Horses and Ponies from the Celtic Regions: The New Forest Pony

The last in segment in the Horses and Ponies from the Celtic Regions Breed Studies Series is the New Forest Pony. They have been roaming in the New Forest in southwest Hampshire, England, since before the Roman invasion. The earliest documentation appear on Roman earthenware depicting horsemen approaching the Celtic goddess, Epona, the breeder of horses. These ponies remained in true form until around the nineteenth century, when the Thoroughbred and the Arabian were introduced to improve the breed. The first studbook was founded in 1910. Even though, they roam around like wild horses, most are actually owned by locals. There is an increasing number of New Forest Ponies being bred outside of England, in places such as Australia and Canada. They are used for the family, driving, many competitive English sports, Therapeutic riding, and for basic riding.
Their height ranges from 12hh-14.2hh. Their colors are predominantly Bay and Chestnut. Single Creams, such as Buckskin and Palomino, is allowed in the breed. However, Blue eyes are not desirable in the breed; so double Creams (Perlino and Cremelo) and Pinto patterns are not allowed.

Resources:
"International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds" by Bonnie Hendricks
http://www.theequinest.com/breeds/new-forest/
https://www.petguide.com/breeds/horse/new-forest-pony/
https://www.redshoot-campingpark.com/ever-wanted-know-new-forest-ponies/#:~:text=To%20keep%20the%20breed%20pure,or%20cream%20with%20blue%20eyes.

Horses and Ponies from the Celtic Regions: The Welsh Cobs

The Welsh Pony of Cob type (Section C) and the Welsh Cob (Section D) are more stocky than their other Welsh Pony counterparts, making them more useful for light draft and farm work. The Welsh Cob's origins are still a bit of a mystery even though it was obviously bred to be more horse-like in size; while for the Welsh Pony of Cob type, it is known that the Andalusian and the Cob were used as influencers. Like their founder, the Welsh Mountain Pony, they are an all-around in many different disciplines - preferably in Driving and Jumping. The Welsh Cob were also used in the Welsh militia during the 1400's. The Welsh Cob is also known for their exceptional speed.

The Welsh Pony of Cob type does not exceed 13.2hh, while the Welsh Cob ranges from 14hh-15hh. Both types share the same color ranges as the other Welsh Pony types: Bay, Grey, Chestnut, Black, and Cream. Again, Pinto patterns are not allowed; though it appears in photographs that minimally marked Sabino does occur within all types.

Breyerfest Store Special Stablemate Collection Kochab, could pass as a Welsh Cob/Classic Friesian Cross. The new Friesian mold, in which Kochab is featured on, is sculpted with the tallest, more typical type of Friesian. Of course, the Grey gene is not present in that breed, but it is in all of the Welsh pony types.

Resources:

"International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds" by Bonnie Hendricks

https://www.horsebreedspictures.com/welsh-cob.asp

http://www.theequinest.com/breeds/welsh-d/

Horses and Ponies from the Celtic Regions: The Welsh Pony

The Welsh Pony Section B is the next size up from the Welsh Mountain Pony. All of the Welsh ponies and Cobs share most of the same ancestry as the founding Welsh Mountain Pony, but in developing the different types, other influences were used. The Welsh Pony started out with Welsh Mountain Ponies being crossed with the Hackney. Later, a small Thoroughbred stallion provided influence on the new type. Over the years, the studbook has been re-opened to allow out-crossing to develop a taller, leaner pony. However, they still resemble a larger version of the Welsh Mountain Pony. These ponies were used as the next size up when children grew out of the Welsh Mountain Pony. They, too are an all-around pony.

Their height ranges from 12.2hh-13.2hh. They share the same color ranges as their founder: Bay, Chestnut, Black, Grey, and Cream. While, Pinto patterns are not allowed in the breed, minimally marked Sabinos do occur.

Resources:

"International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds" by Bonnie Hendricks

Horses and Ponies from the Celtic Regions: The Welsh Mountain Pony

The Welsh Mountain Pony is the smallest and the oldest of the Welsh Pony types, which is Section A. These ponies were roaming the mountains of Wales long before the Romans conquered Britain. They are descended from Celtic Horses and possibly the Arabian as well. They have been used as foundations for other breeds such as the Hackney, the New Forest Pony, and the Welsh Pony of Cob type to name a few. They make great first mounts for children because of their gentle personality. Additionally, they could carry small adults as well as children. They are an all-around pony, being trained in various disciplines from English to Western riding to Driving.

