Fantastic Supplies And Where To Find Them Part 1

When talking to beginners at Breyerfest there was one common question that I found I was asked. Where can you find stuff? Being in the hobby means you know who and where to find things. But if you're starting out, you may not know where to look. This is the first part of the series and it's all about shopping. I also wrote a tongue-in-cheek post about being a good buyer a few years ago that may help.

Shopping For Models

Before You Buy A Thing

There are always exceptions to the rule, such as if you know a person really well and trust them. But these are still good tips to follow.

In the hobby there are three main forms of ways to pay. They are cash, check and PayPal. I like to use PayPal when buying and selling (when not in-person). PayPal is wonderful and my encounters with their customer service have not been painful. 

Don't send things as friends & family when buying. I'll say it again. Don't send things as friends & family when buying from strangers on the internet. I believe wholeheartedly that the vast majority of people in the hobby and world are good people, but it's always better to be safe than sorry.  

 When you send money using friends & family you're paying the PayPal fees. You also will not have buyer protection. If the person decides to screw you over,  it's hard to get your money back. There are so many people you see in the Transaction Page below that have money stolen and never replaced because of scammers. Plus it's in PayPal's rules.  You don't want your account frozen. So there's my buyer beware warning when buying things through PayPal. 

Source

Model Horse Transaction Page

If you’ve been in the hobby for a while you know who to and not to buy from. There are dozens of facebook groups that you can jump onto to see what people are selling. And there's nothing wrong with buying stuff from people on any of the platforms available. But some people are not trustworthy. They absolutely know who they are, but if you're new or have been out of the loop for a while you won't. So before you buy from someone , even if they are a company, I recommend going here. It's a facebook group called Model Horse Transactions. It's my go to spot to vet people. Before you buy a thing from someone try running their name on there. If you can't find their name, ask. If you scan just a few hours' worth on the page you'll see the headache that one goes through when faced with an untrustworthy person. It's awful to watch so I can only imagine what it's like to deal with.

Where To Buy Models-Third Party

Ebay

eBay is a great place to look for plastic ponies. There are plenty of models for sale, but since eBay isn't made specifically for hobbyists make sure to read listings carefully and ask questions before pressing the buy it now button. The hobby has particular terms for models and their condition that don't transfer outside of it. 

It's always unfortunate to see nonhobbyists ripped apart for not knowing that the model they sold is more than a toy. So if you buy something make sure if you want it packed a particular way you ask if they can accommodate you. 

Etsy

You can find bodies and other model horse related things here. 

Model Horse Sales Pages

A great site for shopping is Model Horse Sales Pages. It's the Amazon of model horse stuff. You can find Breyers, Stones, Resins, Customs, Tack, and everything else model horse related. Instead of weeding through non-hobbyists, it's a site made up of hobbyists.

Facebook

There are dozens upon dozens of facebook pages for selling and buying model horses. All you have to do is type it in and you're stuck in a rabbit hole of model horse selling pages. Each one has its own specific rules, so pay attention to them before posting. You don't want to be banned!

Where

Model Horse Artisan Guide 

Many artists sell resins. These are different from original finish models because they come unfinished and need to be painted by artists (or yourself). Model Horse Artisan Guide has a many artists listed that are sculpt and cast their own models. 

Companies To Buy From

Breyer has its own online store. You can also join their collector's club which gives you chances to buy exclusive models.  

Copperfox is the newest of the companies listed. It's based in Britain and makes British horse breeds. Copperfox has discontinued production as of 2018

Peter Stone is smaller model horse company that specializes in designer and one of a kind models. 

Rio Rondo sells resins. Model runs are much smaller than original finish companies. 

Seunta sells resin horse and other animals. 

Tractor Supply has an online and physical store. Depending on the time of year you can find Breyers. At the end of the season you can also find good deals for them.

You can also find Breyers in your local hobby stores and tack shops. Since these are more individual to the area some will have a larger selection or none at all.

Hopefully this is helpful. Do you have any places you like to buy from not listed? Feel free to post!