Hi Everyone!
Yes, your forum has just been invaded by the Crazy Horse Lady! Hold onto your hats, find your sense of humor, and let's see what mischief we can get into along the way. 
I call myself a scale modeler but it's just a little different niche than most people are used to seeing.
Just to give you a little background. I've been a modeler and miniature painter maybe a dozen years or so. I started off with basic model kits back in the day with Dinosaurs, some cars and aircraft, but then I quickly moved on to Science Fiction stuff - Star Trek, Star Wars, etc. Tastes evolve and grow, I enjoy medieval history, fantasy and am a HUGE Lord of the Rings fan and I started painting miniatures and making dioramas (just basic stuff to start with.)
I was actually seeing the first steps of significant improvement in my abilities...but it was not to be. I started having issues with hand-tremors due to a medical condition. So, I can't paint that small any more. The condition is treatable (and nothing stupid serious) but it can take awhile to get a handle on.
I suddenly couldn't paint any more and I was absolutely frustrated. Painting is my stress reliever!
To make a long story short, as you can see I'm a horse nut. No brainer there right? I Had 'em when I was a kid, trained and showed extensively, I tried to learn everything I could about them. Thanks to the internet and honestly some sheer luck in the search terms, I discovered a whole 'nother niche.
There are several types out there but for this post, I'll just tell y'all my primary interest, Artist Resin. These models are definitely larger than the minis I was painting (although they do have a micro-mini scale). The larger ones (traditionals) are typically 1:9 scale and the smaller ones called Stablemates are generally 1:32 scale. Painting the eyes and the fine details on a Stablemate is about as small as I can go before the hand-tremors become an issue. BUT I can do it! :D
These sculptures are highly detailed, released by private sculptors and usually cast by mom and pop casting shops, in very small runs. It's very rare to see a run approaching 200. I purchase these blank resins, prep them, and paint them. Sometimes I'll re-sculpt things. Whack off a mane and tail and change them. I've got one that I didn't like the head - so I decapitated him and swapped the head out with another model. hehe! I'm currently rebuilding the neck with Apoxie Sculpt and making every effort to get the muscles right.
And - honestly - I don't really paint them...I apply dry pigment and sealer. hehehe
I know a lot of modelers use powdered pigments to add weathering effects and so on. I've also seen the prices of those pigments. Remind me to tell y'all where I get my pigments (no I'm not affilated with the company - I just give them too much of my money. lol! But I don't want to sound like I'm "advertising" and get in trouble on my very first post here!
The horse in my avi is a Stablemate sized resin that I painted using dry pigment and sealer, details in acrylics. I have other horses I've painted in my gallery on my website if you want to see others.
For the white markings I use thinned acrylics and layer after layer after layer. The eyes have a specific technique, again with acrylics but also using acrylic retarder and a wash here or there. When I paint the mane and tail I usually use glazes of acrylics or I may use ink washes, it depends on the color and effect that I want. The detail on the hooves has an acrylic base color but then I use various colored pencils to create the growth rings and coronet band and blend those to look natural.
For those colors where you can see hair detail. I pay careful attention the hairs in scale and to follow the natural growth patterns. Every horse is different, but in many areas the hair generally grows in specific directions. I'll use pencil, tiny, high quality Vallejo or W&N Kolinsky paint brushes, and basically any technique I can think of to help me get that detail without going stark raving mad. lol!
Just like any modeling, these horses all start with the prep job. Resins, because they don't have a huge corporation behind them, are notorious for casting and mold problems. This is where my basic model and miniature experience came to my rescue. I find myself constantly using techniques, tools, and products I learned with that...and that experience is why I'm here. I've been running into various issues that I haven't encountered in my three years of painting these resins. So, I'm going back to my roots and digging through modeling and miniature articles and information.
I use Tamiya Primers (well I did until they had the labeling issue and went out of stock - luckily right before that, I purchased a crap ton! hahaha). But since the Tamiya issue came up, and there is a possibility it might not come back or if it does, I won't be able to get my hands on it for a long time, I've been meticulously testing other primers. I refuse to use stuff like Krylon or Rustoleum - I just don't care for the stuff. I've had really bad luck with Catadel Primer and Armory - so I won't take chances on those bands again.
I found Vallejo Aerosol Spray Primers and they are very nice - just what I expected from a product produced by Vallejo. I also tested Duplicolor auto primer. It goes on nicely but as most auto primers, it tries to fill in detail but it's not bad and as long as I'm careful, that quality will actually serve a purpose at times. So it's nice to have as a back up and if I happen to run out of primer, I can run to the store up the street and get it. The other primers - unfortunately, I can't do that. I have to get them online.
There is one thing I learned to hate with a passion in the miniature hobby.
GREEN STUFF!
I know a lot of folks love it and it works very well for them, so I'm not doggin on you guys. But for me? I used the stuff for four years on my minis. I tried and I tried but I swear GS see's me coming and plots how to ruin every project, it takes great joy in resisting even the most basic application, it fights, it sticks everywhere but my intended target, it breaks, and ultimately, the diabolical stuff has discovered if it puts up a fight long enough....I won't be able to do a darn thing with it because it's cured too much. 
Thank goodness I found Aves Apoxie Sculpt. Actually, it's okay, it gives me problems as well but it's not NEAR as bad as GS. So, if I can't fix a problem with CA and Baking Soda, or I need a new mane and tail - I use the Apoxie Sculpt.
I am running into one issue, unforuntately. I have a resin here that is pinhole city! In fact, the piece is terrible! It's a second casting...well, it doesn't even deserve to be called a second. Pinholes, slipped mold resulting in a long divot on the back seam that's bout two inches long and 1/4 inch deep. When I got the horse, it couldn't stand up and promptly fell over and busted it's ear off, which I had to repair. *sigh* I had to take a heat gun to straighten the legs and completely re-sculpt two hooves. ....ARGH!
Okay - rant over - normally use Bondo Spot Putty on the pinholes. But, I really don't care for the stuff. and the more I use it, the more dissatisfied I am with it. I just filled the pinholes on this guy and am starting the sanding process. This time, I'm really not happy with it. There's got to be something that will work better for me.
So, I'm going to search around the forums and the site in general and and see what I can find about pinholes and filler.
In the meanwhile - I'm sanding off Bondo. This one horse has turned into an absolute nightmare. (I've named him Hellboy if that gives you any idea how much I've been fighting with him). It's not like he's my first horse here - I've painted plenty of ponies and had my fair share of prepping problems and issues. But nope, this guy has to become this huge disaster of a problem every little step of the way! It's a miracle he hasn't learned to fly...straight out a window. ;)
So, I'll be wandering around exploring - and trying not to get into too much trouble. ;)
Oh dear, sorry for the long post! I hope I haven't driven y'all batty. I look forward to meeting everyone. Are their other horse nuts like me around? Perhaps some who paint or work on the ones like I do? Maybe other scales or minis? I'd love to see some more ponies!
I enjoy talking about horses, colors, markings various details, anything like that, so feel free to drop me a note if ya like.
Okay, back to your regularly scheduled posts before y'all shoot me.
Cheers!