What is the most promising 2014 Schleich horse?

cattlecollector wrote:

Ana wrote:

For me Shetland pony mare, their style fits well with Shetlanders  

I was thinking that too, until I saw the heart engraved on her side.    

I didn't see that heart either, - OHH, NO !!!!!  

Shetlands are dwarf horses, but in their heart they are Shires ! They have heaps of personality, and they shold never bee treated as cute, little toy-creatures.
It is a disgrace and horror and cruel and....  
Further they can become enormously dominant and even dangerous to children, if they are not handeled as horses.
What nasty ting to teach little, horsey girls !!!! 

Dum_my wrote:

For everybody who hate/loves the arabian mare, for its look... I have found the real one! 

In my opinion biggest issue of the model isn't the pose choice but how is it made: proportion and shapes aren't good, are not realistic.  And I'm not against braids, pink color or whatever as long as the proportion and anatomy look possible.
Let's compare. Look how neck is attached to the body in real horse. The toy look like wooden carousel horse from XIX century, which wouldn't be bad if not the fact lots of people will pretend this is realistic, while it is highly stylised vintage. Look at the muscles around head and how thin is this place in schleich mare. Now compare proportion, especially small body of schleich toy and how long is the neck compared to short body. Now we don't even have to compare how oversized are legs and how strange is this tail but these elements surely don't help her. I'm sorry, for me this model is disaster. And I love real Arabian horses, their beauty is astonishing.
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Here is strange picture but it explains, I hope, what I mean. The body length is exactly the same, look how oversized are all other body elements of Schleich figure. I hope you don't think I wanted to be unkind, I just think it's good to know that realism is more then "more or less similar" , it's very complex thing and proportions are one of the most important elements in that. They vary in different individuals but not THAT much.

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Great explanation, Anna! Unfortunately this "Carousel Princess" will be a big seller!
I don't like when people dress up animals, I also don't like braids, but I absolutely hate bows, ribbons and other crap people put on animals. Why can't they just leave them as they are naturally?

SUSANNE wrote:

cattlecollector wrote:

Ana wrote:

For me Shetland pony mare, their style fits well with Shetlanders  

I was thinking that too, until I saw the heart engraved on her side.    

I didn't see that heart either, - OHH, NO !!!!!  

Shetlands are dwarf horses, but in their heart they are Shires ! They have heaps of personality, and they shold never bee treated as cute, little toy-creatures.
It is a disgrace and horror and cruel and....  
Further they can become enormously dominant and even dangerous to children, if they are not handeled as horses.
What nasty ting to teach little, horsey girls !!!! 

Yes, I know what you mean! That's right! Shetlanders have quite a characters and sometimes can become dangerous indeed, especially if someone imagine they are plush toys.    
However for me braids and decorations don't have to be sign of lack of respect. I think it may  be sign of being crazy about certain animal. Sometimes when someone thinks the horse is beautiful he/she may want to do all what possible to decorate horse more and show it. For many reasons, for fun, for additional effect, for the photos etc.
I've found very nice movie with a girl crazy about her Haflinger, she shaved stars on his hindquarters    But she surely know how to spend time with her fellow without disrespect      Enjoy   
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I think liking or not liking decorations of this type is rather a matter of taste. But it doesn't hurt animal like cutting ears or tails for example. And also it's sometimes a good occasion for owner to spend some more time with animal. Horses usually like additional attention from owner, many of them love brushing, little massage and also let people to braid their manes. But of course anyone can dislike these effects too, just like any other decorations can be liked or not. I'm sorry for talking too much     

I must say I agree completely with Ana about horse conformation. When I watched the picture Dum-my posted here I've found it only as a decorative and pose comparison because body conformation, proportions and muscular expressions are completely different. ana already explained it brilliantly. It is evident that Schleich knows that their main customers are much more atracted by decorative aspects than by questions of accuracy.
Honestly I find the real animal here posted a very nobble creature and decoration doesn't hurt me at all while the Schleich looks a cartton from a kids movie. I know that it is always accentuated on catalogue pictures and that in real it won't look as silly but hardly it will turn in a good replica of an Arabian mare. Will it sell? Of course.
The real actually remembers me a lot some Breyer horses instead.

Carola wrote:

Could also be interesting to find the most realistic looking of all the Schleich horses.  