The height does not exceed 12.2hh. Their colors are all solid basics: Black, Bay, and Chestnut. Grey is very common in the breed. The Cream gene occurs, but is rare. Pinto patterns are not allowed, however minimally marked Sabinos are present.

Resources:

"International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds" by Bonnie Hendricks

"Eyewitness Handbooks: Horses" by Elwyn Hartley Edwards

https://www.horsebreedspictures.com/welsh-mountain-pony.asp

Ballynoe Castle RM

 I still can't believe that Breyerfest was just last weekend! Even if I felt like I floated through the week, the weekend comes and goes in a blink of an eye. Either way, Ballynoe arrived on Wednesday and I really like him!

 One thing I like to do with the boxes is cut them up to make bookmarks and/or cut out the information on the back as a keepsake. I figured that any model from Breyerfest would be worth keeping pieces of the box.

 I took these pictures Thursday evening, when the shadow from the house covers the entire yard - perfect lighting for photo show photography! I'll have to work a little bit more with him, because his head doesn't like to be in-focus. I have some others who are like that.

 He really has a cute face!

 I know is show side is the other side, but I like this side better. I already entered him in for his first photo show, Silver Star Model Horse Photo Show, a Facebook based show.

I have to admit, I wasn't too into him when Breyer first revealed him. I do like all Bays, but his character didn't really show in their advertisement photo. It wasn't until they started showing actual photos of him in his box was when he started to grow on me. It was primarily his Red Bay coloring - it is so rich and goes great with green! I am plan on decking him out in green tack. I am pleased to add him to my herd!

Horses and Ponies from the Celtic Regions: The Manx Pony

The Manx Pony is an extinct breed from the Isle of Man, but should still be covered since it is descended from the Celtic Horse. Thankfully, they survived long enough to be photographed. Skeletal remains have also been discovered on the island from the time of the Vikings. However, the tack buried with the horse was Celtic in origin. They were used primarily for heavy work; such as: pulling, hauling, plowing, and packing. The last pony died in the late 1800's.
The average size was estimated out to be 13hh. The color was unknown, until an agricultualist named Thomas Quayle documented that their colors were Bay, Black, and Grey. Dark Chestnut has also been documented. 

Resources:
http://asmanxasthehills.com/the-manx-pony-native-isle-of-man-celtic-extinct/

Horses and Ponies from the Celtic Regions: The Garrano

The Garrano is a Portuguese pony breed that is built more like a horse rather than that of a pony. They are very old and have been noted in cave paintings. Even though it does not contain the blood of an Arabian historically (though, the Arabian was introduced in the last century), one of it's key features is a concave (dished) nose. Since the Garrano influenced the Andalusian, some Andalusians have been reported to have a concave nose instead of the typical convex (Roman) nose. It is also thought that the Garrano is the ancestry of the Asturian and the Galician horses. They were historically used for military, pack, riding, and racing. They were introduced to the Americas in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

The height ranges from 10hh-14hh. The colors consist of Black, Bay, Brown, and Chestnut with the exception of white markings.

Resources:
"International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds" by Bonnie Hendricks

Breyerfest Day 3: Could the Stress Level get any Higher?!

Yeah, like seriously? How can these two old guys cause so much trouble? All they do is eat, sleep, bark at people and bikes (and the mailman, and the UPS guy, and the FedEx guy), repeat. Sure, yes, Henry (the red terrier) barks at any given sound, in which stresses Sam (black and white Basset Hound x Queensland Heeler mix) out so much that he whines and trembles. But they usually sleep through the night with no trouble. That is until 1:30 a.m. on Sunday. They were sleeping in my brother's room with both the ceiling fan and the box fan in the window pointed in running. I was suddenly woken up by Henry scratching like mad to go outside. I realized that perhaps a deer ran through our yard and its scent blasted through the window. When I let them back in, Henry was so crazed (he's Jack Russel and Border Terrier) that I had a hard time getting him back to bed. By the time I got back to my bed, from Henry's amped-ness, I didn't fall asleep until almost 4!!! Does it end? No! At 5, Henry wanted out again. He sounded like the cat with the amount of scratching he was doing. I told him stop it and he eventually went back to bed. Then a few minutes before my alarm clock went off, I was thrown out of sleep with a weird dream that I missed my allotted time to buy my Breyerfest SR model. Yeah, I freaked out the cat - but I didn't miss my time. Whew! And that was the start of the last day of Breyerfest! I did eventually tried to get caught up on sleep in the afternoon, but it felt like it didn't do anything. (It's taken this entire week to get my energy back!)

