What Breed is Your Breyer?

By Kathleen Moody & Stephanie Macejko

When I was growing up, my parents gave me a set of Breyer Family Arabians for my 10^th birthday. Of course I was thrilled, and curious too – what breed were they? My dear mother, having no idea but wanting to appease me, looked the stallion over and commented, “He’s a Tennessee Walker, dear!”

I chuckle about that incident every time I look at some of the more “generic” horses in the Breyer line. I often wonder what breed, if any, the original sculptor had in mind – horses like the Western Prancing Horse, the Running Mare, Fury Prancer, and the Foundation Stallion, to name a few.

It is endless fun guessing and classifying our favorites, but the trick is knowing horse breeds and their characteristics. What makes an Arabian an Arabian? What features do Quarter Horses have? Look online, in reference books, and Breyer's Breeds of the World articles for help. When looking at a model, I ask myself three questions:

1. What characteristics does the horse have? Size can help you distinguish between a pony, light breed and drafter, and body type can separate heavily-muscled stock horses from long and lean Thoroughbred types. Arabian type, characterized by a dished face and high tail carriage, is also very distinctive.
2. What color is the horse? Pinto and appaloosa markings are obvious, although body type can help you determine additional lineage. Many breeds do not come in every horse color possible. Some breeds, such as the Friesian, are almost always black – the registry will not accept any other color!
3. How is the horse moving? You may recognize the normal gaits of walk, trot, canter and gallop. But did you know that some horses have additional gaits? Many American Saddlebreds can slow-gait and rack. A Tennessee Walking Horse can do a running walk. Icelandic horses have two special gaits: the "tölt" and the "flying pace." A Standardbred may trot or pace. If you have a model performing one of these unique gaits, it can be quite easy to pinpoint their breed.

As you learn which characteristics go with which breed of horse, you’ll soon discover that all Breyer models fall into one breed or another - and often times, more than one! The fun is in the discovery and knowledge you gain. Of course, if you can’t figure out where to put, say, the Old Timer, don’t forget the good ole “grade” horse category – a horse with a little bit of every breed!

Have fun!