Putting Together a Live Show List

I thought it would be really fun to share with you guys how I put together a show list for a model horse show.

The show I'm preparing for here is Mrs. P's CTF Show 2025. This is a specialist CTF show and has a slightly different class layout than your general show. You can see there a specialist classes for models such as WIA/CollectA or Schleich/Safari.

I haven't filmed the whole process as putting together a full show list takes a good few hours to do! But you get a good insight into how I decide which models I am going to take to a live show. It's also fun to see all the ridiculous names that I've given my models over the years!

Make sure to check in for a full show report from the show in a couple of weeks :)

My 20 Best CTF Models

 Hello all :)

Over the last few weeks I have been sharing some of my best models in my collection. Today we have my 20 best CTF models. I don't actually distinguish between plastic and bendy CTF for the purposes of my records (although weirdly I do on my breed list spreadsheet) so today they will be all together. 

There is a real variety of brands here although there is a clear focus on my RubberNedz, which is probably not unsurprising! I do have a few others in here as well though including a few unexpected pieces.

This is a great testament to the idea that you do not need millions to get successful horses. This includes some models that have cost just a few pounds, including one that was a child hood toy and came with a magazine! Yes some are super expensive, but lots of these guys weren't.

OK let's get on  to the models.

1st Place

Stable Name: Charles

Show Name: CRS Charles Dickens

Colour: Bay

Breed: Hackney

Make: RubberNedz

Original Model: RubberNedz Hackney

2nd Place

Stable Name: Albert

Show Name: CRS Albert I

Colour: Bay

Breed: Trakehner

Make: RubberNedz

Original Model: RubberNedz Trakehner

3rd Place

Stable Name: Cicely

Show Name: CRS Myrrhis Odorata

Colour: Bay

Breed: Andalusian

Make: RubberNedz

Original Model: RubberNedz Andalusian

4th Place

Stable Name: Gizmo

Show Name: CRS Offence Pattern

Colour: Palomino

Breed: Morab

Make: Breyer

Original Model: Pony Galz Six Show Horses

5th Place

Stable Name: Cyclone

Show Name: CRS Fiery Rose

Colour: Grey

Breed: Mustang

Make: Breyer

Original Model: Cyclone

6th Place

Stable Name: Zeus

Show Name: CRS Zeus

Colour: Grey

Breed: Unicorn

Make: RubberNedz

Original Model: RubberNedz Andalusian

7th Place

Stable Name: Pip

Show Name: CRS Peregrine Pipsqueak

Colour: Bay

Breed: Arabian

Make: RubberNedz

Original Model: RubberNedz Foal

8th Place

Stable Name: Dazonu

Show Name: CRS Dazonu Cataya

Colour: Black

Breed: Arabian x Friesian

Make: Schleich

Original Model: Shadow Elf Turag

9th Place

Stable Name: Pennyweather

Show Name: CRS Penny Farthing

Colour: Grey

Breed: Welsh A

Make: RubberNedz

Original Model: RubberNedz Welsh A

10th Place

Stable Name: Duchess

Show Name: CRS Enchanted Snowstorm

Colour: Grey

Breed: Arabian

Make: RubberNedz

Original Model: RubberNedz Arabian

11th Place

Stable Name: Persia

Show Name: CRS Persia

Colour: Black Pinto

Breed: Vanner

Make: Equorum

Original Model: Equorum Ardennes

12th Place

Stable Name: Constable

Show Name: CRS Constable

Colour: Bay Sabino

Breed: Clydesdale

Make: RubberNedz

Original Model: RubberNedz Clydesdale

13th Place

Stable Name: Bacon

Show Name: CRS Peregrine Byrant

Colour: Red Roan Pinto

Breed: Araloosa

Make: RubberNedz

Original Model: RubberNedz Foal

14th Place

Stable Name: Parrot

Show Name: CRS Pandemonium

Colour: Grey

Breed: Irish Draught

Make: RubberNedz

Original Model: RubberNedz Irish Draught

15th Place

Stable Name: Bishu

Show Name: CRS Betrayal

Colour: Grey

Breed: Unicorn

Make: Julip

Original Model: Julip Arab Champion

16th Place

Stable Name: Major

Show Name: CRS Old Major

Colour: Bay

Breed: Shetland

Make: My Beautiful Horse

Original Model: Major

17th Place

Stable Name: Emily

Show Name: CRS Enchanted Songdance

Colour: Chestnut Blanket Spotted

Breed: Araloosa

Make: RubberNedz

