these lovelies are really stunning.

All Grown Up

Color Storm

Raconteur

Rajun Cajun---my favorite

All 4 horses were repainted from their original version and are just positively exquisite.  I would love to own any of these, like previously said, but my bank account would be very unhappy with me.  hahaha.

Happy Tuesday.

**eta**  I almost forgot.  Today would have been my parents' 47th wedding anniversary.  Last year I told my mom that I remembered what the day was and asked if she wanted it acknowledged at all and she said no so I told her that was fine, I just wanted her to know I knew what day it was.  Even though my dad has been gone for 3 years now (wow!  has it really been 3 years?), I know it's still difficult for her.  We all miss him.  I can only say that sometimes it's a blessing that her memory isn't all that good because she doesn't always remember his birthday or the anniversary of his death.  When I mentioned it last month she apologized to me for not remembering.  :(  I know she thinks of him often, though, but I guess I can not remind her of the different anniversaries.  Of course, that could backfire in that she may think I didn't remember.  It's not easy.  He died two weeks after her birthday, the day before mine (the official date of death is actually my birthday) and a month before their anniversary so that time of year is difficult.   I just have to be there for her.  We can talk about him and remember things and laugh, which is good.  "Dad would have liked that" or "Dad would've said something like that"  :)