Contact Us:

Nicole Ferreira

Artisan

pinebarstables@zoomshare.com

About the Artist:

I have been collecting model horses and designing tack, blankets, and costumes for them since I was young. When I first got started at seven years old, it was the simple, rough, hand-sewn blankets and metal jewelry. My blankets progressed to having edging and ribbons, buttons, and even occasionlly the horse's name. From there, I started experimenting with English bridles and saddles. One Christmas, my mom gave me a Breyer "Make Your Own English Saddle" set. For a while, I played with making saddles similar to Breyer's method, but I found that they weren't very realistic and that more realistic, hand-sewn saddles could be made. I began studying real saddles and bridles and the tack sets that other hobbyists had made. I even found a book that talked some about how real saddles were made in the local library. With a lot of expereimenting, I began to create "Live Show Quality" tack. However, I then began to find that tack wasn't the most interesting thing to make. Every English dressage or hunter saddle looked basically the same. Somewhere around that time, I began to visit the library, looking at histroical horses' costumes. The wide variety that I found there quickly interested me. I started a line of such costumes specifically for Breyer's stablemates.

My favorite pieces to make have become the costumes, since each one comes out slightly different. I spend a lot of time researching each piece and then I carefully recreate it, working out the varying details. Fantasy costumes, such as my unicorn costume and Poseidon chariot and sea horse set, are fun to create, too. I take the whole costume completely out of my imagination, adding realistic details and adjusting it so that you could really use it on a real life horse.

Many of the pieces you will see listed are for Stablemate scale model horses (3" x 4"). I enjoy working with the tiny details of this size because the pieces seem to reflect the delicacy of the model horses themselves.

Aside from the tack, I also remake and repaint Breyer's horses. I do not yet have any photos of those horses up yet (none are currently for sale). Like most hobbyists, I use oils for the body and acrylics for the details.

Ordering information:

Payment by cash or check; I can also take payment through Paypal. Please contact me first!!! Money is due before I send you the tack/costume/other item via mail. I do have a limited "warranty" on my art. Meaning, if it's badly packed and breaks or doesn't fit your model, you can return it for a full refund (you pay shipping). I do not gauarntee anything to be LSQ since that is an entirely subjective title and largely subject to what the judges prefer. What you see on the site is what you get; if you want to see more photos, email me, please.