QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Below we have compiled the most commonly asked questions that come into our offices. On a monthly basis we will update this section with the answers to additional questions that we think will be of interest to customers and collectors of Painted Pony merchandise.

The Trail of Painted Ponies:

1. How do I purchase The Trail of Painted Ponies figurines or merchandise?
2. How many figurines have been created?
3. How many ornaments have been created?
4. How long between when a new release is announced and when it is shipped?
5. How often, how many, and when are new figurines announced?
6. How do you decide which figurines to retire and when are they announced?
7. How do I purchase a retired pony or autographed figurine from a previous release?
8. How many Exclusive Ponies have been created and where can I purchase them?
9. My pony is missing the story tag and original box. Can I get either of these replaced?
10. Are The Trail of Painted Ponies figurines lead-free?
11. How should I display my Painted Ponies Collection?
12. How can I repair a broken figurine?
13. Does The Trail of Painted Ponies have a catalogue?
14. Do all the figurines begin as original works of fine art?
15. Are all the Painted Ponies pictured in The Trail of Painted Ponies books available as figurines?
16. How do you decide which figurines to cast in resin and which in ceramic?
17. What does the numbering on the bottom of the figurine mean?
18. What is the “Official Autographed Edition”?
19. I have a great idea for a Painted Pony that I would like you to consider as a figurine. What should I do?
20. Has The Trail of Painted Ponies donated to or helped any philanthropic organizations?
21. How can I find out what the perceived value of a particular pony is?

The Official Painted Ponies Store:

1. How do I purchase The Trail of Painted Ponies figurines or merchandise?
2. Can I purchase a gift certificate from the Official Painted Ponies Store?
3. What are the shipping costs for orders (non-international) placed through the Official Painted Ponies Store?
4. Does the Official Painted Ponies Store ship internationally?
5. What are the shipping costs for international orders placed through the Official Painted Ponies Store?
6. How long is the delay from when a new release of figurines is announced and the actual ship date for pre-orders?

Retailers:

1. I am a retailer and would like to establish a Wholesale Account.  How can I do this?
2. I have established my Wholesale Account but have not received a response.  What should I do?

The Trail of Painted Ponies:

Q: How do I purchase The Trail of Painted Ponies figurines or merchandise?
A: You may purchase The Trail of Painted Ponies figurines and merchandise directly through our Official Painted Ponies Store. To visit, please Click Here. (Go back to top)

Q: How many figurines have been created?
A: There have been 120 figurines created. This includes 16 Holiday Ponies and 4 Exclusive Ponies. (Go back to top)

Q: How many ornaments have been created?
A: There have been 40 Trail of Painted Ponies Ornaments created. They are announced with the Summer Herd on June 1 each year. (Go back to top)

Q: How long between when a new release is announced and when it is shipped?
A: Generally, it takes two months from the time a new herd is released to when it is shipped to retail stores and online customers. With the autographed editions, add another two weeks. (Go back to top)

Q: How often, how many, and when are new figurines announced?
A: Twice a year. We announce the Winter Herd on December 1 of eight new Painted Pony figurines on our website, and we announce the Summer Herd of eight new ponies, along with the Holiday Ponies, on June 1 on our website. (Go back to top)

Q: How do you decide which figurines to retire and when are they announced?
A: Twice a year we retire six Painted Ponies – or as we prefer to say, “We put them out to pasture.” We make the announcement on January 1 and July 1. Various considerations come into play: how well that particular Pony is performing in the marketplace, whether we have other Ponies with a similar design that we would like to introduce. Sometimes we will also retire a Pony that is very popular just to mix things up. (Go back to top)

Q: How do I purchase a retired pony or autographed figurine from a previous release?
A: You may find these items on The Trail of Painted Ponies Official eBay Store. To visit, please Click Here. (Go back to top)

Q: How many Exclusive Ponies have been created and where can I purchase them?
A: There have been four Exclusive Ponies created, and they are:

1. “Run for the Roses,” which was created exclusively for Dillard’s Department Stores.
2. “High Desert Horse Feathers,” which was created exclusively for the High Desert State Bank in New Mexico.
3. The “Phoenix Pony”, which was created exclusively for a retail store in the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport called “The Phoenix.”
4. “Maple Leaf Pony,” which was created exclusively for The Trail of Painted Ponies Canadian Distributors.

