Quequinox Art by Janine Haq

 

This guy's been done for awhile now, but waiting for the fall colors to take his official photoshoot was absolutely worth it!

Meet Aki!

Aki means Autumn in Japanese - very fitting for a Kirin, a Japanese Unicorn.

This whimsical medallion was sculpted by the Canadian artist, Janine Haq. She started out sculpting primarily one-of-a-kind Polymer clay sculptures of horses of all types, completely decked out with mohair manes, tails, and feather. Since then, she has entered the realm of sculpting and casting resins.

I first saw her artwork while browsing Etsy about 10+ years ago and have always wanted one of her pieces. So, when I found out that she was releasing her first medallion for her Breyerfest 2021 Sale - I knew I had to get one!

I decided to stick with her whimsical style and added moss, garland, gold glitter, and leaves (yes, those are supposed to be Japanese Maple leaves, but they kind of look like stars).

I did have to do a lot of research on traditional artwork of the Kirin. I found that they always have gold eyes, round pupils, and a yellow/flaxen mane.

I thought this was an interesting angle.

I decided to paint the back in a faux ink painting of a Japanese Maple Tree. The Japanese characters actually say "Aki."

Another neat point of view.

Thanks Janine! Keep up the good work!

Here's her website:

https://quequinoxart.com/home

The Craziness of Life

 

As we all know it, life is crazy and blogging is hard. Crazy as in not updating the blog due to not having the time or energy to do so. Hard as in not being in the mood to write. And then updates are hard - especially if it's been awhile, so the list is long.

As it is, I sold my spinning wheel since I wasn't using it (because I was frustrated with keeping the wheel going the correct direction without un-spinning what I had just spun). It went to a real nice couple who's lives almost nearly mirrored my family's. We talked for well over an hour, two maybe. The money is going to be going for a Zoom Lens that I have been needing to invest in for photographing better action pictures of the 4H Dog Program.

I found out that Peter Stone model horses are hollow. Apparently, they are better at hiding the breathing holes than Breyer.....but they are expertly small that they might get clogged easier - hence the reason why I couldn't find the one on this girl and on my TWH, Porter. This girl is my ICEE project and will be painted for NaMoPaiMo. She'll have a winter coat that is short enough to be tack friendly. Her name is Camilla Rose. She's going to be a Grulla Tobiano and Buster Baxter's mate.

The cats got new beds, because the old ones were beyond cleanable and they refused to sleep in them. However, due to this one's moodiness (and she's spayed!) and that it's the time of year that the sun shines on my floor again (purrfect place for a cat!), one bed is on the floor and the other is on my bed. Lightning has claimed the bed, while the moody one who doesn't want to share with her brother, sleeps in the one on the floor.

It's also cold enough that we set up the cat baskets, too.

I did say cat baskets, right?

Yeah, the old man manages to climb into the cat basket when he's looking for a quiet place to sleep or when the other two beds are taken by Jasper and Merk (Jasper's too big to share a bed, but Merk is right size - just a little too crazy for Sam).

Studio life has been crazy, too. I am working on a couple of commissions and a bunch of sale pieces that I hope I could get finished by an upcoming live show in which I am hoping to be able to attend in the beginning of November.

Of course, one of the commissions piece decided to make this position difficult to achieve in the muscle structure department. He's getting there, though. Just a few more steps before working on his base.

This girl's tail got thicker than I had expected - thankfully, her owner loves it! She is now in the never ending layers of white stage. I have to try and keep myself from "dreaming" about painting her, as I would come back to the studio with unrealistic expectations (I've done this before with a triangle shawl I was weaving - kept dreaming of finishing it when it was still in the beginning stages of weaving!)

Food has been hard and super depressing with being on a grain-free (I can do rice now), dairy-free (testing the shallows), and nightshade-free (or mostly free - still have taco seasoning which has multiple nightshade spices) for aiding healing with my ulcerative colitis. This is my adaption of a burrito: Almond Flour Tortillas, Taco Chicken, Almond Milk Cheese (milk cheeses melt better than oil cheeses - though Coconut Oil Cheese is great un-melted), Cilantro, and Avocado.

I've also been adapting recipes out of one of my favorite cookbooks, the Redwall Cookbook by Brian Jacques (I LOVE THIS BOOK SERIES!!!) This is the Hotroot Sunsalad and it has Parsnips (which taste like carrots), Carrots, and Sweet Potato (supposed to be Jerusalem Artichoke, but where do you find that?! Found out that sweet potato is commonly used as a substitute).

