Trail of Painted Ponies

Over the course of my life, I’ve been a collector of many things - items both rare and commonplace. When the Elvis stamps were introduced, I went through a brief phase of seeking out and buying postage supplies. When I filled an album or two, the obsession switched over to coins. I talked to all of my friends who had visited foreign countries and offered to barter with them for the strange currency.

Then, when I entered middle age, I thought my passion for collecting had finally abated. I would be able to return to a live of relative normalcy in which I don’t feel compelled to “collect them all.” That’s when a friend referred me to a Web site offering painted horse figurines. Their collectible nature appealed to me of course as a new “herd” is released several times a year. But it was actually the craftsmanship and artistic value of the pieces that really made them stand out in my mind.

I thought I enjoyed riding horses just as much as the next person, but that was before I met my friend Elizabeth during a trail ride one summer afternoon. She works as a large-animal veterinarian and comes in contact with horses on a daily basis, but that’s not enough to satisfy her obsession. She takes leisurely rides nearly every evening and lives on a horse farm with several high-priced thoroughbreds. In short, she doesn’t mess around when it comes to horses.

As her birthday approached about a month ago, I racked my brain for a unique gift idea. She had every sort of saddle imaginable and owned horse-themed paintings by the dozen. Recognizing her love of art, I investigated a flourishing creative niche: painted pony figurines. They struck me as ideal horse themed gifts, perfectly suitable for my purposes. Elizabeth was overjoyed to receive a hand-painted pony, and she has since added to what is now a serious collection.

In tough economic times, many people are finding that they have to get creative with their funds or their future funds. And that’s why so many people are looking into collectibles right now. As people become more and more strapped for cash, they are starting to sell off the various pieces of their collections, and that means anyone with a little bit of expendable income can snatch them up at a great price.

Whether you’re collecting collectible ponies or rare mint condition coins, these can be a great investment if you’re purchasing them on the cheap. Then, when the economy turns around sometime down the road, they can be sold at a far greater value. And if you’re able to hold onto these items for an extended period of time, it’s all the better, because their value will only go up. Just make sure you don’t hold onto the items past their prime!

Anyone interested in horses and collectibles is probably aware of the Trail of Painted Ponies line. These hand painted horse figurines are more than just mantle decoration, however. The line has also been photographed and documented in a color printed coffee table book entitled “Anniversary Edition of The Trail of Painted Ponies-From Fine Art to Collectibles.”

Proving popular with more than just the horse-loving community, the book has received some accolades as well. This includes the Arizona Book Publishing award in the art/music/photography category. The president of the Trail of the Painted Ponies ended up accepting the award. This does not mark the first award for the group, though, as their earlier book “American ArtParades” also took home the best book by a new publisher among several other awards.

I love horses.   Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve been enamored with horses, but living in the city, I could never convince my parents to get a horse for our condo.   Though I’m too old to ask for a horse from Santa, my boyfriend still likes to entertain this notion.

Every year for my birthday, Christmas, or even Flag Day, he showers me with horse gifts and it’s the sweetest thing that anyone has ever done for me.   While I may not have my own pony named Princess, I’m reminded that the dream will never die.

Many little girls dream that someday she could own a pony. If you’ve ever known a young girl that’s interested in Disney princesses and dressing up in pink, it’s likely that you’ve been offered a birthday or Christmas wish list with “pony” written at the very top. Unfortunately, for most little girls, this just isn’t realistic. Even if the economy were behaving better, there aren’t that many parents that can pony up that kind of dough (pardon the pun).

If you know one heartbroken, pony-less little girl, make her day by buying her some collectible horse figurines. Sure, they aren’t quite like the real thing, but they are also a lot more financially reasonable. They also require a lot less work and attention. When was the last time you had to shovel out the stalls of a hand painted horse figurine? And if she treats these figurines gently, maybe someday she can even pass them along to her daughter. Unless, of course, she can actually afford to get her daughter a real pony…

The carnival is always a happy place.   Its main attraction - the merry go round, always has a long line of children waiting to ride the painted horse. They want to ride the painted horse that moves up and down, ’round and ’round.  Of course, there is also the boat swan and the mini carriage but the painted horse is the favorite because it stands tall and is very festive with its bright colors.

Painted horses are favorite collectibles.  They include horses on rockers, a lot of different kinds of racing horses and others.  Because some are rare pieces, they are very valuable and highly priced when sold.  They make beautiful accent pieces or are kept under lock in a display cabinet.

Hobbyists never tire of things to collect.  A favorite is the collectible horse.

They come in the form of sculpture in various materials such as bronze or copper.  Some are content with photographs.  But in all cases, they highlight the spectacular form of the moving horse.  It may be in a running stance, up on its hind legs or it may just a bust showing the strong neck.

These pieces are acquired as a décor for the study or the library, especially in western styled homes.  Choose the pose that excites you most and you will treasure it the rest of your life.

Horses are well loved animals. In fact, there are so many horse lovers out there, particularly those who engage in equestrian sports or those who enjoy horseback riding. Horses are strong, loving creatures. They are reliable as farm animals. They are also intelligent and can be trained for equestrian sports.

Their senses are strong and they can respond quickly to changes in their environment. It’s easy to get a gift for any horse lover friend. There are a lot of horse themed gifts to choose from, and you’re sure to find one all horse lovers will appreciate.

A full grown horse is a huge time commitment, especially if you’re interested in riding. It means finding a place to board your animal. It means finding and supplying feed, and it means cleaning out stalls. All of these activities also add up to a massive financial commitment. In short, owning a horse is not the best idea for the casual horse enthusiast. For these reasons, horse owners, more so than most animal lovers, can be fanatical about their pets.

All the horse owners I know choose to express this love of horses through home décor. And that décor can range from decorative, hand painted plates to elaborate horse figurines. Whatever the style or preference of the horse lover, these decorations help to alert others that they’ve entered an equine friendly zone. But these decorations also serve an essential function for the owner. They are constant reminders of the animals they love so well, and this makes the home feel that much more personal.