Truffles and Bon Bon

 Please excuse me whilst I die of cuteness!

The mother's day plushies from Breyer are THE CUTEST THING EVER I NEED THE FOAL NOW PLEASE THANK YOU

Now available from the Breyer USA website

Wild Boar Live Awards

 We've had a couple of parcels over the last few days containing the first of the awards for Wild Board Live.

First up we have the trophies. The big ones are for the Supreme Championship and the smaller ones are for each of the section champions

I much prefer glass trophies than the plastic ones, I think they look nicer and more expensive, even if they aren't actually that expensive! I had hoped to get ones with pigs on but that wasn't really possible, clearly pig showing needs to become more of a thing!

Now we have the certificates. These have been externally printed but I will need to put them through the Cricut to cut, that is going to take a LONG TIME, *sarcastic enthusiasm*

They are going to be so cute when they are cut out! 

Breyer Misty Test Run Set

 Last week Breyer listed this adorable little pair on their eBay account:

The cute test run Misty and Stormy have been done in a beautiful gold pinto colour. The auction was being run to raise money for Beebe Ranch.

For those who don't know Beebe Ranch is the museum and ranch based in the Chincoteague where Misty and Stormy lived.

The auction ended yesterday and reached a very impressive price of $12,875! These are an adorable pair and someone is going to be very happy to own them and that is a great price to be raised for the Ranch.

You can view the listing and final price here

Five Style of Customising You Have to Try

Happy Friday everyone :D It's currently so cold inside my house I can see my own breath. Isn't this country fun. I just love it so much.

Well, if you are capable of feeling your own fingers this Friday you might want to celebrate the awful weather by trying something new. Well do not fret I am here to inspire you! Here are five styles of customising that you just must try.

1. Mohair

The first technique that everyone must try at some point in their customising career is mohairing. Mohair (or similar) is applied to the model instead of a sculpted mane and tail.

If you want to mohair a model horse here are the supplies you will need:

• Model horse body
• Dremel (or similar) to remove mane and tail
• Mohair
• Glue
• Epoxy Putting (to sculpt a new dock)

You can purchase mohair online from model horse dealers and others. I even have some awesome pink ombre mohair that is just beautiful!

Sana is a custom Weathergirl by Deb Brown. You can see her beautiful mohair mane and tail that just enhance her gorgeous colour and look.

2. Dip Painting

I first tried this a few years ago and it is so much fun! You may have done this previously as an art project as a child but it also works really well for model horses. 

The basic principle is that you put a hydrophobic substance like spray paint or nail polish onto the top of a jar of water. Then (wearing gloves) you just dip your primed model horse into the water. The substance will adhere to the surface of the model horse creating a cool marble effect.

If you want to try this technique you will need:

• Primed model horse
• Nail polish, Spray Paint or Marbling Paints
• Old Jar
• Water

It doesn't really matter which substance you use. You can buy specialist marbling paints online but your old nail polishes will work absolutely fine if you just want to try it once.

This little guy using nail varnish for this technique using blacks and pinks, it is really cute.

3. Etching

Etching is a method of customising where instead of adding paint you remove the original paintwork to create a new pattern.

To do this all you will need is a sharp blade or carbide scraper. You will gently remove parts of original paint work until you get the pattern you want.

If you want to try this technique you will need:

• Sharp blade or carbide scraper
• Original Finish model horse

There are lots of online tutorials showing you how to properly remove the paintwork. The key is to do so gently so you don't scratch the plastic and take chunks out of the poor horse!

Sunshine is an adorable little etchie that was one of my first custom models I purchased. The pattern is just beautiful.

4. Pencils

Pencils are often used in combination with other technique but did you know you can use them exclusively to create a model in its own right?

All you will need is some good quality pastel pencils (other pencils also work but I prefer pastel ones). You then use these to draw your pattern. This works best with colours like fleabitten grey rather than solid ones.

If you want to try this technique you will need:

• Primed model horse
• Pastel pencils (or similar)
• Sealant

Just like with pastels you will need to make sure you regularly seal your model as it is very easy to smudge pencils with your fingers!

Pastels were used in combination with pencils to create this adorable little fleabitten grey.

5. Colour Shift

Colour shift paints are so much fun! You can purchase good quality specialist model ones from Green Stuff World. They create a lovely metallic effect that shimmers in the sun.

If you want to try this technique the most important thing to know is that your base colour will impact your finished effect. The manufacturer will usually recommend black as a base to create the colour shift effect, but other colours can be used to create a beautiful shimmer effect.

If you want to try this technique you will need:

• Model horse painted solid black
• Colour shift paint

Experiment with the paints to create different effects on different models.

