Ask The Trailmaster

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We try to answer questions daily. Questions are not posted until they are answered.

Here are answers to the commonly asked questions about where to resell Painted Ponies, and what their current value is:

When collectors choose to resell their Painted Ponies, we recommend doing so on eBay. There is also a Facebook group, which was set up by Painted Ponies collectors and is not monitored by The Trail of Painted Corporate Office, where you can offer your Painted Ponies for sale. Here is a link to that Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/PaintedPoniessellbuyswapauction

To find the current perceived value of your Painted Ponies, we suggest searching on eBay for the same figurine with a similar edition number. If you have an eBay account, you can look up what that particular figurine has sold for recently, and that will give you an even more accurate perceived value.

Laura Slade from Canada wrote on March 27, 2013:

I preordered an autographed version of the guardian back in january. The Regular ones have shipped do you know when the autographed versions will ship?

Response From Trailmaster:

Because I personally signed The Guardian Autographed figurines, I can say they were returned to our fulfillment center last week and should be shipped to you immediately. I apologize for the delay. There were circumstances beyond our control that made these later than the open editions. We have taken steps to make sure that doesn't happen again. Thank you.

Laura from Canada wrote on March 27, 2013:

I recently purchased a Large edition of fancy dancer. His item number written underneath is 12389. When I try to register him it says its an invalid pony number. This was a pony with the limited edition number 5000. Is this not a real painted pony?

Response From Trailmaster:

Please send a picture of the bottom of your Pony to info@paintedponies.com and someone will help you.

Devin from Tucson, Arizona wrote on March 26, 2013:

Is Painted Pony a United States Company? Where are the ponies manufactured?

Response From Trailmaster:

Yes, The Trail of Painted Ponies is an American company. We encourage you to read about our history - how, where and why we formed - on our website. The original life-sized horse forms and our maquettes and masterpieces were cast in the United States. Our figurines are crafted overseas.

florinda from new mexico wrote on March 23, 2013:

we found three painted ponies @ a thrift store a few years ago gave them to my daughter now a teenager no longer wants them in her room. I would hate to throw them out or give them back to the thrift store, what should I do with them?

Response From Trailmaster:

We would suggest you donate them to a local horse rescue operation and let them feature the Ponies in their next silent auction.

Dino from Phoenix wrote on March 18, 2013:

We recently purchased the beautiful and moving Wounded Knee through Linda (Blazin Trails) at The Arabian Horse Show and would like to find an individual display case for it. So far we have not been successful. On our own and through Linda we did find a "football" display case that is a bit too large for the Pony and for the spot where we display our ponies. Do you know where we can find display cases better proportioned to the Ponies, especially Wounded Knee? Btw, we met Vickie and got an autographed pony. Her story of how she was inspired to create Wounded Knee inspired us to purchase the beautiful pony. You have very special and talented artists creating this your wonderful collection.

Response From Trailmaster:

Thank you for sharing your experience with Vickie Knepper. She's not only a talented artist, she's a wonderful person. As for display cases, several years ago we conducted a search for display cases that would "house" individual Painted Ponies. In the end we found what you found: display cases for other collectibles that were either too small or two large. We even looked into manufacturing our own, but it didn't make economic sense. We'll keep looking, and should you find something that works, let us know.

Sandra Smith from Va. Beach, Va. wrote on March 18, 2013:

I very saddly just lost my war pony lapel pin that I got years agp when it forst cama out-I have not been able to locate another one-any ideas??-I really miss it

Response From Trailmaster:

We have asked around and nobody we know of seems to have a "War Pony" lapel pin. Sorry for your loss.

Carrie from Woodbridge, Va wrote on March 16, 2013:

Have you made the Tucson pony yet, my niece saw it in the Tuscon Museum, and I would like to know if or when it will be released. Thank you in advance.

Response From Trailmaster:

There were several communities inspired enough by the Santa Fe-based public art project, The Trail of Painted Ponies, to put on their own public art project featuring the horse as a canvas. Tucson was one of those communities, and we were pleased to serve as a consultant to their project. But only one has gone on to produce collectible figurines based on the artwork - The Trail.

jim rosencrans from albany ny wrote on March 15, 2013:

will you ever have a figurine for BLACKJACK? The military horse of VIP funerals in Arlington Cemetary?

Response From Trailmaster:

In July we plan to announce our next competition, which will focus on a search for Ponies designed with a military theme. Perhaps an artist will draw inspiration from Blackjack.

Courtney Sullivan from Texas wrote on March 13, 2013:

My husband and I are having our wedding ceremony on June 1st, 2013 and I would be SO honored to have a Trail of Painted Pony as our cake topper! We had to do a quick court house marriage due to me being in the Air Force and plan to include our families and friends in a beautiful ceremony when I graduate technical training. I was wondering if there were any particular artists that I might speak to about a custom pony and pricing. It will be a fairly simple design, pretty much a few roses and solid colors but I have not decided fully yet. I would like to speak to some artists first. Thank you, I hope to hear from you soon!

Response From Trailmaster:

First, congratulations. We wish you good luck and happiness. We are honored that you would like to make The Trail of Painted Ponies a part of your wedding. If you would contact Rikki at our toll free number - 1-877-459-5701 - she will be glad to put you in touch with Maria Ryan, one of our Painted Pony artists who has made other weddings even more special with a custom Painted Pony.

Allison from Ohio wrote on March 13, 2013:

I have a retired pony named Karuna. Item #1455. And written in ink above the Item number it says 1,444. It doesnt say 1E or 2E. Trying to figure out the value. Please let me know if you can help.

Response From Trailmaster:

You have a valuable Pony. Just how valuable depends on how badly another collector wants to add this Pony to their collection. The reason there is no 1E or 2E is that the first 3600 castings of the resin Ponies that were part of the very first Trail of Painted Ponies release, back in 2003, did not have identifying information about the edition. We refer to these as "Pre-Es." As for what is handwritten, we don't have an explanation for that.