If you would like to purchase any of these Exclusive Ponies, please contact the retailers or individual businesses that they were created for. (Go back to top)

Q: My pony is missing the story tag and original box. Can I get either of these replaced?
A: We do not overprint the Story Tags, or produce extra boxes for the ponies. However, you may download the Story Tags from our Official Website. To download, please Click Here. You may also find the Story Tags in the back of The Trail of Painted Ponies Updated Collectors Edition book, which may be purchased from our Official Painted Ponies Store. To purchase this book, please Click Here. (Go back to top)

Q: Are The Trail of Painted Ponies figurines lead-free?
A: Our figurines are miniature works of art that are Hand Crafted in China. They are carefully sculpted and painted using the finest materials featuring Lead-Free paints. We work with the finest artisans in the world to create original works of art and collectibles that will be cherished for generations. (Go back to top)

Q: How should I display my Painted Ponies Collection?
A:

1. To prevent pieces from being knocked over by cats, dogs, children and visitors, keep them in closed cabinets or high off the ground. 
2. Ideally, display shelves should have lips on the front so pieces will not easily slide off. Mirrored backing will "double" your enjoyment.
3. Watch out for display areas located near water sources such as water pipes, fish tanks and sinks. 
4. Keep collectibles away from heat, e.g. fireplaces, radiators, floor heaters, stoves and high-watt light bulbs.  Heat tends to cause woods, plastics, papers and certain other types of materials to shrink and crack.  It can also cause finishes on ceramics to change color.
5. Do not display collectibles near sunlight.  Ultraviolet radiation from the sun destroys color pigments. (Go back to top)

Source: Collector’s Information Bureau: www.collectorsinfo.com

Q: How can I repair a broken figurine?
A:

1. Relax; it almost certainly can be repaired.
2. Pick up all the pieces. Protect your hands with gloves.
3. Wrap the larger pieces in bubble wrap or other protectant.
4. Wrap smaller pieces in paper towels and put them in Ziploc bags.
5. Put the really small pieces in Ziploc bags without wrapping them.
6. Never use silicone rubber to blue pieces back together again.  Super glue is the recommended bonding agent.
7. The best protection for any collection is a good insurance policy.  Most homeowners or renters policies cover a certain amount of art and collectibles but they usually have a $500 deductible.  If you have a valuable collection you should consider extending coverage. (Go back to top)

Source: Collectors’ Information Bureau: www.collectorsinfo.com
Repair Referrals, Click Here.

Q: Does The Trail of Painted Ponies have a catalogue?
A: There is no hard-copy catalogue. However, you may download a Collectors Checklist that lists all of the ponies, including the Exclusive Ponies and Holiday Ponies, as well as the ornaments created by release date. Click Here. (Go back to top)

Q: Do all the figurines begin as original works of fine art?
A: Yes. As opposed to most collectibles that are created solely for the collectible market, The Trail of Painted Ponies prides itself on being an authentic art project first, and a collectible company second. All of our Painted Pony figurines begin as genuine, one-of-a-kind artworks fashioned by some of the most talented painters, designers, sculptors in the country. The figurines are meticulously crafted reproductions of original Painted Ponies that were initially created as life-size Ponies, Masterworks, Maquettes or Paint Your Own Pony kit Ponies. Many are sold through the online Trail of Painted Ponies Fine Art Gallery. Click Here. (Go back to top)

Q: Are all the Painted Ponies pictured in The Trail of Painted Ponies books available as figurines?
A: No. The book is not a catalog, although in the back of the books you will find a section that contains all the Painted Ponies that have been crafted as figurines at the time the book was printed. For a current list of Painted Ponies, please visit our official website store, which can be accessed through our website. (Go back to top)

Q: How do you decide which figurines to cast in resin and which in ceramic?
A: If there are embellishments, or details are added to the design of an original Pony that give it dimensionality, then that Pony will be cast in resin. If the original Pony is painted in a straightforward manner, then it will usually be cast in ceramic and the design that is applied will be a high-resolution decal. We sometimes also hand-paint a ceramic Pony if the design can be easily duplicated. (Go back to top)

Q: What does the numbering on the bottom of the figurine mean?
A: The first number on the bottom of the pony is the edition number. This number will have an “E” after it (example: 1E, 2E, 3E). The second number refers to the number of that particular pony in reference to the edition that it was created in. This number will be between 1 and 10,000, since there are 10,000 ponies created in each edition. (Go back to top)