 With the Three-Day ticket, you are allowed to purchase two Special Run models. My top pick were Brighid and Beltane - the American Kerry Bog Pony mare and foal set on the new Welsh Pony molds. Lugh (pronounced lou) was my second choice not because he was a Celtic breed (he's not), but because of that plume in which the name escapes me. It begins with a "G" and I can never pronounce it or spell it correctly. I ended up not getting him, due to lack of funds. Plus, I could always do a custom exhibiting that phenomenon.

 I made sure I was early to the page. They had this awesome countdown to make things less stressful. However, it didn't show my models. After a call with customer service, I found that I needed to re-login instead of staying logged in from the day before. It worked! The lady and the people in the background on the other line also rejoiced, since it had been a stressful weekend of the site crashing several times from SO many Breyerfest participants.

 In the late morning, I checked my paint pallet to see if all the previous day's paint soaked off. Apparently, tube paint isn't as water soluble as craft paint. I had to scrape most of it off and the pallet still didn't come out clean.

 After that I decided really quick that for model horses, I'm going to be using craft paint for the rest of my life.

 I also discovered that color matching is not my cup of tea. I may be really good with color theory, but color matching is too frustrating. If I need a model touched up, I'll have to find someone else who can do it for me.

Porter my Peter Stone TWH was much easier than Seabiscuit, but I still had a hard time getting the color to match just right. At least, his rubs were very small and hopefully they don't show up in a photograph.

Horses and Ponies from the Celtic Regions: The Galician Pony

The Galician Pony is built much like a horse, rather than a pony. They originate in northwestern Spain, in a region called Galicia. Their ancestors are a mix between Celtic and Roman horses. Historically, they weren't just used for riding. Their manes, tails, and forelocks were used to make hair brushes. They were also bred for meat. Today, they still live semi-feral. Each year, there is a festival where all the herds are rounded up to trim their manes, brand them, sell a few, and then turn them back into the wild Galician mountains.
The height ranges from 12.2hh-13.2hh. Their colors include various shades of Bay, Chestnut, and Black - in addition to exhibiting Grey and Tobiano. This breed is also known to amble, but not all individuals inherit the gene.

Resources:
http://www.theequinest.com/breeds/galician-pony/
https://www.horsebreedspictures.com/galician-horse.asp
http://www.second-opinion-doc.com/galician-pony-breed.html

Notes on Cantabria
There are three regions in northwestern Spain: Galicia being the furthest west; Asturia is next; and Cantabria being on the east side of Asturia. I researched if there was a native horse or pony breed of Cantabria that was old enough to come in contact with the Celts, but found none.

Horses and Ponies from the Celtic Regions: The Suffolk Punch

The Suffolk Punch is one of England's oldest horse breeds that has retained its original form. The ancestry has been long lost prior to the 1500's, when the historic records stop. In 1877, the Suffolk Horse Society was founded in order to preserve the breed - especially since all of the current individuals led back to one stallion. They were bred for heavy work, farm, and hauling. It was from hauling matches when the Suffolk horse earned the nickname "Suffolk Punch." Like all heavy work horses, populations dropped with the invention of the tractor. 
The height ranges from 16.1hh-17.1hh. The color is always Chesnut, no other color. And traditionally, Chestnut is spelled without the middle "t." Various shades, small white markings, and miscellaneous light hairs intermixed in the coat are allowed for registration.

Resources:
"International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds" by Bonnie Hendricks

Breyerfest: Day Two

Day two was consisted mainly of grabbing materials together to participate in the Color Matching Workshop, checking the results for the Best Customs Contest, and watching some shows.

I didn't win either of the sections for the Customs contest. Which is a bummer, because I was totally banking on one of my most recent customs, a fuzzy Shetland Pony. He didn't even make the photo collage on the website. However, Sonya did.

The workshop was pretty cool. I went in all confident that I was going to gain valuable knowledge and quite possibly offer the services to other collectors who want their beloved models repaired or touched up.

