Horses: A Love Hate Relationship

For someone who has spent a fair amount of time around horses and likes them, I have always hated painting horses. The last week or so, as I have been painting a lot of animals, I have been thinking about this, especially as I have some more to paint.

My big project of the last decade has been a dark age roleplaying game that I run. It has gone my a number of names with nornmen being my current favourite. Cavalry was not a big thing in this era, especially if you were a Viking. They did use horses but it seems they were more like mobile infantry. As I have been trying to have intermittent battles, every now and again, I get a few more mounted figures. I would like some Normens too I think.

I grew up around horses. My dad had a passion for them and I have been out and lived with a number of horsey women. I have probably a better understanding of horses than most gamers.

I just don’t like painting them. Never have and probably never will. I don’t understand why.

I must be part Scot as I don’t like spending the money but that isn’t it. Maybe its because I don’t like painting bigger minis. I don’t have a lot of them either. They are also quite hard to get a realistic look. You can paint them in a single colour but they are rarely that plain. Their foreheads, noses and fetlocks have different patterns and these need to be right. Some colours go with others and some do not. And don’t get me started on what palamino means. I have specially purchased horse paints. I could never wrap my head around the way white horses are called greys either.

So here we are, three more horses.