Q: What is the Official Autographed Edition?
A: Painted Pony figurines have become one of the most popular collectibles in America. Certain factors add to their collectibility and enhance their perceived value: whether the Pony is hand-signed by the artist; whether the Pony is retired; the edition and number of the Pony. As a way of assuring collectors that the signatures on the Ponies are authentic, and as a way of generating money to compensate artists for the terrific work they have done, we created the Official Autographed Edition. It consists of a limited number first edition Ponies, hand-signed and hand-numbered by the artist. Each is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity that is also hand-signed and hand-numbered by the artist. And, it is available only through The Trail of Painted Ponies website store, and select retailers across the country. These are the ONLY Painted Ponies that the artist both hand-signs and hand-numbers, and there are only 250 of each Pony. (Go back to top)

Q: I have a great idea for a Painted Pony that I would like you to consider as a figurine. What should I do?
A: You have several choices. You can follow the instructions found in the Call to Artists section of our website. You can enter one of our competitions. Or, you can purchase a Paint Your Own Pony kit, paint your design, photograph and send it to us for consideration. Click Here. (Go back to top)

Q: Has The Trail of Painted Ponies donated to or helped any philanthropic organizations?
A. The Trail of Painted Ponies donates a portion of the proceeds from each sale through the Official Painted Ponies Website Store, to support worthy non-profit organizations. To date we have helped raise over 1 million dollars to support youth, education, animals, the arts and the environment. Here is a list of the many non-profit organizations that we have partnered with and supported over the years:

Q: How can I find out what the perceived value of a particular pony is?
A: The "percieved value" of any particular pony depends on a number of factors. For the moment, the best indicator would be what certain ponies are selling for on eBay. We do know that autographed, retired and low edition Ponies seem to appreciate in value. We are considering addressing this in a future book we intend to publish late in 2008. (Go back to top)

Official Painted Ponies Store:

Q: How do I purchase The Trail of Painted Ponies figurines or merchandise?
A: You may purchase The Trail of Painted Ponies figurines and merchandise directly through our Official Painted Ponies Store. To visit, please Click Here. (Go back to top)

Q: Can I purchase a gift certificate from the Official Painted Ponies Store?
A: Gift certificates are not currently available from our Official Painted Ponies Store. However, this feature will be offered in the future. Please keep checking our Official Painted Ponies Store for this update. (Go back to top)

Q: What are the shipping costs for orders (non-international) placed through the Official Painted Ponies Store?
A: Shipping costs are based on the amount of your order, the location that it is being shipped to, and the shipping method that you choose.  For more information, Click Here. (Go back to top)

Q: Does the Official Painted Ponies Store ship internationally?
A: Yes. When you proceed to the checkout on the Official Painted Ponies Store, you will be given the option to ship internationally to specific countries. Please note: there are some countries that we cannot ship internationally to. (Go back to top)
 
Q: What are the shipping costs for international orders placed through the Official Painted Ponies Store?
A: Our Official Painted Ponies Store will gladly ship your ponies internationally for you. The price of international shipping is determined by location, the cost of your order and the weight of your package. The international shipping cost is added to your purchase after you "add your items to the cart" and "proceed to the checkout" on our Official Painted Ponies Store. You will have the option to decline the purchase of your items if you do not wish to complete the order. (Go back to top)

Q: How long is the delay usually between the time you announce the next release, and it is actually shipped?
A: Generally two-plus months. For example, if you pre-order a Painted Pony that is announced on December 1, it usually will not be shipped until early February. Ponies pre-ordered after our June 1 announcement are usually not shipped until late August. (Go back to top)

Retailers:

Q: I am a retailer and would like to establish a wholesale account. How can I do this?
A: You may become a retailer of The Trail of Painted Ponies figurines and merchandise by visiting our Official Website and filling out a Wholesale Inquiries Application Form. After you have submitted your application online for review, you will receive the contact information for all of our fine licensees. Please be patient with this process, it may take some time to receive a response.(Go back to top)

Q: I have established a Wholesale Account but have not received a response. What should I do?
A: Please be patient with the reviewing process. It may take a while to receive a response once you have submitted your application for review. (Go back to top)

E-mail your questions to: info@trailofpaintedponies.com