I decided that I'd take both Saturday and Sunday to touch up Seabiscuit, Cupid, and shhh!...don't tell Breyer I touched up my only Peter Stone model, Porter. On my oldest models, I leave the hooves as is because that shows they were played with once. Cupid was my very first adult Traditional and Seabiscuit was by second. I got them in the same year: Cupid for my 11th birthday and Seabiscuit for Christmas.

I got pretty spent after the workshop - probably from eyestrain. Either way, it was time to feed the goats. I felt like my energy returned for a little bit afterwards.

In the hallubaloo of Breyerfest preparation, I completely forgot to check on the raspberry bushes! We usually have a few handfuls each year, not enough to can jelly. Glad I walked over there - or I would have missed it!

Over dinner and washing dishes, I watched some of the pre-recorded shows. Most of the horse stuff was all similar to Cavalia. The tack was interesting in this one.

They also featured my favorite breed: the Friesian!

So, that was the end of day two.

A weird, tiring day that always feels better when finding your cat looking like he owns the place...and the next door neighbors on all sides'yards....and the three neighbors across the street's yards, too...(we don't like him crossing the street - it's pretty busy!)

One day left

With many more surprises?

I'll leave that story for tomorrow.

Breyerfest: Day One - The Model Horse Photo Show

Day One of Breyerfest was spent by constantly checking my email and scouring the Breyerfest Photo Show Smugmug site to see if any of my 133 entries placed. By the end of the day, I was pretty frustrated and bummed. From what I could see, only two of my horses placed - both relatively low. I could not figure out what was wrong. Sure, some of my photos were overexposed and others' heads were a little dark. But the majority of them had good lighting and crispness. I don't know if my background was too distracted, but I wasn't the only one with a "real" background - thanks to Breyer opening up Breyerfest to all the photo showers as well this year (which includes me! None of my entries placed in the Performance classes, though I could guess as to why: Breyer Dolls versus Custom Dolls. I use Breyer's dolls since I am currently unable to invest in customs dolls. But I really tried to achieve the "WOW Factor" as Jennifer Buxton calls it, but the dolls still gave the entries a lower grade. Though, I had to really remind myself that judging is done at random in regards to the owner of the entry and that each judge has their own preferences and likes. 

I heard about Cindy Lou's class being pinned first. She was the ONLY recent Quarter Horse mold to place in the top ten out of 9 vintage Quarter Horse Stallions (though, there may have been a vintage QH mare, but I don't remember). She placed 8th.

Later in the day was Ezio Trot de Favacho in the other Spanish class. He placed 9th. I've noticed that very few people favor his left side as his show side, most of the other pictures I see of him show his other side like how Breyer advertised him.

And that was the end of day one.

However, on Saturday...

 The results for the Fun classes were posted. Snowman got Honorable Mention in the Fun Costumes class. That's cool!

Still, that's two and a half placings. I was pretty down about that.

Only to find a surprise when the written results came in an email Sunday evening.

 Apparently, I misread Wintersong's placing. I thought he placed 11th, one placing shy of making the top 10. Well, he did. He made 10th place.

 I didn't see Bear at all when looking through all the entries trying to find your own (there were SO, so many! There were 319 entrants and unlimited number of entries - the only rule that applied to number was that you are allowed 2 entries per class). He ended up with placing 8th in the TWH class.

Anybody else?

Nope.

Not even my fuzzy Shetland Ponies placed. But there were other fuzzies who placed in other classes?

Yeah, the photo show was weird.

Horses and Ponies from the Celtic Regions: The Shire

The Shire, the largest horse breed in the world (though, there have been reports for decades of various draft breed individuals exceeding the height of the Shire. It's just common knowledge that the Shire is the biggest). The ancestors are believed to be the "great horse" since they were used for jousting mounts during the Middle Ages in the mainland of Europe. These horses were introduced to England during the reign of King John I (1199-1216). By the time of Queen Elizabeth I, large horses were desired for war. Leaning towards modern days, these horses were used to pull in boats to shore, hauling, farming, and other heavy work. Like other work horses, the Shire's population numbers decreased after WWII with the invention of the tractor. Other influences to the breed were the Friesian and the extinct Flanders Horse.
The height ranges from 16.1hh-17.3hh. They come in all the basic colors: Bay, Black, Chestnut, Grey, and Seal Brown. Their most distinctive markings are caused by the KIT Mutation gene called Sabino. Most individuals are minimally to moderately marked with crisp edges - which are caused by the Sabino1 gene. Some can be completely solid in color with no white patterns. It is not uncommon for a Shire to be both Grey and Sabino.
Breyerfest 2020 Special Run Ash portrays the breed perfectly with the correct coloring and choice of mold.

