The braided ponies

It's time to show you horse number 3 and 4 out of the 5 I finished for the liveshow in November. I decided to put these two in the same post.

They started out, innocent enough, as 2 stablemate models I won at a liveshow. I was debating on what to do with these two but I've always wanted to give the jumper some braids.

The G1 stablemate Swaps is supposed to be a stallion/gelding but I think that it looks a bit more like a mare so I decided I wanted to try to give her some braids too and make her a pony mare.

I got rid of the manes of both of the models and sanded down the tails quite a bit.

I then started to work on the mane of the gelding. My first attempt at braids and to be honest I don't think they're that bad. They are a little big but I plan on showing him as a pony gelding so I just blame it on a very thick pony mane ;)

I did the tail and mane and primed him. I had plans to make him a dark brown roan.

He went along quite well. I started his light basecoats in acrylics and then went for pastels.

Once again, pardon the picture. I didn't have time to make the roaning on him in time for the liveshow so I just finished off his details and decided to show him in this dark bay and add the roaning later on. He won his class... But I still think that I'll add the roaning at some point as that is what I really had in mind for him since I won the model! I might add a tiny star to him as well but no other markings.

When I was about to send in my entry for the show I tried to figure out a name for him and the name Bailey just hit me and I definitely think that he will keep that name.

As for the mare, I had imagined a dark chestnut with flaxen mane and tail, white socks and a snip.

She was my second attempt at sculpting a braided mane and tail and I think I did even better on her. 

Her colour turned out to be spot on for me but when she was all done to the point that I would start the mane and tail, I just couldn't bring myself to make it light!

So this mare didn't turn out as I had imagined either, but I like her, I think the darker mane and tail really suits her and I am completely in love with her little snip and pinking on her muzzle! 

I'm not sure what to name her at the moment. I showed her as Amulette but that was just so that I wouldn't have to call her unnamed. She needs a better name.

Hope you like them so far. I have saved the one that I like best, for last, so he'll be up next.