A horse-related volunteer opportunity... I don't know what to do...

Recently I have started following a couple of blogs by endurance riders.  I've looked a couple of times in the past, but yesterday officially started following them.  I know very little about Endurance Riding, but it seems like a fun, if not stressful.  Riders get hurt.  Horses get hurt.  Riders can go the entire distance only to get pulled at the last vet check and not complete the ride.  And that's the main thing.  To complete the ride in one piece.  Winning would be nice, but...hahaha.  From what I know, Arabians seem to be the most popular breed, although the one of the blogs I have started following she rides several different breeds, including a couple of gaited breeds.

So, I decided to look to see if there were any endurance rides in Arizona that I could go watch.  I don't plan on doing it myself simply because I'm a bad shape for any kind of riding right now and I don't have a horse to ride anyway, but I think it might be interesting to watch.  I found out there's one in a couple of weeks and it's super close to where I live.  They have a Facebook page so I went to their page to check it out and one of the people "in charge" of the ride posted that they still needed volunteers so I posted on the wall asking what volunteers would do and she gave me her email address to contact her, which I did.

And that's where we are now...if I agreed to do it, I would be helping maintain a water station.  As the horse and riders come through you get their rider number and record the time they are coming through.  It sounds easy enough for sure, but the part that has me hesitating on telling her I'll do it is that the shifts are 8 hours long and I would have to stay the entire time.  I'm pretty sure I would not be capable of standing that long and I don't know that I'd be allowed to sit down for any part of that so I have not replied to her, yet.  She needs an answer soon, though.  I don't know.  I don't know what to do.  I'm certainly under no obligation to tell her I'll do it, but I do need to let her know asap.  <sigh>

On a different matter...next Friday is day one of the Member Preview for the new tiger exhibit at my local zoo.  It was supposed to have been finished in 2012.  Then we were told 2013.  Then 2014.  Now we finally have specific date.  Member Preview on Friday and Saturday then it's open to the public on Sunday.  The zoo opens to members an hour before the general public so it'll be easy, at least initially, to keep the general public away, but I wonder what they'll do when the zoo opens to the GP.  When they had the temporary Koala exhibit (they were on a 5 month loan from San Diego), they had a specific line for members only and they had employees ensure non-members didn't get in to see the Koala before they were allowed.  The big difference is that the Koalas were in a stand-alone building in the Children's Zoo and it was easy to filter people into a line and not line but the new tiger exhibit is on a major thorofare that leads to the Komodo Dragons, the Borneo Orangutans and the lower Elephant viewing area.  I'm trying to remember how they handled the opening of the Komodo exhibit, but coming up blank.  Oh. That one sort of had an entrance route and an exit one so employees were posted at both locations to keep non-members out.  I imagine they'll do a line-type thing like they did with the Koala and leave half of the walkway open for non-members.  I guess I'll find out next week, although I'll probably be in and out before the zoo opens to the GP since that's the only exhibit I plan to visit that day.  I will share pictures more than likely.  It will be first time seeing the new female tiger Suriya, who came on a breeding recommendation from the Oklahoma City Zoo after breeding attempts between resident male Jai (jay) and a female from Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle were unsuccessful.  Hadiah was sent to Dallas to pair with another Sumatran Tiger male and Suriya came to Phoenix.

Anyway, anyone have any advice on the volunteer thing?  I know it's ultimately up to me.  I will let you know what I decide on.

I hope everyone has a good weekend.

Stablemate Collector's Club!

Hurray!  After weeks of waiting after getting verification that the club was going to happen in 2016, it has FINALLY opened for membership.  All we were told was that it would be late October and it can't get much later than it is now except Saturday, which is the 31st.  We were figuring that's when the announcement would happen or at least tomorrow, Friday since they like to do things on Friday (payday perhaps?) but I went to the Blab forum and saw that the thread about the Stablemate club was at the top.  It's been active lately and figured that people were just "complaining" that it wasn't active yet, but then I saw the first message on the last page said it was open and the person had already bought into it.  I didn't even bother reading any other answers before "running" over to the Breyer web page and seeing it for myself.

Needless to say, I joined immediately.  It's funny, though.  A couple of years ago, prior to Breyerfest 2013, Stablemates really weren't on my "radar".  Sure, I had some, but I wasn't an active collector.  That changed, though, with the release of new molds, specifically Chrome and Dungaree.  After that I bought more and more.  I don't know how many I have and I only collect certain molds, but that's okay.  This is a brandnew club.  A club that apparently in the past Breyer said wouldn't be feasible.  I don't know what has changed, but I'm glad it did.  I'm excited about this club.

Anyway, I just wanted to share.  It's Thursday.  I have a headache.  It's payday but I have rent, car payment and car registration due so I have "no money".  hahaha.

