Any opinions on toy horses, stables?

[mnosky1]

DD5 has been really getting into horses and asking for lots of non-specific horse things for Christmas. I am not buying Butterscotch (!) but would like to get her some kind of toy horses and maybe a stable (if not too pricey). I was looking at the Breyer and Schleich online but was thinking she would like horses with "hair" manes. Does anyone have these more "classic" horses? Does anyone know of a stable that is under $50 (prefer way under - but most seems to be more like 100). I was even thinking maybe some kind of Barbie horses (we have a couple hand me down ones) but don't really want a pink plastic stable - anything else that is a similar size.
TIA!
Michelle

[annasmom]

I am essentially in the same boat. My dd is just getting into horses also, and has asked for a horse and horse stable for Christmas.

I bought the M&D folding stable, which seems to have gotten good reviews (amazon and tru). I found it on-line for $60 - but I haven't gotten it yet.

I also bought her a Only Hearts Club doll and horse (looks sort of soft, poseable) from Target, and 2 schleich horses as well. From what I have read the Breyer horses actually got pretty poor reviews, and are more for collecting than for playing.

Sorry I cannot offer any btdt experience, but just thought I would let you know what I decided to do.

[AngelaS]

The Schleich horses are really well made and pretty much indestructable. My girls have a lot of them and like that they sell mommies, daddies and babies from the various breeds.

Breyers are also well made--IF you go with the ones that do NOT have real hair. We have several tailless Breyers that used to have real hair. :P And the people--oy! Ours are all amputees. The other Breyers are well made and my girls LOVE to play with them. But skip the real hair ones. I honestly thought they needed real hair to be happy w/play horses, but I was wrong.

The only horses we have w/real hair are the big "our generation' horses from Target. Considering how nasty the hair on the OG Dolls is, the horses' hair seems to be okay and my girls love to put braids, clips and whatnot in those manes and tails.

[mnosky1]

Thanks you guys are great.
Eileen - Where did you get the M and D stable for $60 - that seems like a really good price (shipping included?)
Do you know what size/brand horses fit in there?
Thanks.

[annasmom]

Thanks you guys are great.
Eileen - Where did you get the M and D stable for $60 - that seems like a really good price (shipping included?)
Do you know what size/brand horses fit in there?
Thanks.


I bought it from fat brain toys dot com. I didn't want to mention them by name at the time because I hadn't yet received it, and it had been a while. It was drop shipped from M&D (or was supposed to have been) and there seems to have been some confusion - I am not quite sure what happened. I talked to fat brain though and they are sending me another one directly.

I'm really not sure about the size. And yes, there was free shipping!

[HannaAddict]

Speaking as a formerly horse crazy girl who still wants a pony, Breyer horses are great for playing with though they are now pretty expensive. I had a lot of them, have no idea what my mom did with them or I would be in fat city or at least wouldn't have to spend an arm and a leg to replicate my herd. The other types are nice too, especially for younger toddlers, etc. but I spent many hours playing Breyer horses with my friends.

[annasmom]

Speaking as a formerly horse crazy girl who still wants a pony, Breyer horses are great for playing with though they are now pretty expensive. I had a lot of them, have no idea what my mom did with them or I would be in fat city or at least wouldn't have to spend an arm and a leg to replicate my herd. The other types are nice too, especially for younger toddlers, etc. but I spent many hours playing Breyer horses with my friends.

I wonder if they are different now, or there are different types of Breyer horses, because most of the reviews I read said that they were NOT good for playing, and broke easily.

I would love to get some if I knew they would last.

[KBecks]

I sold my old ones on Ebay a few years ago and did OK for old toys You can find them there if you want to try a vintage Breyer

[missym]

I have two horse-crazy girls, and here's what our herd consists of:

Many, many Schleich horses - these are very well made, the right size for little hands, and indestructible. They definitely get the most play.

A couple of vintage Breyer horses - well made, kind of large. The girls play with them maybe half as much as the Schleich ones.

This set (http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2320017) from M&D - flocked horses are a really bad idea in our house as Becca is a peeler. The child just loves to peel things... stickers, crayon papers, horses... We finally had to throw a couple of the horses away because they looked so nasty. Think Resident Evil.

A couple of modern Breyer horses - no longer in the herd because their legs snapped off when they got stepped on. The Breyers are beautiful but just not durable enough for my girls.

My Little Pony - I much prefer the more life-like horses, but the girls do love the MLPs they have. They don't play with them quite as much as the Schleich ones, but they like brushing their hair and sticking them on the fridge (some have magnets in their feet).

