Preparations

Seth and I are expecting a number of out-of-town visitors this week, including our niece, Gray, and two of her barn buddies.

Of course, I want to take them to the barn, and of course, I want Gray to ride Sage again. Except this time, I want it to be a real ride, no lead ropes involved.

But before that happens, I wanted someone else to ride her.

Specifically, someone else who is not me.

So I asked fellow mustang owner, Rain, if he would be interested in giving her a few training rides. He definitely was, and the first one happened this past Sunday.

Before he mounted, Rain started with a little groundwork.

Sage was fine, so he took her to the mounting block...

and climbed aboard.

I held my breath as he asked her to walk forward, but Sage moved out willingly. 

If she had any concerns about being ridden by a stranger, she kept them to herself. 

Sage looked very confident and relaxed with Rain.

That is not to say there weren't a few awkward moments.

Sage is very green and also very opinionated. Of course, there were a few awkward moments.

Still most of the ride looked like this. I was so pleased.

At one point, Sage acted like she wanted to trot. We haven't done that yet, but I told Rain I was fine with it if he was. He definitely was!

The session finished with a series of walk/halt transitions and Sage's first ground mount. All of this went really well.

I can not overstate how much I enjoyed watching Rain work with Sage. I'm so proud of my funny girl, and I'm looking forward to sharing her with Gray!

The Shirmar herd

I'll never forget the first time I visited my friend, Trisha parents' house. There were horses everywhere: On the walls, on the towels, on the toilet seat and, of course, on the shelves. I almost fainted when I walked into the living room and saw what looked like a whole wall of Hagen-Renaker Amirs, Zaras and Zillas.

"Whoa!" I gasped. "Are those...?"

Trish knew where I was going and quickly cut me off. "No," she said matter of factly. "They're knock-offs. My grandma painted them a long time ago."

And for years, that's all I knew about those horses.

Now, thanks  to Kristina Lucas and her excellent Muddy Hoofprints blog, I know a bit more.

In a post dated November 13, 2018, she writes: Decades ago, and for a very short time, a company called "Shirmar" made unglazed castings of several Hagen-Renaker Designer's Workshop molds, including large Zara. They were identical in size to HR's finished products because the HR foreman provided Shirmar with the HR molds, and his personal permission, to make them. This was done without consulting the Renakers, and they subsequently requested all the molds back. 

This explains why no generational size loss has been recorded in Shirmars; they were all first gen. Some were allegedly plaster castings, but some were cast in ceramic and fired to bisque. I have handled a Shirmar that was identified in one HR book as plaster, but it was actually bisque. Collector Laura Behning had a complete family set of Shirmar's renditions of Amir, Zara, and Zilla, and confirmed that they were hollow ceramic, not plaster. 

Shirmar's castings were made for the hobby painting market, just as holiday-themed white bisque and plaster sculptures are sold today, by craft supply shops. However, a telltale sign of a bisque Shirmar is a huge, unplugged pour hole in the belly.

Amir's pour hole

Last month, rather unexpectedly, I became the caretaker for most of the Brown/Welch Shirmar collection.

There are a few Amirs,

a number of Zaras,

and two Zillas.

Most of them aren't pristine.

There are some broken - and in this case, missing - legs.

Also, a couple of the models have been attached to bases.

Trisha told me that this trophy used to have a Gladys Brown Edwards topper. Sadly, that broke so Marie replaced it with one of the Zaras.

The trophy itself was won by Mt View Charmalea in 1970.

Most of the Shirmars aren't dated, but this one - another Zara - is clearly marked 1973.

Although the do very much resemble their HR relatives, these models are thicker, heavier and a little bit coarser.

They clean up nice, so a few are destined to be refinished.

I've dreamed of owning a palomino Amir my entire life.

Others will kept as is, in memory of Marie and Donna.

Eventually, some will probably be re-homed. 

But not yet. 

It's been almost forty years since I first saw these horses. For now, I'm happy having them on my shelves.

National Retro Vintage Month

Good morning! It's finally August, and August is National Retro Vintage Month (NaReViMo).

Founded by Sarah Minkiewicz in 2019, NaReViMo is a month long customizing party, with a vintage style emphasis on having fun and getting it done. I've always meant to participate, but somehow, it never works out. This year, I was determined. While cleaning out my mother's house last March, I found an old broken Proud Arabian Mare and her long missing leg.

"Oh!" I thought to myself. "This would be a perfect NaReViMo project." 

I brought both pieces of PAM back to Colorado and started making plans.

Then, of course, life happened.

Although I'm very specifically not writing about work, I also can not overstate how difficult, complicated and unpleasant this part of my summer has been.

There's no way I will have the time or energy to start - let alone complete - an ambitious old school custom.

Fortunately, I've come up with a really nice Plan B.

NaReViMo rules specify that Repaint Only models are just fine.

And I just happen to have some really nice vintage bodies at my disposal.

It's going to be a busy month, but I think I can do this!

Wish me luck. I'm going to need it!

Pecans

Everyone wants to talk about the Arabians.

Meanwhile, I'm over here saying, "Yes, but have you seen my old/new donkey?"

This is Pecans.

She is an original finish, made in Japan Lefton China.

She came with a handmade packing set by Marie Welch.

There was originally a halter, too, but all of this is some fifty years old. Despite gentle handling, the crownpiece disintegrated when I took it off for cleaning and conditioning. I'll replace it eventually.

Fortunately, the sawbuck saddle and harness are still in fine condition.

I am so impressed with this set. If you told me it was made by a hobby artist in 2026, I would totally believe you. It's that good.

Here's a close up look at the panniers...

and the pecans inside those panniers!

I promise there will be more information about the Shirmars soon, but for now, let's all enjoy the cuteness of Pecans.