The PAS and the Stone Arabian have many differences and just as many similarities. If you've ever placed the two models side by side, it's hard not to notice that their legs have the same placement, their necks are turned in the same direction, their tails lean toward the same rear leg, and they're very close in size. Although the Stone Arabian may appear to be longer from chest to butt than the PAS (especially when they're not standing next to each other), it's actually an optical illusion: The two are almost exactly the same length (about seven inches).

Here are where the differences start. Why does the Stone Arabian look longer? A couple of reasons. The Stone Arabian, with a heart-girth measurement of 8-¼ inches, is considerably less deep-chested than the PAS, which has a nine-inch heart girth. The Stone's front legs are also moved forward on the model's body so the front of the chest is less visible when viewed from the side. These two characteristics combined with less shoulder depth make the Stone's back longer and create the illusion that the model is longer than the PAS.

The differences between the models are at least partially attributable to the eras from which they came. Sculpted in the 1960s, the PAS was first sold as the legendary *Witez II, who survived World War II to come to the U.S. and leave his mark as a legendary sire. When the PAS was born, there weren't too many model horses around and the Breyers that existed were less detailed than today's models. Consider the Breyer Family Arabian Stallion (which came along prior to the PAS), now considered more playtoy or remake fodder than serious model. Model showing may not have existed back then and most Breyers were likely toys for little girls and boys. Aside from porcelain models, most of the alternatives to the PAS were cheap, unrealistic plastic toy horses made in a foreign land. To many kids at the time, the PAS (along with his partner for life, the Proud Arabian Mare) was the most beautiful plastic representation of the Arabian horse they'd ever seen.

By contrast, the Stone Arabian was developed in the late 1990s for a very different purpose. Less child's toy than objet d'art, the Stone was made to fit the demand for an affordable alternative to expensive bronze sculptures and artist resins. Also, the real Arabian breed had changed since the PAS was sculpted and two distinct types of Arabs were appearing in the show ring -- the halter horse and the performance horse. On the model horse side, showing had become a widespread hobby with a large variety of custom models and artist resins becoming available. The public was looking for an updated version of the Arabian breed in plastic and the Stone Arabian quickly found a following. Attaching the identity of a famous U.S. National Reserve Champion Stallion, Padrons Psyche, to the mold helped to heighten its popularity.

Is there a place in this world for both the old reliable PAS and the exotic new Stone Arabian? Of course. From an artistic standpoint, both are great shelf pieces. Does one represent the Arabian breed better than the other? Both models are somewhat exaggerated images of the breed, so there's no right answer to that question. In my own experience, I recall seeing only one Arabian with a back as short as the PAS's. In real life, such a short back is often penalized by judges because of the horse's increased likelihood of "forging" (when the rear hooves hit the backs of the front hooves while in motion). (continued at top right)

The PAS also has a "perfect" crested Arabian neck according to the breed standard -- although some might call it "thick" today -- which is a hard-to-find trait in real horses. (It is worth noting that the PAS bears a remarkable resemblance to Gladys Brown Edwards' drawing of the ideal Arabian, which is still used by the International Arabian Horse Association to illustrate the breed standard.) The PAS body-type is similar to that of many Polish and CMK Arabians, especially those of the 1950s through 1970s.

As for the Stone Arabian, this model more closely represents halter horses competing in today's show ring than the breed standard. The Stone lacks the deep heart girth and well-sprung ribs necessary for good oxygen intake during activities like performance or endurance competition. The length of its back, however, is probably closer to a real horse's than the PAS's (scaled down, of course). The Stone's front legs (which bear 65% of a real horse's standing weight) are too far forward on the body, putting added stress on joints and tendons. And like the PAS, the Stone has an idealized neck and throatlatch that would be hard to find on a real horse. The Stone's extremely dished head is artistic, but such a head can actually be a detriment to a real-life horse. I've heard of at least one horse with such a severely dished head that it had trouble breathing because its sinuses were so compressed. Among today's Arabians, I feel the Stone most resembles an extreme version of the Egyptian Arabian body-type. (This does not infer that Egyptian Arabians necessarily have these same faults.)

There are many other conformation characteristics in the two models that I haven't explored because this discussion wasn't meant to be a lesson in conformation. However, I believe that more model enthusiasts should study the principles of conformation to understand the significance of them. Since model horses are supposed to be judged by the same conformation standards as real horses, it's helpful to know what the judges will probably be looking for when you show your models. And if you own real horses, or are thinking about buying a real horse, understanding conformation can be invaluable when it comes to deciding what activities your horse is best suited for.

Why is the comparison of the PAS and the Stone Arabian relevant? Because the two models are popular representations of the same breed and they are capable of influencing people to either like or dislike their breed. Just as people of both sexes in our society often feel they must measure up to the good looks and body types of well-known stars, breeders and owners often want their horses to look like best-selling horse sculptures. Of course, this brings up the argument: Does art imitate life? Or does life imitate art? That's a whole new discussion for another time.