Modelling horses: are we all missing something?

[Takahe]

Hi to everyone.

Sorry if this topic has arisen before, but I've done a search and can't find anything.

I've got a general question on modelling horses. It was prompted partly by my recent visit to EuroMilitaire, partly by receiving an excellent Victory Miniatures 120mm mounted figure to review for a modelling website, but mostly by a conversation with a vet (veterinary surgeon) who was looking at some of my figures.

The basic question is: why do modellers spend days, sometimes weeks, modelling and painting a horse, trying to portray the animals as accurately as they can, yet shy away from the fact that horses, both male and female, possess genitals?

Now, there is nothing perverted, sinister or strange in this question; as my vet friend pointed out, you can sex a real horse easily from a distance, so why do model horses available commercially appear sexless? Also, why do we, as accomplished modellers, not add theses missing parts with milliput/filler/whatever material you use? Following my friend's comments, I attended EuroMiliatire and, indeed, nearly all of the wonderfully finished horses were without what nature provided. I cannot believe that adding these body parts to get better accuracy would in anyway diminish or lead to the model being disqualified.

I would be interested in the serious views of modellers and manufacturers out there - I appreciate this question could provoke humour or disdain, but it is something I have thought about quite a bit and would like some feedback on.

Cheers

Robin.

 

[housecarl]

Good point(no pun intended).
Carl.

 

[gordy]

Never thought about it... good point as Carl said -

 

[Sambaman]

There was a thread recently about painting a horse, one of the first steps was adding the male genitals. I'll see if I can't find it. But yeah, you're right, we have some sort of androgynous streak goin' on with the equine set in figure modeling. LOL!

Jay H.

Found it! Thought this was both interesting and pertinnent to this thread: http://www.planetfigure.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36226&highlight=horse

 

[1969]

I have also noticed this with the very limited number of horses i have worked with within the hobby. I just recently finished a conversion on a 90mm horse and i was quite surprised that this horse actually had a set of testicles but no penis and the testicles were under scaled.

I am very keen to get into horse sculpting and i will be adding all essential parts

My only guess can be that sculptors assume that by adding the genitals that they may offend some people.

Steve

 

[BarrieHynd]

Got the Border Miniatures mounted Reiver on the bench and the horse in that kit comes with seperate male parts to be added if you wish and at Euro got Andrea 90mm monted Templar and the same applies to that kit.

Barrie.

 

[chippy]

Because I'm shy and had a sheltered upbringing ?
Do you know I've never give this any thought, although 30% of my kits are mounted figures I've just used the kits as they come . In the future I'll give this more thought . Don't forget many stallions were gelded to reduce the natural urges .
chippy

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Wouldnt it be easy for manufacturers to have that as a separate piece leaving it up to the modeler to be attached or not?

And the prudish will end up having a great collection of horsec***s in the spare parts box.

Cheers
Janne Nilsson

 

[Takahe]

Remember the mares.......

An interesting series of replies so far. One thing that has not been mentioned so far is the genitalia of a mare. This would be easy to model, as would the addition of the nipple(s). This is what I am going to try myself first in my next horse model.

I'd love to hear from anyone who has ever judged a mounted figure class at a show. If one horse model had male or female genitalia added, would this affect the scoring of the model, be it in the areas of accuracy or acceptability? How would it affect other "asexual models" of horses also in the class? If they were otherwise of equal modelling standard, animation and painting, would the horse with added genitalia be the best there?

More views, folks!

 

[Blind Pew]

I reckon there's things when depicted in miniature just look weird. These are firmly in that category.
Another example is the fact that hoses come in dozens of colours, but this is almost never the case in modelling.

 

[Jim]

I've done a couple of mounted figures and I've always sculpted the genitalia, usually for a stallion (for that manly look!).
;-)

Any mounted projects in the future will also have genitalia - be they male or female. It's my opinion that, like a lot of items that we put into our projects, the 'sexing' of the horse or other animals reflects life.

 

[Diegoff]

Wouldnt it be easy for manufacturers to have that as a separate piece leaving it up to the modeler to be attached or not?

And the prudish will end up having a great collection of horsec***s in the spare parts box.

Cheers
Janne Nilsson

I´m still laughing thinking in such spare parts box! XDD

 

[IIICorps]

Historex usually includes the required parts.

 

[Christosjager]

Because I have made some cavalrymen I allways add genitals to the horses they don't have. But all of my horses are males because I don't know how is the females sex.
Did someone have a photo of a female horse genitals ? I like to paint a mare for first time.

 

[gordy]

Because I have made some cavalrymen I allways add genitals to the horses they don't have. But all of my horses are males because I don't know how is the females sex.
Did someone have a photo of a female horse genitals ? I like to paint a mare for first time.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=equine+reproductive+organs

 

[Christosjager]

Thanks a lot Gordy, I' ll post some photos for sure.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

I´m still laughing thinking in such spare parts box! XDD

Yup, it will be known to man as the "Mojo-box".

Cheers
Janne Nilsson