Original Model: RubberNedz Arabian

18th Place

Stable Name: Valentine

Show Name: CRS Valentine

Colour: Bay

Breed: Donkey

Make: Equorum

Original Model: Equorum Donkey

19th Place

Stable Name: Bailarin

Show Name: CRS Bailarin de la Noche

Colour: Grey

Breed: Lipizzaner

Make: RubberNedz

Original Model: RubberNedz Tagus

20th Place

Stable Name: Smexy

Show Name: CRS Smexy Spots

Colour: Black Leopard Spotted

Breed: ASB x Walkaloosa

Make: Equorum

Original Model: Equorum American Saddlebred

Which is your favourite model out of this selection? I definitely have a soft spot for my bay or grey RubberNedz :D

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.

Unboxing the Oldies

So on Friday I moved back home and with me came several boxes of model horses that have been living at my parents house for quite some time. These guys haven't really been anywhere but on a shelf for over 4 years! So I apologise if they appear dusty :p They will get a proper dust at some point I promise!

Anyway I thought I would introduce you to some of my favourites from the ones I've already unboxed. I've got about four boxes left so we are getting there slowly! Once they are all unboxed I will do a collection tour video as I haven't done one of those in ages (and its the first time the whole collection will be together in over 4 years) :D

P.S. I'm running really low on shelf space. Someone nag my husband to put up more shelves for me please :p

First up we have Apollo one of the Treasure Hunt Silvers. One thing I am really looking forward to is having all the Silvers together again! I need to get back into working on my conga (once I've got hold of a Sonorah for my Bobby Jo conga of course).

Secondly we have another silver, this time Matrix. I always liked this model despite the fact he's quite simple looking.

As well as lots of Breyers there were also several of my childhood horses. Including this grey four horse gift set. Unfortunately, the plastic on three of them had snapped :( Frost survived though!

This guy was my first ever Breyer Traditional. It's Hidalgo on the Silver mould. Yep, the Silevr addiction started early!

Speaking of addictions...this is Jameson, one of my many many many Equorum Shetland Foals. This is one of my "picked up for a few pounds on eBay" foals. I have waaaay too many black ones...

Now two more adorable cuties. I mean how could you not love these little baby My Little Ponies? They are just the cutest things!

I've also brought over my Ethereal Collection. So far I've unboxed Water and Wind. Water is by far my favourite of the two so he is the one I've chosen to share. He's a dapply one!

Pine is one of my vintage woodgrains. I got this little guy in a selection of vintage models I bought from the USA in 2014 just before we moved into our old house. He would have been one of the last to be unboxed and shelved at my parents.

Little Bub is a Sherman Morgan, he looks quite ugly on the shelf but his show name is Hidden Beauty because when photographed there is just something rather stunning about him. I don't feel that way about any of my other Sherman Morgans but this guy, this guy is stunning.

I honestly don't think a collection is complete without Cupid and Arrow. The sad part is that Arrow has been living with the main collection. I would say they are reunited but they are on different shelves. They can look at each other at least.

Craig is one of my glossy Treasure Hunt Wintersongs. I still don't have the full set...I'm still missing that glossy chestnut!

Finally Diamond. I nagged Brendon to get me this one for years and he never did. Eventually I just bought myself one on eBay. He really doesn't take hints. You know this model has real diamond dust in its finish? Pretty cool!

I hope you enjoyed that :D I'll get some more pics up over the next few days and hopefully by the weekend I'll have everyone unboxed and I can do a full collection tour! Watch out now I've found my GoPro you're going to be harassed with videos :p

This blog post was written by Catriona Harris, owner of Chestnut Ridge and model horse fanatic.