A Phone Call Says It All

This week I got a phone call from a woman asking about the Luminoso resin by Maggie Bennett. After we talked for a while about the model's details, she told me that she was actually calling for her 11-year old daughter. "That horse is all she talks about," this sweet lady said to me. "We are saving our pennies for it. I just wanted to be sure you'd have it and could ship it to us in Canada."

The call really moved me. It's been a long time since I've thought about collecting model horses as my passion rather than my business. You see, I was also around 11 years old when the first issue of "Just About Horses" came out. I saw the advertisement for it in the new Breyer I bought with my Christmas money. I begged my dad for my allowance (a whopping $2 back then) and put it into an envelope with my subscription form.

That little magazine opened up a world to me. I learned about photo showing and customizing. I made tack and sold it. I wrote a little newsletter. I made pen pal friends (before the days of the internet!) And before long, my stable had grown.



I stopped collecting when I was in high school. It wasn't "cool" to be so much in love with horses or play with toy horses, but I started taking riding lessons at age 16. In college I joined the equestrian team and rode for Molloy; I leased a school horse who became my best friend. I show groomed for my friends and I was soon riding in horse shows myself. My models collected dust and I sold a lot of them. Then, after I married, I packed them all away. We didn't have room to display them in our tiny apartment, so for 10 years they sat in storage.

Well now they're out. We moved into a nice house and I have room to display what I like. As I talked to the lady on the phone, my eyes strayed to the cabinet where my beloved models stand. After I hung up from the call, I decided to take the plunge.

I bought two new models.

I'd forgotten the excitement and happiness...the anticipation...the sheer pleasure of treating myself to a new model. Names. Breeds. Pedigrees. Show or keep for myself?

Today's pictures are my two new acquistion: KG's Gypsy Solitutde, and KG's Celtic Thunder, both Maggie Bennett micros painted by Kollean Gouyton of Stone Wolf Creations and purchased by me for my own personal collection.

Thank you, nice Canadian lady, for bringing back the joy.

Look for more updates from my new personal "farm", which I have dubbed Appalachian Acres, and my own model collection!

- Jeanne