MOAR Liebster fun!

**oops! I started this last night and was unable to finish it and forgot all about it until I was looking at DressageKid's blog and saw her post about the Liebster Award so now I'm finishing it up.**

Weird.  I don't know why the text came out that way, with part of it being blue and part of it being bolded.

I was nominated also by DressageKid.  THANK YOU!

Okay, so I'm going to cheat a bit.  I started answering questions then realized I was answering the wrong ones so I'm going to do her questions first then the ones I already started.  Hehehehe.

1. Who is your favorite horse, model or real?
Model: Totilas
Real:  Legolas 92, I guess

2. Where do you want to go, any world, any place, any time?
Alaska

3. Are you an only child or do have siblings?
I have an older brother

4. If all of your models were real, which one would you want to ride, show, etc.?
I don't know.  Either Bolya because of her cool color or Stud Spider because he's a solid looking horse.  I think I would show Stud Spider in Extreme Trail but I bet he'd do well in Hunter Eq because of his fairly flashy color

5. How did you get started in the hobby?
Depends on your definition of hobby.  Just as a collector?  I think I was at a toy store or someplace that had Breyers and I begged for one.

6. Who was your first model?
Well, Fleck the Family Arab Stallion was purchased before I was born but I didn't get him until I was 14.  The first that I actually had a conscious knowledge of...?  Halla, maybe?

7. What was your best model purchase?
A 2013 grey CC Shuffle and 2005 JCP Holiday Catalog Lady Phase for $160ppd

8. What's the worst thing you've ever bought?
Model?  I don't think I have a worst

9. Favorite tv show?
I have several but Cops is probably at the top

10. What is your least favorite Breyer mold, horse, and color?
There's several molds I don't like, no matter what the color, but Ashquar is probably at the top of the list.  No matter what color they put him in, I just can't get past the pose and that weird head.  Hahaha.

-------------------------------

1: Best model horse buy?
Hmmm.  I think the 2013 Breyerfest CC Shuffle in grey and the 2005 JCP Lady Phase.  I got them both for $160 including postage.  I've been wanting the grey one since it came out but the cost has been higher than I really wanted to pay.

2: Ever had a model horse barn set up?
No.  Although I've always wanted one.

3: Any Peter Stone models?
7 ISH and 1 Arabian that I did in DAH to resemble *Muscat, a pure Russian stallion who used to live in Arizona. 

4: How many Schleichs (if any) do you have?
I am not sure.  The Schleichs I have are maybe all wildlife animals like ones you'd find in a zoo.  But I don't know which are Schleich and which are Papo.  Hahaha

5: Favourite type of horse riding? E.g barrel racing, dressage, jumping…
I grew up riding Western because in Arizona, unless you have your own horse or take lessons at a multi-discipline barn, it's what you do.  That being said, I prefer English.  I have ridden English a couple of times and both times ended with me in the dirt, but I still prefer that style.

6: Ever been to Breyerfest? (Or any other model horse event)
Not Breyerfest or other Breyer-sanctioned event, but I have been to fairly big live shows in Oceanside, CA and Las Vegas, NV.

7: Least favourite horse colour?
I don't think I have a least favorite color

8: If you could design a Regular Model for Breyer, what would it’s mold, colour, eye colour and markings be?
Oh, that's a tough one

9: Do you have a subscription to a horse or craft magazine?
At one time I subscribed to Dressage Today, Paint Horse Journal, Horse Illustrated, Young Rider, Horse & Rider, Trail Rider Magazine and one for appies, but currently I am only receiving miniatures magazines. I need to re-subscribe to Trail Rider, though.

10: Favourite thing about the model horse hobby
How so many people are willing to help other hobbyists in need.

Leibster Award Questions...

Thank you to Nichelle at Desktop Stables for tagging me on your Liebster Award nomination.  These are fun.  

1: What first got you into model horses?

I don't remember, really.  I may have been in a toy store that sold them and talked my parents into buying me one.  I was 7 or 8.

2: Plastic, resin, both or other?

Plastic

3: Who is your favorite horse in your collection?

That's a tough one.  It's hard to pick just one, but I'm going to say Kalahkaari.  Either him or the original Lady Phase.

4: Who is your favorite model horse sculptor?

I actually don't have one.  I don't buy based on who the sculptor was and I really couldn't point out a model and tell you who it was sculpted by.

5: Finishwork artist? 

N/A as I don't collect non-OF

6: How long have you been collecting?

A looooong time.  35+ years...but not straight.  In the 90s I took a break.

7: What would your dream horse be? (real or model!)

Model: Zydeco

Real:  A 17hh bay Hanoverian

8: Do you have a sentimental favorite model?

Not really.

9: What do you like most about the model horse hobby?

