Breyer horses

Breyer Animal Creations (or just Breyer), a division of Reeves International. Breyer first started in 1950. It is a manufacturer of model animals, and is one of the oldest model animal companies in existence. The company specializes in models made from cellulose acetate (a form of plastic) and are best known for their model horses, although various wildlife and domestic animal models are also produced, including an extensive line of dog breeds. Its model horses are some of the most renowned model horses in the industry, being as the models are both inexpensive and realistic. Breyer manufactures well over 5 million models annually.

Each summer, the company holds a festival for model horse collectors called Breyerfest at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky.Breyerfest has been held every year in Kentucky since 1989. Every year since 2002 has had a different theme, and 2009 is their 20th anniversary. The company also publishes its own magazine--Just About Horses or JAH for short, and has six issues per year.

BreyerFest

BreyerFest was first held in 1989, from then on it has been held annually in July at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, this is a three-day festival for model horse fanatics. During this three day period, attendees can buy, sell, and trade their own models, purchase special special run Breyer models sold only at this particular event, and participate in huge model horse shows. There are also classes that teach how to paint, customize, and repair models, and lectures on collecting and judging models. Guest stars, usually renowned trainers and famous horses, are also present and perform for the attendees, and each year at least one real horse upon which a model has been based is in attendance, so that Breyer fans can see the horse behind the horse. There are tours of Lexington horse farms and tracks, a huge nightly Breyer trade fair among all the open rooms up and down the halls of the main hotel, and one huge official "swap-meet" in the ballroom. And there is a raffle held for charity, in which very rare and even unique Breyer models are sold, often for thousands of dollars. There is also a Celebration horse which is usually a famous horse that a model is made after. The model is included in your 3-day ticket.

Effects on pets' health

Keeping animals as pets may become detrimental to their health if certain requirements are not kept. An important issue is the inappropriate feeding, which may produce clinical effects (like the consumption of chocolate by dogs). Passive smoking is another recurring problem, aggravated by the fact that fur animals groom themselves, which means taking in extra harmful substances that have landed on their fur, not just those inhaled. A study has revealed that 44% of pet owners who smoke in UK do so around their pets, with 38% of them stating that they had no idea that second hand smoke could damage their pet's health.

Effects of pets on their caregiver's health

Health benefits

Pets have the ability to stimulate their caregivers, in particular the elderly, giving people someone to take care of, someone to exercise with, and someone to help them heal from a physically or psychologically troubled past. Having a pet may help people achieve health goals, such as lowered blood pressure, or mental goals, such as decreased stress. There appears to be strong evidence that having a pet can help a person lead a longer, healthier life. In a study of 92 people hospitalized for coronary ailments, within a year 11 of the 29 without pets had died, compared to only 3 of the 52 who had pets A recent study concluded that owning a pet can reduce the risk of a heart attack by 2% and that pets are better than medication in reducing blood pressure. Dogs which are trained to be guide dogs can help people with visual impairments.

Pets in long-term care institutions

Even pet owners residing in a long-term care facility, such as a hospice or nursing home, experience health benefits from pets. Pets for nursing homes are chosen based on the size of the pet, the amount of care that the breed needs, and the population and size of the care institution.Appropriate pets go through a screening process and, if it is a dog, additional training programs to become a therapy dog

Different pets require varying amounts of attention and care; for example, cats have lower maintenance requirements than dogs.

Health risks

Health risks that are associated with pets include:

• Aggravation of allergies and asthma caused by dander and fur or feathers
• Injuries, maulings and sometimes deaths caused by pet bites and attacks
• Disease and/or parasites due to animal hygiene problems or lack of appropriate treatment (feces and urine)
• Stress caused by behavior of animals
• Fear or distress from animal presence or behavior

many people have kept many different species of animals in captivity over the course of human history, only a relative few have been kept long enough to be considerd domesticated. Other types of animals, notably monkeys have never been domesticated but are still commonly sold and kept as pets. There are also inanimate objects that have been kept as "pets", either as a form of game, or humorously.

Domesticated

Domesticated pets are the most common types of pet. They have consistently been kept in captivity over a long enough period of time that they exhibit marked differences in behavior and appearance from their wild relatives.