Miscellaneous Photos

Here are a selection of pictures what don't quite fit anywhere else, but I thought I'd share them here as they're probably of interest to collectors or nostalgic people.

I think I found this photo on Google years ago but I have no idea where the store was or how come they built such a big stand for their My Beautiful Horses products. I think we can spot Maria, the Black Beauty Set, some pony mare and foals, Prancer, Rusty, Thistle and a Showtime Stables at least, not to mention some horses out and about. How nice is this? 

The following black and white scans are from the fantastic photo albums of AJ Aiken and look like pages from a trade catalogue. I think these adverts are pre-release of the sets as they don't quite match up with what we know was sold. For example, the foldaway stable is listed as including a horse.

Here are a couple of MBH stickers that came free with the magazine:

As and when I find more random photos, I'll share them here on the blog. I have lots of magazine images and other material but a lot of it can be sorted into proper posts eventually so keep checking back! Thanks for reading :)

Collection Model 52: Riding School Playset

Riding School Playset
51. Mystic the Lusitano

This set was promoted a great deal in the My Beautiful Horses magazine and included lots of new style accessories we hadn't seen before. After MBH folded, it was also available minus branding from PONY magazine. It didn't just focus on riding school activities but also road safety.

The set included Mystic, a dun horse on a new mould who pawed the ground when you lowered her head, plus blue tack, a glow-in-the-dark numnah, spotty glow-in-the-dark bandages, a rider in a green t-shirt, green and white riding hat, a long overcoat for the ride, a stripy hi-viz/glow-in-the-dark rider's bib, pole supports, two lilac and white poles, a jump, two pink cones, a baby pink finger brush and a breed card.

Weirdly the numnah and rider's bib arrived glued on in my childhood version of the set and never really stopped being a bit sticky. I've seen other versions with more pleasant felt numnahs but these could have been replacements by more inventive kids than me!

Collection Model 51: Vet 'n' Care Playset

Vet 'n' Care Playset

51. Belle the Missouri Fox Trotter

This set featured a chestnut Arabian horse with three white socks, a blaze and a colour-change injury. These injuries usually appeared when cold water was applied and disappeared when warmed up. The accessories included were red tack, yellow numnah, vet-style rider (used again in early Animal Hospital sets), riding hat, vet kit box, stethoscope, bandage, four horse shoes, hoofpick, sponge, finger brush, bucket, breed card and bandage stickers.

This was the first set to feature removable horse shoes, which I desperately coveted but have never owned an example of! I don't have this set so big thanks to Helene and Liz who both provided photos back when I had my website:

The set was sometimes promoted as including two foals. I don't know if they were ever given breed cards, names or numbers, but possibly they had some of the unknown collection numbers between 59 and 62. Elli has kindly provided photos of them below.

Thanks for reading, next up is Mystic and the Riding School Playset!

The Showtime Trailer

The showtime trailer was an accessories-only play set introduced in 1998.

It was advertised as the "7 in 1 dream playset", offering touring, picnics, sleeping, horse care, show presentations, cooking and camping for your models. I have some photos of the original packaging and promotions, but unfortunately they are a little scruffy.

The set included the trailer, a picnic table that converted into bunk beds, green fences to use as a separator in the trailer or as a paddock, a 25-piece picnic set, yellow picnic basket, a rosette, winner's cup and pink finger brush.

Now for some photos of the set "in person". This set is a little scruffy too, but it's the best example I have around at the moment.

Outside views:

Next you would open up the top, the doors and the hinged front to set out your showing or camping scene:

This set came with a great selection of accessories for your rider dolls, who also benefited from a tiny kitchen, portable TV and cute over-the-cab bunk. 

I'm not 100% sure what the original picnic set contained. This horsebox arrived secondhand with 25 pieces as described so I'd assume they're original.

4 x plates

4 x cups

12 x cutlery (almost, but it looks like there were four sets)

Kettle

Cooking pot with lid

Milk

Spatula

However, my childhood horsebox which I "inherited" from my cousin came with a different type of plates in an incomplete set, pictured below. I always thought it was original but looking at it now, I think her family must have supplemented some lost pieces!

Also, don't get the Showtime Trailer set confused with Apache's accessories, which had some different items - a hot pink brush rather than pastel and cooking pots to use over a campfire.

The trailer set up for camping:

Hope you've enjoyed reading and if you have any more information to add, please get in touch! There's been loads of great activity on the MBH Collectors Facebook Page lately, so if you're interested please request to join and one of us will add you in no time :)