Good question.  I've seen some real good things such as helping others out who are in need and I have seen ugliness.

10: What is your best memory involving model horses?

Winning my first (and only) Champion in halter.  It was at Arizona Live in 1996 and I got a neat clear trophy plaque thing.  I still have the award and the model that won it, which is amazing since I have so few other models anymore from that time period.

I want to go to Las Vegas!

So, every now and then I like to look at the online newspaper of different places, mostly San Diego but sometimes Las Vegas and that is what I did today.  I went to the online version of the Las Vegas Sun and saw a headline about Siegfried and Roy turning down a BOATLOAD of money to fly with 4 new Tiger cubs to the United Arab Emirates so the prince or king or whomever it is can see them in person.  S & F consider their animals to be their family so they said they aren't interested in taking their family all that distance.  Also in the article was a bit about granting a wish to a young girl through the Make A Wish Foundation.  She got to meet S&F and the 4 cubs, who were born in early August and she also got to swim with the dolphins.  Roy Horn is looking real good and there were several pictures of Siegfried assisting him. 

Of course, it may have been purely for the cameras, but the fact that they still live together and work together...I'd like to think it has more to do with a deep freindship and not the cameras.  Last I heard, they were no longer together as a couple, but they still are around each other all the time.  It warms my heart to see pictures like above because it shows that they are still dedicated to each other, regardless of what that relationship might be.

But I'm wanting to talk about the kitties.  I don't know if they were born of the S&F cats or if they got them from a facility in Florida (I hope not, considering their age...they should still be with mom), but I was surprised to see that each one is a different color.

From left to right you have the standard Orange, a regular (striped) white tiger, a stripeless white tiger and a golden tiger.  I wonder how often that happens...I don't think I've ever seen it before.  I know I've seen both standard orange and striped white in a litter, but not all 4 variations.  What I find "funny" is on the announcement board it mentions conservation...maybe in the form of the striped orange, but to get the white color and the golden color you have to breed close relatives that carry the gene.   I may have found an article that points to S&F's stripeless white female as the mother and if that is the case then her parents were brother and sister.  Oftentimes when you inbreed like that, the white cubs end up with birth defects, but these cubs look to be normal.  The last time I was there they had a sibling pair of striped white cubs and both had slightly crossed eyes.  But I don't want to get into the morality and ethics of inbreeding.  If you look at some horse geneology, you will see the same name on both sides of the tree so it's not something that is unique to tigers, but usually by the time it gets down to the "current" horse, the blood relation is likely mostly non-existent but you sometimes see or hear someone who will say their horse is by So and So on both sides or is a double So and So and they're proud of that.  But again, it's likely acceptable because the relation is several generations past.

Anyway, I want to go and see the new babies and, more specifically, the golden tiger.  I've never seen one in person before because, until the birth of this litter, the closest one to Arizona lives in Washington.  They just aren't that common.

So, I'm trying to figure out the money to see if I can swing an overnighter. I have a flight credit that would take up most of the flight cost and I can get a discount at a hotel. I could probably drive there for cheaper, but I don't want to do that. hahaha. Of course, as the time gets closer to when I'm looking at going, I'm sure I'll change my mind several more times. hahaha


Our weather is finally starting to cool off.  Mostly in the morning when I'm leaving for work, but I think we are finally out of the triple digits for the year.  It's supposed to get up to 90 in a couple of days, but I'll take that over 115 any day.  I think the hottest it got this summer was 119.  Yikes!

I hope everyone has a good weekend!

Is it just me or....

Are there several CollectA horses that are almost identical to Breyers?  I was looking at someone else's blog and she was doing a walkaround of a couple of CollectA models and I spotted it right away so I went in search of a website for CollectA and found a couple of others that are almost identical to a Breyer model.  The only difference might be a slightly less tucked head or a leg moved a hair.  What do YOU think?  All of the photos are from IDYB and collecta.biz

The first model is what they are calling an Australian Stock Horse Stallion.  Bring the head up just a touch and make a slight change to the swish in the tail and who do you have?  Latigo.

Next is what they are calling Lusitano Stallion...

Again, change the head a bit and the swish of the tail and you have Croi Damsha.  Even the floppy lip. At this angle it's more noticeable on the CollectA, but if you flipped Croi around, the floppy lip would be evident

Even Classic size didn't escape being copied.  CollectA's Quarter Horse Stallion

And Breyer's Cutting Horse...

Those two are a little more different than the others with the forward leg being switched, but it's still pretty close.  Or maybe it's supposed to resemble the Traditional Bobby Jo...?

But considering Bobby Jo was brand new and only released last month, maybe not but the tail and foot placement is more like the CollectA one.

