| In about 1950, the first toy horses were introduced in | | | | Hagen-Renaker Horses. Today, Schleich and Safari |
| America. Since then, these toys have continued to | | | | also offer detailed, hand-painted model horses. |
| grow in popularity. Along the way, toy horses became | | | | However, Schleich and Safari are more popular as |
| more than just a horse toy. They became a popular | | | | toys rather than collectibles, perhaps due to the smaller |
| hobby that includes horse painting, photographing, prop | | | | size of their 1:24 scale horses compared to the larger |
| and tack making, exhibiting and collecting valuable | | | | 1:9 scale for Breyer and Stone horses. Despite all the |
| model horses. | | | | competitors, Breyer still dominates this market for both |
| Breyer capitalized on the growing collector hobby by | | | | toy horses and collectibles. |
| introducing a hobby magazine in the 1970's. Then they | | | | Our company was first introduced to the world of |
| launched the first limited edition artist resins model | | | | model horse toys in 2007 when we added the Breyer |
| horses in the 1980's. By the 1990's, the collectors hobby | | | | products to our store. Since we already carried a lot |
| blossomed and continues to be very popular today. | | | | of other toys, we assumed these would be just |
| Limited edition artist resins are released now with very | | | | another toy category. We were surprised last year |
| limited editions of a few hundred pieces, or in some | | | | when Breyer gave us a gift of a few limited edition |
| cases only 50 pieces. These pieces usually sell out | | | | artist resins with a suggested price of $300 each. We |
| quickly. After these toy horses are sold out, they | | | | thought they would never sell but we were wrong. Our |
| increase significantly in value in the collector's market. | | | | customers were eager to pay that price because |
| By 1996, Breyer toy horses were no longer the only | | | | these were no longer just another horse toy to them. |
| game in town. Stone horses were introduced with | | | | These toy horses had taken on a whole new value as |
| horses just as detailed, some would argue more | | | | rare collectibles. |
| detailed, than Breyer. While Breyer caters to the huge | | | | What began as a horse toy has developed into a |
| toy market as well as the collector's market, Stone | | | | full-blown hobby with thousands of devoted hobbyists |
| focuses more on limited edition collectibles. Other | | | | all over the world. |
| brands also entered the market including | | | | |