Barns:
I was going to get the M&D folding stable last year, but I don't think the roof comes off for play. Instead, my SIL bought them a collapsible barn made of fiberboard which they enjoy, though it isn't very sturdy. This year, they're getting a big Breyer barn (http://www.breyerhorses.com/products/product.php?item=302) from Great-Grandma. I got a really good deal on it from ebay using the 30% cash back deal.

[annasmom]

Missy - that stable is BEAUTIFUL!! The girls will love it!

[missym]

Missy - that stable is BEAUTIFUL!! The girls will love it!

Thanks, I think they'll love it too. I hesitated to spend so much, but Great-Gram always gives $$ and I have a hard time deciding what to do with it. The vintage Breyer horses came from her house, so this will be perfect.

[mnosky1]

Melissa and Doug folding stable 65.43 (best price I found)
15.3 x 16.9 x 19.7 inches ; 15 pounds

I am intrigued by this one from EToys - 29.99 and the few reviews it has are all good. - It is ocnsidered folding barn 17.7 x 20.5 x 21.4 inches ; 14.5 pounds
http://www.amazon.com/Foldable-Wooden-Barn-for-Horses/dp/B000KWOF4A/ref=pd_sbs_t_6


Kidkraft stable I think - 18L x 11W x 16H inches 74.00 (maybe could find cheaper)
it may be discontinued
http://www.amazon.com/KidKraft-63053-Stable/dp/B001AXZPAG/ref=pd_sbs_t_5

I don't think any of these have a removable roof...
I also don't have a good sense what size horses fit in them...

Thanks

[MamaKath]

We have lots of tailess modern Breyers, but none that had actual hair. The tails have snapped off really easily. The modern ones do not seem like they hold up well at all, the plastic breaks easily. My kids love them though. Their favorite are the ones they painted themselves (you can get a party kit that has 4 and paint).

Schleich makes horses also that are awesome. Not with real hair to comb, but they hold up fantastically. And they make male and female large ones and then small ones as well.

If you have a Tractor Supply Company store near you, check them out. They often have lots of sets this time of year that are decent. They also carry Breyer and Schleich all year round. Their Black Friday sales are really good too.

[fivi2]

The Schleich stable appears to be on sale at Target.com. I don't know what the price is elsewhere, but they have it listed as a sale item.
http://www.target.com/b/ref=in_se_pagelist/175-1480462-2289764?ie=UTF8&node=1250130011&pricerange=&index=tgt-mf-mv&field-browse=1250130011&rank=pmrank&viewID=leaf&field-pricebin=&store=&rh=&page=3&fromBrowse=1

[MamaKath]

Costco had a bunch of horse stuff today. A big Breyer set with a truck, trailer, horse, etc. Another one was an Only Hearts club set with a soft horse that could stand. They also had large "no-name" horses that were the size of the Butterscotch horse.

[SASM]

Costco had a bunch of horse stuff today. A big Breyer set with a truck, trailer, horse, etc. Another one was an Only Hearts club set with a soft horse that could stand. They also had large "no-name" horses that were the size of the Butterscotch horse.
Bummer! Just moved away from Costco and I soooo miss it! DD wants that plush posable OHC horse from target but ya know that Costco somehow has a better deal. Sam's Club's toy selection s*cks compared to Costco. :(

[MamaKath]

Bummer! Just moved away from Costco and I soooo miss it! DD wants that plush posable OHC horse from target but ya know that Costco somehow has a better deal. Sam's Club's toy selection s*cks compared to Costco. :(

They just opened this one near us. Dh thinks it is a sign we are ready to move, lol! It is the closest we have lived to one in about 8 years.

[The Review Mommy]

Just wanted to post this deal at Constructive Playthings. Its the Only Hearts Club Stable, Posable Soft Horse, and Girl Doll with extra clothes. Was $105.99 now $52.99 This is a great deal!!! Deal of the week...
Item#OHC-37L

The site wont let you post a direct link, you'll have to click on SALE ITEMS down at the bottom left corner.
http://www.constplay.com/family/default.htm

[MamaKath]

Just wanted to post this deal at Constructive Playthings. Its the Only Hearts Club Stable, Posable Soft Horse, and Girl Doll with extra clothes. Was $105.99 now $52.99 This is a great deal!!! Deal of the week...
Item#OHC-37L

The site wont let you post a direct link, you'll have to click on SALE ITEMS down at the bottom left corner.
http://www.constplay.com/family/default.htm
That is part of what was in the set at Costco. It looked really nice IRL