I'm sure there are others, but those were the most obvious to me.  I know imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but when you're imitating something like a model horse from a well-known company, it borders on...just a tiny bit...copyright infringement.  They may have changed just enough characteristics to get away with it, but really, why not come up with your own unique designs?  Oh well.  

Tuesday Breyer released for purchase the 2nd Collector Club special model Fabien.  He was first spotted at Breyerfest this year and has been much anticipated since then.

It's funny, though.  When a Blabber announced they'd discovered Fabien was available for purchase, a lot of people said they weren't going to buy him because they thought his dapples were horrible.  Fish scaley and too perfectly uniform.  The funny part is today, someone went to buy him and the website said he was sold out.  A call to Breyer confirmed he was currently unavailable due to them running out but more were on the way.  Finding out he wasn't currently available made him a hot commodity all-of-a-sudden.  I got my order in right away so now I just sit back and wait for him to arrive so he can join Totilas and Enchante on my shelf at work.

So far, it looks like 2016 is going to be an expensive year for me, model-wise.  I will be joining the new Stablemate Club and I will probably join the Vintage Club for the first time.  Only time will tell if I renew my Premier Club membership.  I really like the first model, but so far I haven't kept any of the 2015 models.  I wanted to keep the first one, but at the time I couldn't really afford to buy it so I sold the pair to someone else as I did with Bobby Jo, the 2nd model.  I don't know about the 3rd yet.  We've seen a picture of it in Just About Horses, but the angle was a bit odd so we don't really know what it looks like.  In addition to the clubs and the individual models that we already know will be released, Breyer will be having another Collector Event in 2016, plus there's Breyerfest, which promises a brand new mold for the Celebration Model.  I would really like to try to attend BF this year, but if the Collector Event ends up being closer to home and sounds like something I'd enjoy as far as activities, I will pick that one over BF.  The website says more information will be released later in the Fall.

Speaking of Fall, it is officially here.  According to the calendar, anyway.  In Arizona?  We are still firmly entrenched in Summer with 100+ degree temperatures.  The mornings are starting to feel a little cooler, but we still have a bit to go before the weather is comfortably cooler.

I hope y'all have a great weekend!

Plastic Pony Overload!

How much can model horse collectors take in one day?  Or even over a couple of days.  First it was the Stablemate Collectors Club on Tuesday.  Yesterday morning there was the unofficial release of the 2016 Vintage Collectors Club models, the 3rd (and final) model for the Premier Club and the reveal of the first model for 2016. PLUS...the reveal of what the first Collector Club exclusive model is going to be.

Fortunately it's not a mold I collect and it's not a required purchase to stay in the club so I don't plan on getting him.  Anyway, also "leaked" was another new model on the Wyatt mold. 

It's not known, yet, if he'll be a Special Run or a Regular Run but at least he's something that will be available, unlike the bay Carrick that was on the cover last year (or was it the year before?).  I also wonder if the tack is something that is being made for release as well.  There is no barrel racing sets out there for commercial purchase and this set looks pretty neat.  Jennifer Buxton of Braymere Saddlery designed the tack on both the 2013 and 2014 covers, but she hasn't said anything about 2015. But then again, because the magazine hasn't really been mailed out in large quantities yet, maybe she's not able to say anything. I guess we'll know soon enough. :)

Anyway, with all of yesterday's "reveals" (none are official yet since Breyer hasn't said anything), the best was yet to come. A "few" months ago we were told that a model was being made of the British dressage horse Valegro. We got a tiny preview of what he might look like when a picture of the sculptor was photographed next to the actual horse and she had the sculpture in her hands. Well, yesterday a photo was posted on Blab that someone had seen on Instagram, I think it was, and while it isn't official yet, we're pretty certain it's Valegro

The pose is a Canter (or Cantering) Pirouette, although depending on who you ask on Blab, they'll correct you and say it's just a Canter. Bah. I've heard it called a Canter Pirouette on TV so you can take your unneccessary correction and stick it in your ear. hahahaha. I dislike it when people correct you like that and it comes across as know-it-all. She could've said "Actually, it's this not that" rather than say "It's not that, it's this". It's all in the way you word it that can make it seem less "You're ignorant and I know everything" Oh well. Anyway, I looked on Google and found a photo of Valegro in almost the same, exact pose so that kind of solidifies that the mold is him

It's a really neat mold and they pretty much nailed the pose.  The model will be released in the UK first and then to the US.  I am really looking forward to getting one.  Gosh, 2016 is going to be such an expensive year.  I may as well just have my paychecks sent directly to Breyer.

Well, I'd better get to work.  I've goofed off way too much this week because of all the fun stuff that's been going on over at Blab.  Yesterday I told myself I was going to stay off the fun internet (some of our programs are internet based), but that quickly flew out the window and I'm not doing so well today staying off and it's only 7:14am. 

Hope everyone has a great one!