This cute dressage horse is painted with colour shift paint on his body with metallic mane, tail and hooves.

Wild Boar Live Certificates

 Yesterday I designed and sent the certificates for Wild Boar Live for printing.

As I have a Cricut I decided that it would be brilliant if I could have pig shaped certificates! I mean if I can get a machine to cut everything out then why not?

I will print the Supreme and Section Champions myself but I have sent the Division Champion and Placings off to an external printer. That will save my poor printer from having a complete meltdown and also mean they are actually decent quality!

For the ones I'm printing myself I am going to back them onto coloured card (similar to the ones from Herefordshire Live) so they will be nice and solid and also look adorable.

Let's have a look at the placings :D

Each placing features a cute little pig with a coloured rosette and the placing on their bum. They don't have the show name on so they can easily be reused for future shows.

Next we have the division champions, these ones feature a cute little flying pig

I have done them in different colours for each placing. I love the Champion one, he is definitely my favourite

Now we have the section champions. I tried printing these yesterday and realised the printer was not a happy potato! But it has now had a "Stronger Clean" and seems to be printing OK!

These are a simple design but they will be quite large and backed onto a cool coloured card. I may also just add some glitter, you know, just for bants

Finally we have the Supremes Champions

I'm not really sure why I added butterflies but they do look kinda cute and it makes them look a bit different. Again they will be backed on a nice card to give them a solid and sparkly finish. I may also add GEMS FOR EYES, mainly to annoy people :D

I hope you like them all! I know they are all pigs rather than boars but there isn't a huge amount of wild boar based content out there, so we have gone with their domestic cousin instead.

The placings are definitely my favourite, they are just TOO CUTE

Wild Boar Live Updates

 Hello everyone :D

Today I'm giving you a little update on Wild Boar Live and how we are getting on with getting everything sorted. I am being super organised (I know weird) and have actually been reasonably on top of getting things done! Which is very impressive for me.

Spaces

There are currently four full and three half spaces left. If you would like a space or need more information about the show please email competitions@chestnutridge.co.uk 

You can also find out more about the show here: https://www.chestnutridge.co.uk/wild-boar-live-2023.html#/

Trophies

I have ordered trophies for the Supreme Champions and the section champions as well. As usual I went for glass trophies because I think they are just prettier.

Here is a sneak peak of one of the trophies:

Rosettes

Rosettes have also been ordered. They are, as usual, being made by the brilliant Liz who always makes me such gorgeous rosettes. I can confirm that they will also feature a pig in the middle!

There will be rosettes for Supremes, Sections and Division Champions. 

There are also extra rosettes for the winners of the fun classes.

BMECS Application

BMECS Application has been submitted. There is a question about whether we make the show a 23/24/25 qualifier or a 24/25/26 qualifier. If you have an opinion on this then please share it in the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/herefordshirelive

Today I am going to get the certificates designed and ordered, thankfully I now have a Cricut so I won't be giving myself blisters cutting out pigs!

Five Ways to Get Rid of Out of Control Manes

 Aaaa haired model horses, beautiful, majestic, so realistic and yet SO ANNOYING! We've all been there, that one model whose mane just WILL NOT BEHAVE! That model who gets to a show and looks like they've sat on an electric fence. I feel your pain. But do not fret! Here are my top five ways to sort out those pesky manes.

1. Toothbrush Time

The most effective way to groom manes and tails is using a toothbrush. Choose one with a flat head as this will allow you to smooth the hair out (as apposed to those weird fancy ones that are all wiggly).

You can combine this with other techniques to help smooth a mane. It is a good idea to keep a toothbrush in your show kit as a last minute solution to any loose hairs in the show ring.

2. Water

Your first go to for taming manes is going to be water. This is the most gentle thing to put on your horse and will be the least damaging item to use.

Apply the water to your toothbrush to get it damp, them smooth down the mane to get it to sit where you want. You can combine with clingfilm to help 'set' the mane in place.

3. Dry Shampoo

Dry shampoo is by far the best product I've ever found to sort out manes! I started to use it many years ago to help deal with Equorums which are by far the worst manes I've ever had to deal with on my haired models.

Like the water you don't apply it directly to the horse. Instead spray it onto your toothbrush and then use these to brush the mane and tail. It is less liquid than water and so causes less dampness if you then wrap the mane to set.

This is the one I use. There is no special reason for this other than I already owned it when I decided to try and have used the same can ever since!

4. Cling Film

Cling film is used to 'set' manes and tails in place. It works best if the mane is slightly damp before you wrap it. Once dampened into place wrap the mane (or tail) in cling film to hold it in place. Leave on for a few days before removing (the easiest method is to do it before you pack the horse for a show and then remove it for the show day)

Here is a before and after of a horse that had its forelock wrapped. You can see in the first picture it's a bit all over the place whilst in the second it is sat beautifully.