Resources:
"International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds" by Bonnie Hendricks

Horses and Ponies from the Celtic Regions: The Haflinger

Again, I include an Austrian breed due to the fact that the Celts originated there and quite possibly touched the Haflinger's ancestors.

The ancestors of the Haflinger were isolated from other breeds due to the terrain in which they inhabited in Tyrol, Austria. Their exact origin is unknown, but it is thought that the Byzantine troops drove them into the region. They were historically Arabians that crossed with the native mountain ponies. Later, the Arabian was reintroduced into the breed in the 1800's. They are used for a variety of different disciplines that include both English and Western saddle. They make great carriage ponies, too.

The height ranges from 12.3hh-14hh. The color inhibits all shades of Chestnut and Sorrel (genetic Sorrel: Chestnut + Pangare) and no other color.

Resources:

"International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds" by Bonnie Hendricks

Horses and Ponies from the Celtic Regions: The Shetland Pony

The Shetland Pony originates from the Shetland Islands north of Scotland. This pony's ancestors have been around since before the arrival of the Celtic Pony; in which they eventually crossed with as well as ponies from Scandinavia. Their plentiful numbers on the islands suddenly changed in the 1800's when Parliament prohibited children from working in the mines. So, the Shetland Pony took their place due to their small, compact stature. They soon became high in demand for work in other mines. The ones that remained on the islands were used to carry peat with a special pack saddle called the Klibber. They are also favored for driving and first mounts for children. Shetland Ponies have been exported all over the world. In the U.S.A., lives a leaner version of the Shetland Pony.

The height ranges up to 10.2hh (42"). Their colors include all solid colors - including dilutes. They also exhibit all the KIT Mutation genes (Tobiano, Frame, Splash, and Roan). Their most exclusive color that only is present in their breed is Mushroom (pictured above). The base color for Mushroom is surprisingly Chestnut. It is also recessive, so in order to get one through breeding, both parents would have to be Mushrooms or carriers.

Breyerfest 2020 Online Auction model Lot #2 is a Traditional Glossy Silver Bay (does occur in breed) Tobiano Shetland Pony.

(***picture coming soon***)

Resources:

"International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds" by Bonnie Hendricks

https://www.horsebreedspictures.com/shetland-pony.asp

Breyerfest Week

It's finally here!

Breyerfest officially starts tomorrow.

I really hope I could keep my motivation good, since it has been dropping from being mentally drained from all the prep-work.

At least, we're all at home and don't have to fuss with Kentucky's climate if you had never experienced it before. We don't have to run from one place to another to get in the right line. I must sound like I've been there, but I haven't. I only know from other people's experiences. If I ever go in person, I don't know how long I'll last. I'm sure it would be like going to the county fair all day, all three days. My brain is usually fried by the last day.

But, I am excited for the Photo Show results.

And the Customs Contest results.

That's where all my energy when into.

After this weekend, I can take a break, get caught up on the blog, sell some customs, finish other projects, buy a new pair of glasses (I really need them!)...

All before I start back up again with customizing and possibly offering commissions for my Fuzzy Ponies.

Breyerfest, here we go!!!

Horses and Ponies from the Celtic Regions: The Haflinger

The ancestors of the Haflinger were isolated from other breeds due to the terrain in which they inhabited in Tyrol, Austria. Their exact origin is unknown, but it is thought that the Byzantine troops drove them into the region. They were historically Arabians that crossed with the native mountain ponies. Later, the Arabian was reintroduced into the breed in the 1800's. They are used for a variety of different disciplines that include both English and Western saddle. They make great carriage ponies, too.

The height ranges from 12,3hh-14hh. The color inhibits all shades of Chestnut and Sorrel (genetic Sorrel: Chestnut + Pangare) and no other color.

Resources:

"International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds" by Bonnie Hendricks

Horses and Ponies from the Celtic Regions: The Abtenauer

The Abtenauer is the smallest variation of the Noriker, but lighter in bone. They are bred in Abtenau Valley, Austria. They are well-known for their trotting ability that flows with every stride. These draft horses are used for work in the mountain forests. Researchers think that the ancestors are horses the Greeks left in the valley when they were no longer of  use.