You mean all Schleich horses ever released?
Polls are quite interesting but sometimes they turn the board quite boring, the participation on this poll is particularly interesting anyway.
If you mean all we need a preliminary topic to choose the most popular to put in a poll. Like we did before when choosing a figure to Mojo 2012 range. :)

Ana summed up exactly my own feelings with this figure. It's not the pose I have a problem with, actually I appreciate Schleich taking a step outside the ring of the static poses. The proportions are completely off, and that is what I dislike about the figure. Schleich horses usually do have large heads, which I have gotten used to, but this one has much more than just a large head. It is obvious Schleich is heading into more of a "horsey girls" target rather than realism for collectors or those preferring more realistic replicas rather than cute toys. I love the Arabian breed - they are one of my favorites. But with a figure like this it's hard to find any part of it that represents the breed.

Very good analysis Anna, it really shows how incorrect this Carousel Lady is I agree, her design, with bows and colour wouldn't hurt a bit, if just she was anatomically correct.
(And what a beautiful Haflinger video. What a magnificant creature! )

Roger wrote:

the Schleich looks a cartton from a kids movie.

I dare say, even Cartoon horses will have more accurate anatomy than the Schleich mare...

Roger wrote:

Carola wrote:

Could also be interesting to find the most realistic looking of all the Schleich horses.  

You mean all Schleich horses ever released?
Polls are quite interesting but sometimes they turn the board quite boring, the participation on this poll is particularly interesting anyway.
If you mean all we need a preliminary topic to choose the most popular to put in a poll. Like we did before when choosing a figure to Mojo 2012 range. :)

Yes, of ALL Schleich horses
I think of a discussion thread, with photos and agrumentations by participants. A thread of investigation and hopefully surprises and discoveries :-) Sounds like the primary topic and thereafter a poll of the most popular could be a good way!
Maybe had to be devided in categories like : warmblood, coldblood and ponies.

the shetland pony has a heart on its fur

I actually meant to say that the 'real' arbian i posted was 'i think' what schleich was going for. BEFORE they tought: maybe we can make this "cute" and make it like a corosel horse

Dum_my wrote:

I actually meant to say that the 'real' arbian i posted was 'i think' what schleich was going for. BEFORE they tought: maybe we can make this "cute" and make it like a corosel horse

Oh, now I understand what you wanted to say I'm sorry for talking that much in such case  
But anyway, maybe that small comparison may be useful for anyone, I will not delete the post about it

Non takin at that point :) i did understand why you posted it and i'm not offended ore something No hard feelings

I seriously wonder what happened to the Schleich artists who sculpted beautiful models like these:
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- With dynamic poses and good proportions... I can't believe it's the same artist crew who sculpted the new ones... but when did they take over... witht the 2010 releases maybe?

I just ponder.

@Carola: They forbid him to enter the Schleich building along with the person who made the dogs!   
Hmmm and who's lurking from the side?

Carola wrote:

Roger wrote:

Carola wrote:

Could also be interesting to find the most realistic looking of all the Schleich horses.  

You mean all Schleich horses ever released?
Polls are quite interesting but sometimes they turn the board quite boring, the participation on this poll is particularly interesting anyway.
If you mean all we need a preliminary topic to choose the most popular to put in a poll. Like we did before when choosing a figure to Mojo 2012 range. :)

Yes, of ALL Schleich horses
I think of a discussion thread, with photos and agrumentations by participants. A thread of investigation and hopefully surprises and discoveries :-) Sounds like the primary topic and thereafter a poll of the most popular could be a good way!
Maybe had to be devided in categories like : warmblood, coldblood and ponies.

I find it interesting. The good participation of this poll shows that it is an appreciated subject. I only don't know if these categories are widely understood and that everyone can discuss under these parametters. Even when you think in what is a pony, you can have some doubts, for example, when a Fjord is a pony and an Icelandic is a horse it is hard to understand the real border between them.
So Carola, if you want, you open the discussion topic and make the introduction of the subject and I can make the poll or polls when needed.

@Rogerio  Will there be a poll about the best of 2013 releases? I think it would be great to give some figurine the title: STS figurine of the year! and then also tell that to the brand that made it.

bojan wrote:

@Rogerio  Will there be a poll about the best of 2013 releases? I think it would be great to give some figurine the title: STS figurine of the year! and then also tell that to the brand that made it.

i like the idea  

Sartje wrote:

bojan wrote:

@Rogerio  Will there be a poll about the best of 2013 releases? I think it would be great to give some figurine the title: STS figurine of the year! and then also tell that to the brand that made it.

i like the idea  

Me too

Schleich_Figures_4U wrote:

Sartje wrote:

bojan wrote:

@Rogerio  Will there be a poll about the best of 2013 releases? I think it would be great to give some figurine the title: STS figurine of the year! and then also tell that to the brand that made it.

i like the idea  

Me too

But there are SOOOOO many choices...   

bojan wrote:

@Carola: They forbid him to enter the Schleich building along with the person who made the dogs!   
Hmmm and who's lurking from the side?