5. Aggressive Grooming

The final technique is a bit of a weird one but it is the only way to deal with Equorum manes and tails! Especially those horrid tails. This is the best method for over haired horses or ones who have had products such as gel or styling foam added and need this brushing out.

Lay the horse on your lap and then get a small hair brush (you want one that doesn't have teeth but has a softer finish). Vigorously brush out the tail onto your leg, don't touch the horse with the brush to prevent damage! This will brush out all of the knots. You may want to keep some extra mohair to hand to repair any lost hairs.

You can use the same technique with longer manes as well.

Once done use a toothbrush and dry shampoo to shape and style, adding more hair if needed.

You can see the difference in this Equorum,, his tail is now a lot neater. It was also wrapped at the top with cling film to create a nice finish.

Five Most Effective Strategies to Have a Stress Free Show Day

Happy April everyone :) I hope you are all enjoying the beautiful sunshine, I have been out on the yard for the last three days and there is nothing to make you feel happy like standing outside in the sunshine, which is definitely why I choose to have a hobby that involves sitting inside in a damp cold village hall.

With that in mind how do I make sure my show days are as stress free as possible? We've all been there, we've been late, we can't find the horse, life is awful, things are broken, we want to cry. But do not fear for I am here! Remember, do as I say and not as a I do, following these tips are you are bound to have a stress free day.

1. Have a good list

A good list is the foundation to a good show day. Organise your list with plenty of time. On it you should have at least:

- Stable Name (if you use these)

- Show Name

- Breed

- Colour

- Space to write results

Other things you can choose to add:

- Box Number

- Tag Number

- Breed Card Y/N

- Extra performance equipment needed

By having the horse's breed and colour this will help you to identify the horse if you do not know who they are (particularly true if you've just got a lot of new horses). Adding a tag with an ID number can also help with this and having this on the list will help you stay nice and organised!

Above you can see an example of a pretty simple list. I always have a printed version and usually upload a digital copy to Google Drive just in case it goes missing!

2. Leave with extra time

This may seem like an obvious one but it is very easy to end up being late if there is an accident or similar. You also need to make sure that you leave in plenty of time for coffee. You want to be leaving with at least 15 minutes spare but 30 minutes or longer may be more appropriate depending on how long the drive is or how many times you want to stop!

3. Have a show kit pre-packed

I have done several posts on what is in my show kit but this one is definitely one of the most important. You want to have a good organised show kit with everything you will need that you can just grab and go with.

Here are some things you will want to include in your show kit:

- Breed & Performance Cards

- Sticky Wax

- Blusher Brushes (for dusting)

- Pens 

- Pastel Pencils (for touch ups)

- Scissors

- Toothbrush (if you have haired models)

- Show Pad

I would also recommend having:

- Emergency cash

- Spare camera battery & memory card

There are lots of other things you might want to include depending on what you show.

4. Unpack as you go

One technique that can really reduce stress is unpacking as you go. To make this work you will need to be organised in advance. It is worth noting that it does not work if the show host changes the running order!

To do this start by writing your show list and looking at the show running order. Then pack your horses backwards, starting with the last class. Ensure each pouch/bubble wrap is properly labelled so you know who is who. 

As you go make a note of which box every horse is in. Label your boxes so that at the show you can get them out in order. 

At the show just unpack the horse when you need it. Once the horse is done it can go on your table and when you have an empty box you can repack each of your horses.

This makes it really easy to find each horse for each class and will also reduce that panic unpacking that you have at the start of the day.

Here you can see a table that is being unpacked ready for each class. The only models out are performance horses.

5. Have a helper

This one is invaluable! A good helper is worth their weight in gold. Find someone who is willing to carry boxes, make tea and even help pack horses. If you can also find someone who will help put horses in the ring that would also be amazing!

Shelby

 Personally I'm really disappointed that the April Fool's wasn't real and he doesn't have a hogged mane, he looked so beautiful with it!

But alas he does not

Shelby is the latest Collector's Club special run. He is a gambler's choice model with three available colours and will be available later in the month

Which is your favourite? Mine is definitely the glossy bay (no surprises here)!

Kansas and Willamette

 Kansas and Willamette are this year's Custom Contest Prizes for BreyerFest 2023

They are really lovely, I like that they've broken away from the black and white theme that we've seen the last few years

First up is Kansas

A really lovely chestnut blanket spotted on the Forever Saige mould (GINGER LLAMA)

Second we have Willamette

A lovely chestnut sabino on the Galloping Arabian Stallion mould. I really love the colour on this little guy.