The A & D Photo Show is a themed show on Facebook that specifically has classes for certain molds - OFs and CMs. Which is great! Because that means I could get done some customs on the molds that are themed each month! Now let's see if I can get this guy done by the end of the month.

Or this guy (he just needs to be sealed),

Or this guy. He is colored pencil on an OF base. I really like the original finish, but he had some stuff stuck on him that I couldn't get off. Perfect reason to cover it up through customization! Of course, he needed his white socks to be more white and not yellowed or creamy in this case. He's almost done, too. His name is Raed - pronounced "RAY-dunn" meaning Thunder in Arabic.

Kala is getting her whites whitened - this is the reason why I haven't shown her yet.

Been coming back to pieces, too, and adding some as well. Not all of those are sale pieces - the dog, the Mini Whinnie running full stride Appy, and Raed. Yes, that SM Fuzzy Pony will be for sale!

This guy's been fun....and the simplest of them all! His name's Jack Frost.

Another one I'm returning to. I had originally planned on him being a dun and had a terrible dorsal down his spine. It bugged me so much that I dashed that plan and removed it this past week and started working on his whites again.

Mr. Collecto got some more hairing. Someday, he'll be ready for primer....

Had also been matching up satchels. I finally decided to only make the satchels for the models I create and not for sale separately as I am not sewing on a machine consistently.

Yesterday, I took a different avenue and did some flatwork to try and use up some nice mixtures of blue paints...

Yeah, I have a lot more paint than I had expected, so I painted another one. Can you see them? There's a school of them!

I had also gotten an ad out to try and sell some of the sets I already have made up. Sold a 6-pole set and a 3-pole set so far. They're also a made to order item. 

Finally got around to sewing his name on his satchel - finished Sonya's yesterday, going to do pictures later today.

Also have been working on fun pictures of each sales piece to put on their ID tag. This is Cobalt and he's super cool! Totally want to keep him, but I really need to let go of those catchy, cool ones if I'm going to make this business avenue work.

This is a screenshot of the Breyerfest 2021 Cavalia video performance. Going to be making my own rendition in model horse scale while using Bear (a TWH gelding) since I still don't have a TR scale Friesian!) I was planning on having it completed by the deadline for the Field of Dolls Photo Show Fall show, but wasn't in the mood for hand sewing (yes, hand sewing!), so I'll be working on this outfit hopefully next month and over the new year.

Researching cat hats....

...And making a model cat scale one, too!

Yes, I know I'm insane for sewing something this small out of felt!

(Though, I did find out that crocheting in this scale is beyond my limits!)

Enjoying nature's spirals.

Here's a Bratwurst.

2020-21 Mepsa Champ Box

 

Sorry, it's a little blurry - didn't notice it until after I posted it on the MEPSA FB group (Yes, I posted there before I did here!). I also received the box at the beginning of the month, but since I haven't been in the mood to write - updating the blog has been long since overdue. So, sorry if this all sounds a bit lame and halfheartedly stated, as I am tired and don't want to write at the moment, but knew that I needed to do an update on this subject at some point.

If you want to see which horses placed, you can see them here.

I love how all the ribbons are non-traditional colors for the Champ Show. It's so creative and fun! .....Even more fun when the ribbon for anyone who placed in the Top Ten is your favorite color!

I don't know which prize came with what Grand/Reserve placing or Door Prize, but either way, they're really cool! The Christmas ornaments (which I need to repair as the Candy Cane broke in transit) were donated by Laurel Dedes and made by Penney L. Dodson; my friend, Corina Roberts (an excellent photographer!) donated the Breyer CollectA Foal (now named Spooky Pete - to be "related" to the famous reiner stallion, Spooks Gotta Gun) and the Breyer Paint a Unicorn Blind Bag kit (ended up being the G2 Morgan Stallion - I don't have a unicorn on that mold yet!); and the Breyer Pinto Draft Stablemate was donated by Holly Goldman-Craig.

The Champ Book is absolutely amazing and Elena Lemm did an awesome job on designing it...along with being the show holder for the Champ Show!

One of the things I learned last year about the Writing Contest, is that all the entrants works are published in the Champ Book. This year I decided to write about my photo show experience before I showed with MEPSA. I still think it's pretty cool that Aurelius' near-silhouette picture got the whole page!

(that behind-the-scenes photo of Paint Me A Pepto is supposed to be in portrait format, but I guess that's just how it fit better on the page.......Breyer also posted it that way for the photo "contest" it was in, too).

