The early turtle

There aren't a lot of reasons I voluntarily set an alarm for 5:15 AM.

This is one of them.

And so is this.

But painting China turtles?

Absolutely!

Add that to the list.

I am up and bleary eyed. Let's get this party started!

Flashback Friday

Yesterday's Throwback Thursday post was all about the horses of Breyerfest, specifically those stabled at the Kentucky Horse Park during the event.

Laura the Suffolk Punch

Today, we're moving further afield and visiting some of the memorable horses from the famous farms in the Lexington area. First up is the Thoroughbred mare, Rocket Lady, with her 2024 foal. This picture was taken by Tiffany Brite during a trip to WinStar Farm.

Christie Richardson attended this year's event with her husband, Brett. She writes: It was Brett's first time in Kentucky and the only request was to go to Old Friends. Silver Charm is the first horse Brett has ever given a treat to!

Personally, I really enjoyed meeting I'll Have Another there.

Kelly Weimer also enjoyed spending time with Silver Charm. She says: I celebrated my fiftieth birthday on Monday of BreyerFest week and had the best day, including seeing Silver Charm (again)!

Sara Bowman had her picture taken with Tapit at Gainesway...

and Jennifer Betz had an important conversation with Arcangelo at Lanes End Farm. She writes: I was talking to him and I said I have something to tell you. Then I thanked him for my dishwasher. The lady next to me says "what?!" so I had to explain that my new dishwasher was bought with money won wagering on Arcangelo in the Travers Stakes.

Suzanne Combs shared this story about meeting Cody’s Wish and some of his very famous connections: On Saturday morning, my friend Steff and I were in the raffle ticket line at Breyerfest. I was wearing a Cody's Wish cap, which I'd purchased during the Stallion tour at Jonabell Farm. A gentleman approached us and asked about my cap. We said we had just been to see Cody’s Wish and that he - along with Medaglia d'Oro - was the main reason we went there. He handed us two stickers and started to walk away. We looked at the stickers, and they were of Cody Dorman with Cody’s Wish. The gentleman was CodyDorman’s father. The whole family was there. I went after him and said thank you and so sorry for your loss. And found out he loves Wisconsin cheese curds. 

Missy Shaw and her son, Henri, went to Claiborne Farm, where they met the very enthusiastic, Annapolis.

Last but very definitely not least, Chris Wallbruch got to meet "her" Kentucky Derby winner, Authentic, at Spendthrift. 

Thank you so much to everyone who shared photos and stories about their favorite BreyerFest horses. I know it took me a while to get them posted, but I think we can all agree that they were definitely worth the wait!

Throwback Thursday

Diary of a Dinosaur isn't the only post I started and then abandoned this summer. There were several others, including this one about the real horse side of this year's BreyerFest.

I asked everyone to share pictures of their favorite event horses. Claire Close chose Peanut. She explains: Peanut was such a sweetheart and let me love on her. She even posed for a photo!

Danielle Willcutt writes: My son loved Tilly. She was very sweet and loved on anyone that came to her stall. 

He also loved Dante and went back to his stall several times, telling his owner about our horse who’s also named Dante.

Missy Shaw says: Mine was Roy H at the Hall of Champions. 

He’s still obviously new to the retired life, and as spry as you’d expect, but he was so sweet and playful with Henri.

The kid’s favorite was one of the Kentucky Saddle Horses from Rockin R Farm. Her name is K2 and he’s literally carrying a picture of her in his wallet.

Laura, the Suffolk Punch mare who lives in the Kentucky Horse Park's Breeds Barn was a popular choice. Here's a photo by Maddie Miller.

And another by Anne Veeneman-van der Weel

Clearly, Laura is as lovable as she is wide!

Anne's travel buddy, Bobbie Allen, also chose a horse from the Breeds Barn. She writes: This year it was Stryker, though I didn’t get to officially meet him, or even pet him, and he’s not a Breyer horse. 

He was a young Kentucky Saddler gelding at the Breed Barn. For some reason I just really, really liked him.

Stephanie Blaylock singled out Kansas, noting that his owner, Cindy, is the original rescuer of the Blaylock family's pony, Goosebumps!

For reference, here's Goosebumps.

Amanda Bowe couldn't choose just one favorite. Instead, she sent pictures of Alan, "because longears rule!"... 

and Dawn, "because Misty's granddaughter!" 

Jessica Venner had a similar problem. She posted a picture of Buckeye, noting: Probably Buckeye is one of my favorites.

Then she posted another picture with the caption: Athenian Lady was another favorite.

A few minutes later, she shared yet another photo, saying: I don't know. I liked all the horses and mules I met lol. Alan too.

I get it, Jessica. All these horses - and mules! - are wonderful. I wouldn't be able to pick a favorite either!

Diary of a dinosaur

I started this post in June, right after Anna Miller and Anna Kearn's Jurassic Classic Model Horse Show.

Before I could finish it, Olive colicked, and everything kind of went sideways. For more than three months, the post languished, mostly forgotten, in my draft folder. It might have stayed there forever, but yesterday, I needed a picture of model Olive in a Halloween costume.

One thing led to another, and the post has been revived. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Thank you, Karin. This is awesome!

Diary of a Dinosaur

by Karin Hullatti

May 22:Guess I should start prepping for the performance classes at the show in June.

May 23: I have a million things to do. Guess I’ll make a dinosaur costume for a model horse, because I have Priorities.

Also May 23: I somehow got on a list to take a survey about Breyer horses. The woman giving the survey had never heard of the company. She asked, “So you, an adult, collect them, as well as get them for your children?” 

“Yes.” 

“How many do you have?” 

“I don’t know, probably about sixty five-ish traditional scale? Many more stablemates, I haven’t counted them.” 

She asked more questions about buying habits, and I explained that I buy more secondhand than from the company, there is a large collector market, and that Breyer actively encourages customizing so I purchase bodies.

“Bodies?” she asked.

"That is what we call the ones we customize, " I explain.  I can tell she is starting to feel out of her depth, so I added, “Right now I am making a papier-mâché dinosaur costume for one. "

*silence*

May  26: They don’t make inflatable dinosaur costumes in 1:9 scale, so I made my own.

June 1: Whew! Made is home safe and sound from Jurassic Classic up in Cheyenne. I did a lot better than I expected to, and my best girl Princess was Champion of the Dino Performance division with her costume.  It was her first ever live show, and the whole thing was just ridiculous.

Thank you so much, Karin. I love everything about this costume - and this post! - even though it took me three full months to share!

The candy plan, part four

For various reasons, I've fallen behind on my preparations for the performance division at Heather Malone's upcoming Candyland Live show. I didn't work today, so I decided to tackle class nine, Halloween. Obviously, a trip to PetsMart was in order. 

Every year since the pandemic, I have bought a guinea pig costume at PetsMart and turned it into a model horse costume. I don't know why I keep doing this. It's just a thing.

This year, I chose the hot dog.

I got it home and slapped it on Olive. Perfect.

I cut the straps off. Still perfect.

Then I looked at the other side.

Oh, no. That mane is really big.

It's okay, I guess. It's not like I don't have other options.

Some of which are actually really cool.

Still, I feel cheated. I was pretty attached to the idea of hot dog Olive. I've got some thinking to do.