The height ranges frm 14.3hh-15hh. The colors accepted by breeders are Black, Chestnut, and Roan; while Leopard Complex is not. The foals are born with an unique curly coat that is shed when the foal gains his adult coat. There is no official registry and very little information known about this breed. They are also considered rare.

Resources:

"International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds" by Bonnie Hendricks

http://www.theequinest.com/breeds/abtenauer/

Horses and Ponies from the Celtic Regions: The Noriker

The Celts actually didn't originate from Spain, France, or the British Isles. They really came from the Alps region, therefore northern Italy, Austria, Switzerland, and Luxembourg. The first writings about the Celts were by the Greeks and Romans, stating that they were fair skin, had yellow hair, and blue eyes. Both the Greeks (5th & 4th century B.C.) and the Romans (390 B.C.) were attacked by the Celts.

The Noriker originates in Austria, but their ancestors were bred by the Greeks in Thessaly, northern Greece. They were used as heavy war horses; which later were used by the Romans, who then introduced them to the Austrian region. It was here where the Noriker continued to breed and thrive. They are the only European draft breed that lives in an untouched environment from the outside world. Today, they are the ideal work horse for the Austrian Forest, because they are surefooted and sturdy. They are still very popular in Austria today.
The height ranges from 15.1hh-16.3hh. The colors are Bay, Black, and Chestnut. They can be solid color, a Pinto pattern (Tobiano or Framed Overo), True Roan, or a Leopard Complex pattern.
Breyerfest 2020 Special Run Oak perfectly resembles the Noriker since the new Georg mold has very little feather on his fetlocks, lining up with the Noriker breed standards.

Resources:

"International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds" by Bonnie Hendricks

"The Timetables of History: The New Third Revised Edition" by Bernard Grum

https://www.ancient.eu/article/1401/the-celtic-invasion-of-greece/

Horses and Ponies from the Celtic Regions: The Irish Sport Horse

The Irish Sport Horse is a cross between the Irish Draught and the English Thoroughbred. They were bred for foxhunting, jumping, and eventing. This crossbreed is in high demand worldwide.

The height ranges from 16hh-17.1hh. All solid colors are accepted. Patterns of white are not allowed in the breed - except for the Grey gene.

Breyerfest 2020 Celebration Model Ballynoe Castle RM is in-fact an Irish Sport Horse in real life. The Single Day Ticket SM Special Jersey can pass for an Irish Sport Horse due to the Thoroughbred stature of that mold.

Resources:

"International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds" by Bonnie Hendricks

Horses and Ponies from the Celtic Regions: The Irish Draught

 The Irish Draught originates from Ireland, of course. They were developed more towards the eighteenth century when Irish farmers needed a farm horse to pull the plow that was different from their British counterparts: the Shire and the Clydesdale, since the feather (extra hair on the lower legs) collected burrs and stickers, they weren't of use in Ireland. In turn, horses of a heavier build from Ireland's own stock were selected to develop an all-around horse with a good temperament. In WWI, the Irish Draught was the most favored because they had no feather on their lower legs and they could do anything from in saddle to cart pulling. Their population grew until the 1940's and 50's when the tractor took over the farms. The Irish Draught Horse Society was established in 1976.

Their height ranges from 15.2hh-17hh. Any solid color is accepted, except for "Clyde" markings (the typical Sabino1 pattern in Clydesdale Horses, where the white extends higher than the knees and hocks).

Breyerfest 2020 Online Auction model Lot #8 is a Dappled Grey on the Cleveland Bay mold (***photo coming***). This mold has been used twice before for the Irish Draught with the portrait model: O'Leary's Irish Diamond; and The Best of the British Series.

Resources:

"International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds" by Bonnie Hendricks

Horses and Ponies from the Celtic Regions: The Gypsy Vanner Horse

The Gypsy Vanner horse wasn't developed until the mid-eighteen hundreds in the British Isles by the Romanichals (Gypsies) to pull their decorated wagons all over Europe. They are considered a small draft horse/heavy carriage breed. It wasn't until after WWII when they became popular in the world. The Welsh Cob, Dales Pony, Fell Pony, Shire, and Clydesdale helped create the modern Gypsy Vanner Horse. Several registries began in 1996. They are known as the Irish Cob in the UK and Ireland, the Tinker in Europe, and The Gypsy Vanner in the U.S.

