Understanding Scales
If you have been reading this website for a while you will have seen a lot of talk about 'scales'. It is important that you understand these if you are looking to collect model horses. It can often be a confusing subject and can quite often lead to confusion when people purchase items thinking that they are a different size than they actually are!
We have more detailed size guides available but this is a very basic introduction to help you get a handle on what on earth collectors are talking about when they talk about scales.
We have more detailed size guides available but this is a very basic introduction to help you get a handle on what on earth collectors are talking about when they talk about scales.
What is a Scale?
Real horses don't all come in the same size, just as models don't! Both of these horses are the same scale (1:9) but the one on the left is an Icelandic Pony and the one on the right is an American Quarter Horse.
A scale can be defined as a graduated range of values forming a standard system for measuring or grading something. That is simply put all we are talking about here, the scales of model horses are just the different sizes they appear in.
Scales are important because model horses are designed to be realistic. Just as there is a height difference between a Shire and a Shetland there is going to be a difference in height between a Traditional scale Shire and a Traditional scale Shetland!
When creating anything in miniature you will be creating it in a specific scale. This is how much smaller your model is than the real item. So for example dolls houses are traditionally produced in 1:12 scale.
A scale is usually defined as one number against another. So 1:12 scale has two numbers, the one on the left and the one on the right. The number on the left is the original item and the one on the right is the miniature.
So let's breakdown 1:12. The '1' means one real item, for this example we shall say it is one 150cm horse (that's just under 15hh). The '12' is the miniature item. This means that our miniature horse is 12 times smaller than the real one. So if we stood our 12 little models on top of each other they should be the same height as the real horse.
In order to work out how small our 1:12 scale 150cm horse would be we need to divide 150 by 12. That is 12.5cm. So our 1:12 scale 150cm high horse would be about 12.5cm high.
But what about the other way? Say we have a 1:12 scale horse that is about 10cm high. How big would the real horse be? Well all we do is multiply the horse's height by the scale. So we times 10x12 = 120cm. So our real horse would be 120cm high (that's about 12hh).
Let's work through another example.
I have a horse that is 172cm high. I want to make a model in 1:9 scale, how do I find out the height?
So remember we divide the horse's height by the scale. So 172/9 = 19.1cm
So our model should be 19.1cm high.
Now I have a model that is 17cm high and 1:9 scale. I want to know how big he would be in real life.
So I times the height by the scale 17x9 = 153cm
So the real horse would be about 153cm high.
A final little note - horse's height is measured to the withers, so you need to do the same with model horses! A 153cm high real horse would be 17cm high at the withers NOT the head!!!
Finding out the Scale
But what if I have a model and I want to find out what scale he is?
OK so this is a little more complicated and will require a bit of research but can be done.
The first step is to measure the horse at the withers. In our example he shall be 12cm high.
The second is to identify the average height of the model's breed. In our example our horse will be an Arabian. So for ease we shall say the average height is about 150cm.
OK so we know that our model is 12cm and the real horse would be 150cm.
So to work out the scale we need to divide the real horse height by the model height:
150/12 = 12.5
So we know that our model is about 1:12.5, so he is probably 1:12 scale.
The Formulas
Real Horse Height (withers): R
Model Horse Height (withers): M
Scale: S
To find out the height of the model:
M = R/S
To find out the height of the real horse:
R = M x S
To find out the scale:
S = R/S
Hands vs CM
This maths is a lot easier to do in cm but obviously most real horses are measured in hands!
One hand is about 10.16 cm. So a 13hh pony would be about 132cm. There are also online converters you can use to help you as well as comparison tables that are really useful. It is worth converting into cm to do your maths and then converting back.
Scales are important because model horses are designed to be realistic. Just as there is a height difference between a Shire and a Shetland there is going to be a difference in height between a Traditional scale Shire and a Traditional scale Shetland!
When creating anything in miniature you will be creating it in a specific scale. This is how much smaller your model is than the real item. So for example dolls houses are traditionally produced in 1:12 scale.
A scale is usually defined as one number against another. So 1:12 scale has two numbers, the one on the left and the one on the right. The number on the left is the original item and the one on the right is the miniature.
So let's breakdown 1:12. The '1' means one real item, for this example we shall say it is one 150cm horse (that's just under 15hh). The '12' is the miniature item. This means that our miniature horse is 12 times smaller than the real one. So if we stood our 12 little models on top of each other they should be the same height as the real horse.
In order to work out how small our 1:12 scale 150cm horse would be we need to divide 150 by 12. That is 12.5cm. So our 1:12 scale 150cm high horse would be about 12.5cm high.
But what about the other way? Say we have a 1:12 scale horse that is about 10cm high. How big would the real horse be? Well all we do is multiply the horse's height by the scale. So we times 10x12 = 120cm. So our real horse would be 120cm high (that's about 12hh).
Let's work through another example.
I have a horse that is 172cm high. I want to make a model in 1:9 scale, how do I find out the height?
