MB 7a Horses

[toysnz]

I've been checking a recent acquisition against Nick's list but cannot determine the long leg version vs the short leg version of the horse. No photos on the guide either so can someone post a photo of the two side by side so I can determine if I have a 7a -1,2, or 6. Although I 'd call the axles flat they may be classified a dome on the list , so a photo of that too would certainly help - my rudimentary measurement of the shaft base width is 6mm but I'm at work so a more accurate measurement will have to wait till I get home... as will photos.

Ian

[Idris]

The early horse has large "muscle bulges" from all four legs protruding into the rectangular slot between the horse legs. The later horse doesn't, the floor of the slot being almost completely flat. In addition, the early horse has much daintier hooves at the front.
I recall that we discussed this matter in quite some detail on the old forum and I'm pretty sure that there were other detail differences too. If time allows over the weekend, I'll brave Lefora and see what I can find.

[matchboxkiwi]

Ian, if you find the version with long legs on one side and short ones on the other, it's probably a Welsh horse - a bit like their sheep!!!!!!!

Cheers, Steve
Matchboxkiwi

[toysnz]

Ian, if you find the version with long legs on one side and short ones on the other, it's probably a Welsh horse - a bit like their sheep!!!!!!!

Cheers, Steve
Matchboxkiwi

Now you just be careful about comments like that Steve... you know I've got a longer right leg than a left leg since I had my knee operation!

Ian

[Idris]

Here is my summary from Lefora (which, incidentally, runs 100 times better on Google Chrome than on Internet Explorer):

"At the last few toyfairs I've attended, I've made a point of looking at 7a horses and have the following comments:
- On both Type A and Type B horses, there is a cast slot between the legs and which runs the full length of the animal and all the legs have rounded strenthening on the inside face (like the muscles on a real horse).
- On the Type A horse the muscles of each pair of legs actually meet in the middle of the slot to form a raised section across the whole width of the slot, whilst on the Type B horse there is a very small gap between the left and right hand members of each pair of muscles.
- On the Type A horse, the girth (the big strap which passes around the horse's stomach) runs straight across the slot and joins up with the girth moulding on either side. On the Type B horse, the girth cast in the slot is slightly skewed and fails to meet up properly on the animal's left hand side.
- The Type A horse has properly detailed hooves on the forelegs whereas the Type B horse has no real detailing in this area. (The forelegs just splay out a little at the end.)
Although horses can obviously be switched around, my impression is that, contrary to Nick's variation table, Type B horses can be found with Type A milk float castings and I would even go so far as to say that they are more the common type..
Variation Code 1 has so far eluded me (is it any wonder with those dreadful sodium lights that indoor arenas use?), but I would expect it to be a Type A horse (i.e. as per Nick's table)."

[toysnz]

Thanks Idris - I'll use that description to see if it makes it easier to identify the horse type...

Ian

[toysnz]

Thanks to Idris' description I have been able to identify the horse as a long leg version and together with the other identifying features I have declared this to be an MB 7a-1 (NJ) - flat head crimped axles, white lettering, crate to the rear, no horse shaft braces, 6mm shaft base, long front legs on horse.

Ian

[Idris]

I have declared this to be an MB 7a-1 (NJ)

Are you sure? Nick's code 1 has a brown horse as opposed to a chocolate brown horse. If it is a code 1, I would be extremely interested to see a photograph showing the two shades of brown together.

[toysnz]

I have declared this to be an MB 7a-1 (NJ)

Are you sure? Nick's code 1 has a brown horse as opposed to a chocolate brown horse. If it is a code 1, I would be extremely interested to see a photograph showing the two shades of brown together.

The first photo on Nick's #7a page shows what I take to be three chocolate brown models and the un-boxed one in front I took to be brown - mine looks to be the same as the brown colour but I will check against other items later tonight when I get home from work.

Ian

[Idris]

I see what you mean, but that shouldn't be a brown horse because it is attached to a silver-trimmed float.