The height averages around 14.2hh. All solid colors, most Pinto patterns, and recently the Leopard Complex. The Pinto Gypsy Vanner was going strong until after WWII, when solid colored horses became the desire. They are also known to carry the Pearl Gene in some families. And it is not unusual to see a Gypsy Vanner with pattern combinations between two Pinto patterns (Tobino, Tobiano/Splash, and Splash/Sabino being the most common).

Breyerfest 2020 Store Special Faugh-A-Ballagh, Diorama Contest prize Feis, and Single Day Ticket Special Orkney are all perfect examples of the Gypsy Vanner Horse.

Resources:

horsebreedspictures.com/gypsy-horse.asp

Horses and Ponies from the Celtic Regions: The Icelandic

The Icelandic Horse is a-matter-a-fact Celtic in origin. Their ancestors were brought to Iceland from the British Isles by the Norse (the vikings from Norway). Due to the island's isolation, the Icelandic has been preserved in its pure form for thousands of years prior to modern transportation; in which to continue preservation, no other animal is allowed to enter the country. They also prohibit any animals that have left the island to return in case they bring outside diseases that haven't touched Iceland yet. The Icelandic is most known for their gaited abilities such as the Tölt and the Flying-Pace. They are used primarily for under saddle and are extremely surefooted.

The height ranges from 12.3hh-13.1hh. Though they are small in stature, they are very much like a normal sized horse at heart and should never be considered a pony - and don't tell the Icelandic people that their horse is a pony either. They exhibit all solid colors and most Pinto patterns including the new strain of Dominant White through the stallion, Ellert, born in 2010 with W21.

Resources:

"International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds" by Bonnie Hendricks

Horses and Ponies of the Celtic Regions: The Andalusian

***Note: Not a Celtic breed, but an Influencer***

Known as one of the oldest breeds in the world, the Andalusian has influenced many breeds including those of the British Isles. Historically, they were used primarily for battle and general riding horses, these horses hail from Andalusia, Spain. Modern uses include performance, showing, and general riding. It is thought that their convex (Roman) nose was inherited by the introduction of the Barb, but researchers have found that the Andalusian portrayed such a feature many years before. Their popularity declined in the early 20th century due to a change in breeding methods; until 1962, when some individuals were exported to America and Austrailia.

The height ranges from 15.1hh-15.3hh. Common colors are Bay, Black, Chestnut, and Grey. However, they also exibit the Cream Gene (1 allele: Buckskin, Smokey, and Palomino. 2 alleles: Perlino, Smokey Cream, and Cremelo), the Dun gene, and the Pearl Gene (a glossy, metallic coat which gene is present on the Cream Gene).

Breyerfest 2020 Three-day Ticket Raffle Prize, Dyflin, is done on the Esprit mold - an Andalusian body type. The ancient Andalusian has influenced the following breeds of the Celtic regions: Noriker, Shire, Clydesdale, Highland Pony, Dales Pony, Fell Pony, New Forest Pony, Connemara Pony, Galician, Irish Draught, Welsh Cob, and the Breton.

Resources:

"International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds" by Bonnie Hendricks

"Eyewitness Handbook: Horses" by Elwyn Hartley Edwards
http://www.theequinest.com/breeds/andalusian-horse/

Horses and Ponies From the Celtic Regions: The Asturian

There are three providences in northern Spain that historically are Celtic regions. Unfortunately, their languages are extinct to the modern world, so they aren't officially apart of the Celtic Regions of today. The Celts who eventually traveled to Ireland and then to Scotland, are actually from these regions; while the Celts of Britain are from Brittany, France. These differences of region of origin is the most noticeable when comparing the Irish and Scottish with Welsh languages.

The Asturian originate from northwestern Spain, in a small region called Asturia - which is sandwiched between the Galicia (west) and Cantabria (east) providences. This hardy pony is known for their ambling gait, a trait that has been traced through the ancient Celtic Pony to both the Icelandic Horse and the Spanish Jennet. The breed is primarily living in a feral condition. They were once on the edge of extinction, but a new breed association was able to prevent that.
The height ranges from 11.2hh-12.2hh. The only two colors that have remained in the breed are Black and Bay. In relation to the image above, Pangare (or Mealy) is a common modifier gene in the ancient horse that lightens the muzzle, around the eyes, and underside to a whitish-flaxen color. It affects both Bay and Chestnut, though in modern days, there hasn't been any connections made between Black, Pangare, and Seal Brown - an old assumption.

Resources:
"International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds" by Bonnie Hendricks