So remember we divide the horse's height by the scale. So 172/9 = 19.1cm
So our model should be 19.1cm high.
Now I have a model that is 17cm high and 1:9 scale. I want to know how big he would be in real life.
So I times the height by the scale 17x9 = 153cm
So the real horse would be about 153cm high.
A final little note - horse's height is measured to the withers, so you need to do the same with model horses! A 153cm high real horse would be 17cm high at the withers NOT the head!!!
Finding out the Scale
But what if I have a model and I want to find out what scale he is?
OK so this is a little more complicated and will require a bit of research but can be done.
The first step is to measure the horse at the withers. In our example he shall be 12cm high.
The second is to identify the average height of the model's breed. In our example our horse will be an Arabian. So for ease we shall say the average height is about 150cm.
OK so we know that our model is 12cm and the real horse would be 150cm.
So to work out the scale we need to divide the real horse height by the model height:
150/12 = 12.5
So we know that our model is about 1:12.5, so he is probably 1:12 scale.
The Formulas
Real Horse Height (withers): R
Model Horse Height (withers): M
Scale: S
To find out the height of the model:
M = R/S
To find out the height of the real horse:
R = M x S
To find out the scale:
S = R/S
Hands vs CM
This maths is a lot easier to do in cm but obviously most real horses are measured in hands!
One hand is about 10.16 cm. So a 13hh pony would be about 132cm. There are also online converters you can use to help you as well as comparison tables that are really useful. It is worth converting into cm to do your maths and then converting back.
A fun example of the difference in sizes of models in different scales. Here we see a Julip holding a Teeny Tiny Night Heather resin in it's mouth!
The Model Horse Scales
Model horse scales vary greatly between different breeds and artists but there are several generalised terms that the hobby has adapted to describe the various scales. It is worth noting that these are very much generalisations and that actual scale can vary a lot within these. You may hear people talking about 'true' before one of these terms, this simply means that they are actually the scale they are meant to be.
Traditional ~ 1:9
Classic ~ 1:12
Paddock Pal/Littlebit ~ 1:24
Stablemate ~ 1:32
Micro Mini/Miniature/Mini Whinnie ~ 1:64
There are of course lots of other scales apart from these and huge variation within the scales. But these are the terms you are most likely to see and should at least help you get a round idea of how big a model is.
Take a look at our more detailed size guide here to give you a good idea of how big various models are.
Traditional ~ 1:9
Classic ~ 1:12
Paddock Pal/Littlebit ~ 1:24
Stablemate ~ 1:32
Micro Mini/Miniature/Mini Whinnie ~ 1:64
There are of course lots of other scales apart from these and huge variation within the scales. But these are the terms you are most likely to see and should at least help you get a round idea of how big a model is.
Take a look at our more detailed size guide here to give you a good idea of how big various models are.
A Julip horse (Classic scale) next to a Schleich fence (Paddock Pal scale)
Variation, Variation, Variation
In a perfect world the terms above and the scales given by manufacturers would be completely accurate and consistent. But this isn't a perfect world and unfortunately a lot of understanding of model horse scales requires experience!
A prime example is Paddock Pal/Littlebit. These are often described as about 1:24 scale. But it wouldn't take much measuring of a model to realise that they are actually much closer to 1:18 scale. But when a collector says an item is Paddock Pal or Littlebit scale they mean that they are the same size as other Paddock Pal or Littlebit scale items such as Breyers or Schleich.
If you are buying or looking to buy an item and are unsure of the size the best thing to do is ask! Ask the seller for measurements or for pictures on a model (e.g. tack) or next to a standard sized object such as a coin. Remember to be clear in what you are asking for. If someone is used to being around horses and is asked for the height of a model they may give you the height to the withers, or they may give you the height to the top of the ears. Equally if someone is not a horsey person and you ask for the height to the withers of a model they may simply not understand what you mean. Often a picture next to a coin is a much easier way of judging the items height.
A prime example is Paddock Pal/Littlebit. These are often described as about 1:24 scale. But it wouldn't take much measuring of a model to realise that they are actually much closer to 1:18 scale. But when a collector says an item is Paddock Pal or Littlebit scale they mean that they are the same size as other Paddock Pal or Littlebit scale items such as Breyers or Schleich.
If you are buying or looking to buy an item and are unsure of the size the best thing to do is ask! Ask the seller for measurements or for pictures on a model (e.g. tack) or next to a standard sized object such as a coin. Remember to be clear in what you are asking for. If someone is used to being around horses and is asked for the height of a model they may give you the height to the withers, or they may give you the height to the top of the ears. Equally if someone is not a horsey person and you ask for the height to the withers of a model they may simply not understand what you mean. Often a picture next to a coin is a much easier way of judging the items height.
Always remember - items within the same scale are NOT the same size. They reflect the real horses they represent. Here we see an Equorum American Saddlebred and an Equorum Shetland Foal - both are Classic scale.