There are a lot of acronyms and terms you will hear when you begin in the model horse hobby and it can be confusing and overwhelming. Here is a run down on the ones you need to know.
Showing:
Live Show – A show where you haul your models and set up in show location and physically place horses on the table to be judged. Find a NAMHSA near you: Shows by region
Photo Show – A show where you submit images of your models to be judged. This might be through the mail or online. Mail in photo show
Online Show – A photo show that takes place online using digital images. Online photo show
OF – Original Finish; a model in the condition it came from the factory, straight out of the box.
CM – Custom; a model that has been customized from it’s condition from the factory. This might be new paint or dramatic resculpting.
AR – Artist Resin; a model that was sculpted by an artist and then cast in resin.
OS – Original Sculpture; a model that someone has sculpted from scratch.
OFP – Original Finish Plastic; sometimes the Plastic division at a live show is shortened on the class list this way.
PS – Peter Stone; a company that makes model horses.
SM – Stablemate Scale horses
Tr – Traditional scale horses
Cl – Classic scale horses
Chip – Peter Stone brand mini scale horse
NAN card – Ticket that qualifies a horse to attend NAN awarded to the first and second place horse in eligible classes at a NAMHSA approved show.
NAMHSA – North American Model Horse Show Association. Organization that hosts the National show and approved qualifying shows.
Ch – Champion
Res Ch – Reserve Champion
Division – Category of models shown at a live show; Custom Division, Original Finish Division, Performance Division.
Section – Grouping of classes within a Division at a live show; Light Breeds Section in Custom Division, Draft Breed Section in Original Finish Division.
Proxy – Showing models for another person at a live show; if you can’t attend a show, you can send your models with another shower who will show them for you. This is not always permitted, so read the rules of each show. There is usually a small proxy fee that might be per model.
WEIOTT – What Else Is On The Table; you will see this term about how well a horse will do at a show. A horse might be the overall winner at one show, and not even place at another. This is because of what else is on the table that day.
Show-String – Horses an entrant has chosen to take to a show. Generally, a person’s most flawless group of horses.
In Model Horse Ads:
U/UP – Unpainted, Unprepped; this means the model is not painted and needs more prepping before being painted.
Second – The model is not a perfect cast and needs holes filled or seams sanded before being ready to paint. Often second’s cost a little less than a ‘first’ from a resin casting batch. Sometimes they are worse than a second and might be missing limbs or need extensive help before being ready to paint.
CM – Custom; a model that has some customization aftermarket.
Painted by – Someone has repainted the model, usually the artist will sign the belly of the horse.
Customized by – Someone has resculpted the horse to be customized.
Artist – A person who customizes models.
LSQ – Live Show Quality. When shopping, make sure you request lots of photos as everyone has a different definition of what they consider Live Show Quality.
PSQ – Photo Show Quality; this usually means a horse has small flaws that might preclude it from being competitive at a live show, but won’t show up in photos and so it could still photo show.
LSP – Live Show Proven, or Live Show Placed; the model has won a ribbon at a live show. This does not carry much weight in judging how well the model will show since placings can vary widely from show to show.
Flaws – Scrapes, rubs, missing paint, breaks, seam splits, globs of plastic under the paint, finger prints, bad masking, and anything else that is not supposed to be on a model. A horse that has been played with outside might have lots of missing paint and a broken ear. A horse straight out of the box might have rubs from the box on it’s off-side.
Factory Flaw – Flaws typical of horses straight from the factory; bad masking, uneven gloss, globs of plastic under the paint, finger prints, hairs under the gloss, over-spray around the mane and tail, etc.
Factory Mint – The model is in the condition is left the factory in. No additional wear is present; no rubs, breaks, wear from play, etc.
Restored – A model that has had a flaw or break repaired. A good restoration will be invisible. It will look exactly like it did when it left the factory.
Shelf Quality – A model that is nice, but not flawless enough to take to a live show. Many people have Shelf Quality models of molds they conga.
Play Quality – A horse that is not flawless enough to show, but still has all it’s limbs and would be great to play with.
Body Quality – A horse that has many flaws, either factory or from play, and it might not have all it’s limbs. It’s ready to be customized by an artist.
PPD – Postage Paid; this means the price listed for the model includes shipping. If the price does not say ‘PPD’, expect to pay shipping in addition to the listed price.
PIF – Paid In Full; sometimes sellers will prioritizes offers from people who can pay in full. Also, Pay It Forward; this is when someone sends a gift to someone.
Priority Shipping – A faster shipping method that comes with tracking and $50 of insurance automatically.
NIP – New In Package; the house has not been removed from it’s package.
NIB – New In Box; horse is in original box and so the seller cannot guarantee the side against the box is flawless.
NIB Gamble – The Gamble you take when you buy a new horse in the box. Will it be show quality? Will it have lots of factory flaws? You never know!
General Terms:
Mold – The horse-shaped sculpture a company produces to sell in different colors; Weather Girl, Adios, Clydesdale Mare, etc.
Conga – When a person collects all or many of the releases on one mold.
Carpet Herd – Horses kept for children to play with. A hobbiest’s kids might have a ‘carpet herd’ of horses with play with.
Black Hole Collector – A Collector who never sells a model, and so anything they buy is ‘lost in the black hole’ of their collection.
BNA – Big Name Artist. Though often used innocently to complement a person who is well-known in their area of expertise, this term has a negative connotation from people claiming someone won at a show only because of their name recognition. It is best to avoid this term.
Leg-Tag – The tag attached to a horse’s leg at a show to show who owns it.
Horse List – The list of horses an entrant has entered at a show that they turn in to the host after the show if they live in a region that uses the ‘tag system’.
Tag-Saver System – The system for recording placings at a show in Region 1. The entrant has a personal number that they attach to their models with leg tags. They give a unique number to each of their models and after a show, they submit a list of their model’s numbers to the host who uses them to produce the show results. If you are in region one and need to get a tag number, visit this site: Region 1 Tag Saver
Class List – The list of classes available at a show.
BW – BreyerWest; special Breyer sponsored event that takes place in Albany, Oregon in March.
BF – BreyerFest; special Breyer sponsored even that takes place in Lexington, Kentucky in July.