Unlike many horse girls, Michelle of Michelle’s Custom Keepsakes was not a model horse collector as a child. However, as she searched for a way to remember her beloved mare, Sketch, she decided to try painting a Breyer horse.
Ten years later, Michelle uses her keen eye for detail to create stunningly accurate custom-painted Breyer models for horse owners. Don’t miss Michelle’s thoughts about her artistic journey, what she loves about helping people memorialize their horses, and the surprising coat colors she finds most challenging to recreate.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
BRU: How did your horse journey begin?
Michelle: I got hooked at summer camp when I was five or six. The camp had this big boarding facility, and the owner had a daughter my age. We became best friends instantly, so instead of doing the regular camp stuff, I stayed with the horses all day, and I never left!
I took lessons, and then I started leasing and working there. I taught lessons to the itty-bitty kids there when I was 13 or 14. I just got sucked in completely.
BRU: Did you have a special horse during your time there?
Michelle: They had a paint mare, Sketch, who struggled as a school horse due to her boss-mare attitude. But I had always loved paints, and we just meshed. My parents gave me permission to buy her on my sixteenth birthday.
We tried eventing, show jumping, and fox hunting—whatever we enjoyed at the time. Sketch loved to jump. She was only 14.3, but she would jump anything you put in front of her.
Then, I bought a buckskin warmblood mutt named Koda as a resale project, but I still have him eleven years later! We’ve done a lot of eventing together, and he’s a sassy warmblood who always gives me a run for my money.
BRU: How did Sketch inspire you to start your custom model horse painting business?
Michelle: She looked so unique, and everyone always joked that she was a cow pony. My parents and I tried to find horse toys or keepsakes that looked like her, and nothing was ever close enough.
I wasn’t into Breyer horse models as a kid, but I thought they were cool. I decided to try painting one like Sketch when I was around 19. But, Koda has much simpler markings, so I decided to do him first.
It was absolutely horrible! (laughs) I keep it around as motivation. I actually still don’t have one of Sketch.
BRU: How did your first attempt develop into the business you have today?
Michelle: I was just dabbling with cheap craft paint and brushes, and I didn’t have big plans, but my friends all said, “I want one of my horse!” I realized that people are crazy about their horses and maybe I could do something with this.
I started painting during weekends at home from college. I wasn’t very confident—I had zero artistic training. But, I paid close attention to details, and I studied my subjects and my horses until I was satisfied with the result. I started my business officially in 2016, and by 2017, I was consistently getting 15 to 20 orders a month.
Now, I offer several sizes of custom Breyers at different price points. I also paint dogs and cats at 1:9 scale to match a Traditional sized Breyer. I do about 78 models every year.
There’s a whole Breyer customization community, but I’m one of the few customizers who does portrait models to match peoples’ horses. I paint everything with acrylics rather than airbrush. I like the physical aspect of doing it by hand.
I’m also a full-time teacher and a mom, so I paint at night, on weekends, and during the summer—whenever my kids let me!
BRU: Do you mind sharing why you haven’t painted Sketch yet?
Michelle: Sketch got sick in 2015. I spent a year and a half and thousands of dollars doing diagnostics, which eventually confirmed that she had lymphoma. I had to put her down at 16 years old. It was really rough.
After losing her, I couldn’t even think about making her custom Breyer. I do a lot of memorial pieces for horse people, but it’s so much harder when it’s your own.
This past summer, I finally chose a model for her. It’s primed and sitting on the shelf. I’m slowly inching toward it.
I’m really particular about the models I choose for my own horses. I still haven’t done an updated model of Koda yet, either!
BRU: Is it difficult to create custom memorial pieces for grieving horse owners?
Michelle: It can be tricky. I often have people order memorial models for others, and I suggest they ask someone who’s close to the recipient if it’s a good idea first. Some people find that a reminder of the horse they’ve lost is difficult to have around. I genuinely understand what that grief is like, so I always try to approach that situation sensitively.
BRU: What makes your painted Breyer models so accurate?
Michelle: I ask people to point out markings that have special significance to them, and I try to be flexible. I take the time to get every detail correct, even if a client only has one blurry photo from the ’80s. I send pictures and make adjustments until the model fits their memory as closely as possible.
The model a client chooses is really important. It has to reflect the horse’s appearance and personality. Everyone has different preferences, so I send clients pictures of around 30 possible options that they can narrow down.
BRU: Are there any coat colors you find particularly difficult?
Michelle: I’ve always loved flashy markings, and I learned through trial and error how to include small, intricate details. Paints and spots are easier to match to the real horse because they stand out and catch your attention.
Horses with solid coats are daunting because so much relies on the model that the person chooses.
Dappled grays are difficult. Palomino and chestnut are actually two of the hardest colors to get right. Anything with roaning uses a dry brush technique that takes 18 to 20 hours total and requires nine or ten layers of paint.
BRU: Do you have a favorite model to work with?
Michelle: My all-time favorite is Peptoboonsmal. The muscle definition is realistic, and it fits so many types of horses. I have yet to paint a model on it that I don’t love.
BRU: What do you love most about painting custom portrait models?
Michelle: I love the personal connection I build with each project. I create portrait models for living horses, too, but sometimes people don’t fully realize how special their horse is to them until that horse isn’t there every day.
When someone sends me a video of them opening a custom model or gifting one, and they’re crying happy tears, it truly melts my heart. It’s especially touching to create that physical reminder for kids who have lost horses.
BRU: What do you think spending time with horses can teach people?
Michelle: Horses are so good at connecting. My horses seem to know so much about me as a person and how I’m feeling. If I’m happy, they’re happy. If I’m sad, they’re patient with me.
My horses live at my house, and I have two kids. I’ve got a little retired pony for them, too, but even my ex-eventer has an extra level of patience with my kids that’s so cool to see.
The horses are also teaching my kids responsibility. I love seeing all of these pieces of my life coming together. I could not picture my life without horses.
You can learn more about Michelle’s Custom Keepsakes and see her latest projects on her Facebook page.
We love featuring horse people who are building the equestrian community in unique ways. To nominate someone for an interview, please contact us.