The Hot and The Cold Combined: Württemberg

 

Old Type

Modern Type

The Württemberg Horse originates from its namesake in Germany. They were first bred in the mid-1500's by Duke Eberhard V the Bearded and Christoph von Württemberg's stud - the very one that became Haupt-und Land-gestüt. The first breedings infused native mares with a mixture of Turkish, Suffolk, Hungarian, and Caucasian stallions. During the Thirty Years War, maintaining the stud taken a setback until the war's end in 1648. It was then when the Barb, Spanish, and East Friesian horses were introduced to the current stock. However, it suffered greatly during the Napoleonic Wars (1799-1815) due to the loss of horses. Later, in the late 1800's, the Arab, Thoroughbred, Anglo-Norman, and Trakehner were introduced. The Württemberg breed society was founded in 1895. However, after WWII, Sporthorses became the desirable steed and tractors took over the plow. The modern type Württemberg began to develop in 1958, by crossbreeding heavily with the Trakehner - with Julmond as the main stud at Marbach (1960). Later in 1979, The Westphalian and the Hanoverian were introduced as reinforcers. Since then, the Thoroughbred, Holsteiner, Oldenburg, and more Trakehner have been used to further develop the new type.

Considered rare due to the rise of the Modern Type, the Old Type Württemberg was originally bred as an all-around horse, with a heavy emphasis in carriage driving and farming. They had a stockier build, resembling that of a Cob and had shorter legs than their modern counterpart. Being bred for sport, the Modern Type Württemberg is leaner, but still maintaining the same average height: 16.1hh; and the Cob-like features.

Both types come in the basic Bay, Black, Chestnut colors; with minimal white markings allowed, such as up to a sock for leg markings and up to a stripe for facial markings.

References:

https://www.horsebreedspictures.com/wurttemberg-horse.asp

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

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/wars_napoleonic.html

"International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds" by Bonnie Hendricks (book)

Fictional Oops That Don't Line Up With Reality.......Or So I Thought

 

Just a few days ago, I decided to check Rainbow's MHOSS entry information, because she was DQ'd for not having a Mustang Breed specified. Weird thing is, she did. But, it's the breed I chose for her and her immediate family based on a theory from a Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron Fandom website; which was the Cayuse...Pony....apparently??? And not considered a Mustang??? Well, from all the information I had previously researched about the Cayuse Pony was extremely inconsistent and confusing as to what type they fall under. Additionally, The Cayuse Tribe is in Oregon. OK, that fits perfectly, since Spirit is based off of the Kiger Mustang, whose range is in Oregon.

Then the rabbit hole started.

So...where does the story is supposed to take place?

In 1800's Oregon.

Ok. But....Oregon doesn't have red sandstone regions - Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico does.

Doesn't a guy in the movie say something about connecting in Utah (had the realization that he is talking about The Golden Spike just now!) when Spirit recognized the land up ahead?

Maybe, I'll have to watch it again to be sure.

And what about Little Creek? The Colonel addressed that he is a Lakota. Wait! Aren't Lakotas apart of the Sioux Tribes?

Yeah, and the Lakotas's territory was in North & South Dakotas, most of Nebraska, East Wyoming, and Southeast Montana. Nowhere near Oregon.

Now, granted, the Native Americans at the time, just like many other cultures around the world, practiced slavery. So, it is possible that Little Creek was taken captive away from his tribe and later found family in an Oregon region tribe (the Cayuse tribe being in Northeastern Oregon).

Now, according to this map of the USA in the 1800's, the Oregon territory is much larger than what it is today. So, locations are closer than you think.

Fair enough. Then, where is this Cimarron place?

Well, there is a Cimarron River that starts and runs through Oklahoma, curves up into Kansas, and ends in Northeastern Colorado. But, now the locations are totally out of whack! Alright, what does the word Cimarron actually mean?

A wild place.

This could be anywhere.

The home of a mustang stallion.

Ok, that makes sense!

Now, back to Rain. Is she or is she not a Cayuse Pony?

According to a facts about Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron article, she is recognized and registered (no, I'm not kidding!!) as an American Paint Horse.

But...the Paint breed wasn't established until 1962, when the registry was formed. Then, what are the possible influencers?

That's when I found the Colonial Spanish Horse. 

