In a very real way, Western Horse is "the" Breyer model.  Sculpted by Chris Hess in 1950, Western Horse was commissioned by Woolworth's when they needed a horse for their mantel clock.  The horse was so popular that people started wanting it without that darned clock in the way, and Breyer's fame began.

This horse was given to me as a hand me down, so long ago that I can barely remember it.  I think it came from a coworker of my mother, probably when I was 6 or 7 years old.  Far too young to be responsible for his plastic removable saddle (which was lost almost immediately) or his metal chain reins (which broke off not long after his saddle went missing).  

My Western Horse is another tribute to the staying power of cellulose acetate.  His ears, for example, are still intact.  Amazing!  After all that play, that such a relatively delicate part should remain fairly unblemished is I think an underappreciated Breyer trait.

Although as you can see, the gold paint on his bridle and chest piece did not fare as well.

I have a hard time deciding if this was a glossy model that had most of the gloss rubbed off, or a chalky (matte) model that has shiny bits from being handled so much.  At any rate, this is an extremely well loved Western Horse, if not a well preserved one!

Aside from his historical significance, I think what really distinguishes Western Horse from the other "just standing there" models is the gentleness of his expression.  The set of the eyes is really quite kind, and he seems like a very friendly fellow.  Aside from the way that his hooves look more like Bender's foot cups, overall Western Horse is fairly realistic.  He isn't any particular breed - that kind of thinking came in much later - he's just a cowboy horse.

You see me using the "he" again.  As with Lying Down Foal, Western Horse sadly lacks gender.  I mean, one presumes it's a he, but if you flip it over - there's nothing there.  Except from a tiny ridge where the four body segments meet, where typically Breyer places the "boy bits."  Is Western Horse actually a mare?  I actually never really thought about it until I sat down to write this piece.

Without having any hard data, I would still guess that Western Horse is the model which is least likely to be customized.  I think most collectors feel like Western Horse is a little bit sacred, considering his history.    

The flip side of his historical value is that this model can often be over-priced.  If you see the word "vintage" or "antique," be skeptical!  I have heard a lot of horror stories of newer models being altered and sold as older ones, collectors paying three times what a model is really worth, undeclared reproductions (like the reins), regular Western Horses being sneakily converted into the lamp model (which can be worth a lot more).  The list is endless, and sadly just what you would expect.  If you want to buy a Western Horse, my advice would be to consider the purchase (and the purchase price) very carefully!