The Answer to My Breyer!

The horses we bought from Breyer were all one basic size, with the full grown mares and stallions standing about 12" to the top of the ears. The foals were 6" tall. The one or two ponies in the line were scaled accordingly, as were the one or two mules in the line.

A few models were posed rearing, but most of the horses were shown with three or four feet on the ground. Some were standing, but most breeds were shown in motion, walking or cantering. If the breed had a special gait, the model showed that gait.

The models were painted in life-like colors in some hard-wearing paint. Although we were not really hard on them, the models did not chip or scrape. We used scarves and costume jewelry to clothe our "characters" and they were very human. (After all, horse conversation is a little limited, and their clothing styles pretty basic.)

Since those days, Breyer has come out with different sizes of models, and now provides more "horsey" accessories, including stables and jumps and even people. They sell sets of horses, like families. They also have flying horses, plush animals, water domes, Christmas ornaments, games and books. Like everyone else, the second half of the 20th century has brought diversification to the Breyer line.

The time came when I had to relinquish the things of childhood, and I sold most of the Breyer models I had. But, buried deep in my old toy box, there remains two: a white Arabian mare and her white foal, which I kept as a symbol of the others, and as a reminder of all the time my friends and I spent playing "horses." I learned a lot about other people through the role playing we did, most especially about what happens when you issue an ultimatum: you get the answer you did not want.

Thanks Breyer. I will always be grateful.