The Colonial Spanish Horse was bred by the Chickasaw tribe with the descendants of the original horses brought over by the Spaniards. This horse was one of the influencers of the American Quarter Horse, and therefore, the American Paint Horse (became a separate registry due to the amount of loudly pintoed Quarter Horses). Other than Pinto patterns being present in the breed, one of the key features is the Roman/Convex nose - which links it to the Iberian ancestry. They also are of a smaller build.

Rain is a smallish Pinto (smaller than Spirit, that is) AND has a Roman/Convex Nose!

A perfect match indeed!

Now, where do you put a Colonial Spanish Horse, as far as type goes?

Well, on MHOSS' description for what breeds are accepted in each class (and they classify Mustangs in the Spanish Division, whereas many other shows lump them in with Stock) didn't have the specific term of Colonial Spanish Horse listed. Are there any other names - I wouldn't doubt it!

Yep, Spanish Mustang.

WOW!! All of that roundabout, indirect search ended up being something simple!!

Well, maybe not that simple - comparing body types, colors, locations, and names are not easy. The only mystery left is location. Does the Chickasaw tribe territory come anywhere close to the Lakota and the Oregon Territory? Though, keep in mind that there were a lot of horse thieving and trading among the Native American Tribes - with each other and with the Spanish, French, British, and the Americans.

Not as close as I thought, though, seeing the location makes sense in relation to one event: The Trail of Tears. Apparently, there were more Native American  tribes other than the Cherokee who had adopted the European way of living, owned plantations with African Slaves, practiced Christianity, and created a written language. Unfortunately, despite appearing European (or US American), they were still considered inferior and ordered to start anew in Oklahoma with other tribes - friends and enemies alike.

So, how does this relate to the Colonial Spanish Horse?

The Chickasaw tribe moving, with their horse stock, to Oklahoma. Then, reconsider horse thieving - the Comanche were in most of Texas and the west part of Oklahoma by the 1800's. These superb horsemen were one of the most powerful tribes in North America. So, raiding smaller tribes would cause either horses to be taken by the enemy tribe or have gotten loose in all the panic.

Ok, now we have mustangs. How does this relate to Rain's parents and grandparents?

Well, Dreamworks story behind Rain's grandmother, Bonita, starts out in San Antonio during the Mexican War. She then becomes free and joins a wild herd where Rain's mother, Sierra, is born. What breed Bonita is, would have to be a different discussion as I still have not read that book. However, considering location, she would likely have more of Iberian blood in her ancestry. As far as, how mustang herds travel, they tend to stay in a general region that ranges in size. Though, considering the time period, those regions may have been larger than what they are now. They also likewise had moved further north due to colonization, therefore jumping Native American Territory borders before a horse of almost pure Iberian ancestry through runaways of the Mexican War and The Trail of Tears would even enter the Lakota territory, let alone the Oregon Territory.

Ok, there's Rain's mom's side - what about her dad's?

If Rain has such strong features that link with the Colonial Spanish Horse, then he probably came directly from the Chickasaw in Oklahoma.

I am glad to have figured out Rain's breed officially. 

Next is figuring out how can Spirit be a Dun (or ND1?!) where his parents are supposed to be non-duns with no primitive markings.

Stay tuned in for that analyzation!

References:

https://horseyhooves.com/spirit-stallion-of-the-cimarron-movie/ 

http://www.theequinest.com/breeds/colonial-spanish/ 

http://afs.okstate.edu/breeds/horses/paint/index.html/#:~:text=Decorated%20by%20nature%2C%20the%20origins,horses%20roaming%20the%20Great%20Plains. 

https://www.sport-horse-breeder.com/colonial-roots-quarter-horse.html 

https://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Cimarron-Bonita-Kathleen-Duey/dp/0142300950 

https://www.amazon.com/Sierra-Spirit-Cimarron-Paperback-April/dp/B010EVFAPE/ref=pd_sbs_1/147-0263402-4897131?pd_rd_w=Aiiji&pf_rd_p=8b76d7a7-ab83-4ddc-a92d-e3e33bfdbf03&pf_rd_r=TEXBCA6A6FB8CX1K35JZ&pd_rd_r=08858cef-3936-4bd8-944a-e980060e860c&pd_rd_wg=cN2AN&pd_rd_i=B010EVFAPE&psc=1 

http://www.texasindians.com/comanche.htm 

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Five-Civilized-Tribes 

http://www.albc-usa.org/ChoctawRescue/crColonialspanishhorses.html#:~:text=The%20Colonial%20Spanish%20horse%20goes,and%20weighing%20700%2D900%20pounds.