Samurai, the term brings to mind fierce warriors with flashing swords bound by honor to lay down their lives for their sworn lord. Or the image of the Ronin, a outcast masterless Samurai searching for a cause--and dinner. Here's how to create a the faithful steed for your 1/6 scale Samurai warriors.
Related to the Mongolian Pony that carried Ghenghis Khan's Hordes across China and Europe, the Japanese horse is a small stocky tough horse with abundant hair in the mane & tail. Grey horses were common while horses born pure white were considered sacred, and the property of the emperor.

Material Required The basic steps that follow can be used on any of the large hollows plastic horses manufactured by Mattel, Disney, Formative or Marx. These are all made out of a hard plastic like styrene or a related plastic. These will not work on the cellulose acetate used to create Breyer & Stone horses. Materials Needed: Model horse Spray Primer, black, white & gray Spray Paint, black, white & gray Bondo (optional) Epoxy putty Sandpaper Black model paint like Testors Paint thinner Gray and white hair from a wig If you have trouble finding materials Firebird has used model horses and epoxy putty for sale.

This project is starts with a old battered Dallas model. Dallas was the the most realistic model horse Mattel ever created. Dallas can be found lurking in thrift shops across the nation and makes a great Samurai Warhorse. Here's a Dallas model straight from the thrift store complete with chipped hooves, ratty mane & tail, and seams that gap.
Here's the finished product, a high stepping grey Samurai Warhorse with roached mane.

More Samurai Horse Pictures

Body Basics
Step 1: Fill in leg hollows
Step 2: Mane & Tail
Step 3: Neck Groove
Step 4: Sanding
Step 5: Head Sculpting: Dallas
Step 5: Head Sculpting: Khan
Step 6: Head Detail
Step 7: Eyes

Gray Samurai Horse
Step 0: Shades of Gray Horses
Step 5: Primer
Step 6: Top coat of Paint
Step 7: Final details
Step 8: Mane & Tail Hair

Appaloosa Horses
Step 0: Appaloosa Coat Patterns
Step 5: Primer
Step 6: Top coat of Paint
Step 7: Final details
Step 8: Mane & Tail Hair

Pintos & Paint Horses
Step 0: Pinto & Paint Coat Patterns
Step 5: Primer
Step 6: Top coat of Paint
Step 7: Final details
Step 8: Mane & Tail Hair

Bay & Brown Horses
Step 0: Bay & Brown Horses
Step 5: Primer
Step 6: Top coat of Paint
Step 7: Final details
Step 8: Mane & Tail Hair

If you would like to be added to any of our electronic newsletter mailing lists? Just contact Firebird at our e-mail address: e-mail: firebird@firebirdarts.com.
Please mention which mailing list you would like to join, as we have Fantasy and SF, Celtic, Filk, Native American, Mercedes Lackey and Guy & Dolls lists.