Ow, that's a shame really   Someone who's always lurking!  

Roger wrote:

Carola wrote:

Roger wrote:

Carola wrote:

Could also be interesting to find the most realistic looking of all the Schleich horses.  

You mean all Schleich horses ever released?
Polls are quite interesting but sometimes they turn the board quite boring, the participation on this poll is particularly interesting anyway.
If you mean all we need a preliminary topic to choose the most popular to put in a poll. Like we did before when choosing a figure to Mojo 2012 range. :)

Yes, of ALL Schleich horses
I think of a discussion thread, with photos and agrumentations by participants. A thread of investigation and hopefully surprises and discoveries :-) Sounds like the primary topic and thereafter a poll of the most popular could be a good way!
Maybe had to be devided in categories like : warmblood, coldblood and ponies.

I find it interesting. The good participation of this poll shows that it is an appreciated subject. I only don't know if these categories are widely understood and that everyone can discuss under these parametters. Even when you think in what is a pony, you can have some doubts, for example, when a Fjord is a pony and an Icelandic is a horse it is hard to understand the real border between them.
So Carola, if you want, you open the discussion topic and make the introduction of the subject and I can make the poll or polls when needed.

Thank you Roger, i will hopefully  Yes, there will be problems with the Pony or not pony thing... bu I do believe there is a truth fact about determining ponies? Got to ask the experts here. Could also just be ALL horses, but then foals seperated.

- And good idea, Bojan has, with an overall poll for best 2013 release. I vote for that too :)

Carola wrote:

And good idea, Bojan has, with an overall poll for best 2013 release. I vote for that too :)

Yes, I think we can have a discussion per brand, then pick one or two from each brand in a poll, and put them all together in a final poll to find best figure of the year.  But do you mean 2013 or 2014 release?

Schleich_Figures_4U wrote:

Carola wrote:

And good idea, Bojan has, with an overall poll for best 2013 release. I vote for that too :)

Yes, I think we can have a discussion per brand, then pick one or two from each brand in a poll, and put them all together in a final poll to find best figure of the year.  But do you mean 2013 or 2014 release?

I think Bojan ment 2013? Then we make one for 2014 releases when time comes..   

Of course the 2013 releases! From those main brands only some Mojo's are missing, but they're coming at the end of this month, so we could start the poll in the mid December til the end of the year.

OK, your ideas are completely lined with what Christophe suggested a long time ago. I was not sure our votations were enough participated but the result is interesting here and more important is that people is interested. We'll study a way to find the best 2013 release, hopefully missing Mojo will arrive soon.

Roger wrote:

..... Even when you think in what is a pony, you can have some doubts, for example, when a Fjord is a pony and an Icelandic is a horse it is hard to understand the real border between them.

That is because a Fjord is a horse, too  

Fjords, Haflingers, Iceys, small Arabians and other natural, old breeds are horses.
If we go back , say, 1000 years, almost all horses were the size of these small horses

If it was correct, a pony is a dwarf-horse, like the shetlands etc.
But with horse competitions for children of the 20th century, they had to make a line between "Horse" and "Pony", and chose 1,50 metres over the shoulder.
I think it originated from England .

It is as such an artificial line, but ok for competitions, but does not suddenly change the original horses into ponies

SUSANNE wrote:

Roger wrote:

..... Even when you think in what is a pony, you can have some doubts, for example, when a Fjord is a pony and an Icelandic is a horse it is hard to understand the real border between them.

That is because a Fjord is a horse, too  

Fjords, Haflingers, Iceys, small Arabians and other natural, old breeds are horses.
If we go back , say, 1000 years, almost all horses were the size of these small horses

If it was correct, a pony is a dwarf-horse, like the shetlands etc.
But with horse competitions for children of the 20th century, they had to make a line between "Horse" and "Pony", and chose 1,50 metres over the shoulder.
I think it originated from England .

It is as such an artificial  line, but ok for competitions, but does not suddenly change the original horses into ponies

Finally an explanation that sounds logical :cheers:I've always heard the theories about ponies and horses and books always tell it has something to do with the height
Thanks for the information Susanne