My Horse in 3D Starts Scanning and Printing Lifelike Horse and Pony Statues

Anyone who has experienced a close relationship with a pet knows that sentimental feeling, the one where your dog, cat, or any other domesticated creature feels like a part of your family, and likely will be until the end of time. 3D printing technology has offered us some viable ways to appreciate our beloved pets. Companies like 3D Petshop and Arty Lobster have focused on creating lifelike 3D printed pet sculptures, giving pet owners a way to physically cherish and remember their furry friends by. Although they may not live under your roof and sleep in your bed, horses and ponies are generally just as treasured by stable owners and equestrians as any other housed animal, each one with its own distinct, almost human personality.

Netherlands-based company My Horse in 3D, which is a subsidiary of the 3D scanning and print studio DoubleMe3D, is focused on presenting horse owners and lovers with the opportunity to own their own lifelike 3D printed horse or pony statue. The bond between a rider and their horse is known to be extremely deep, as they are usually able to recognize their steed by the look in their eyes or hooves. But, their personalities, as distinct as they may be in person, have always been difficult to capture the true nature of. That is, until My Horse in 3D came galloping along.

Although it’s no easy feat to capture the personality, pose, and physical features of a horse all at once, My Horse in 3D utilizes a state-of-the-art 3D scanning system, and has also enlisted the help of professional horse photographers to help conjure up a lifelike 3D image. The company uses about 150 cameras to capture every minute detail of the selected horse, which can be 3D printed in a wide array of materials, from full-colored sandstone to polished bronze, and even in 18 carat gold. The rider of the horse can even be included in the 3D scan and print as well, if they so desire.

“There are approximately 58.000.000 horses in the World. In parallel the quality of full color 3D printing has come so far that it is possible to create life-like statues of just about anything. By combining the two we made this exciting and global innovation possible!” explains technical director and 3D scanning tech pioneer Manuel Groeneweg.

The print itself takes around five to six weeks to create, finish, and deliver, and can be ordered in three different sizes: small (15 cm), medium (17 cm) and large (25 cm). My Horse in 3D will actually come to your stable (in the Netherlands) once six or more horses are signed up to be scanned, and these scanning events were developed to ensure the horses’ comfort and safety. The scanning system is both spacious and safe for the horse to pose in, while a wide entrance allows it to leave if it does happen to get uncomfortable or startled.

But, considering that the photo cameras used to scan the horse are harmless, don’t use a flash, or even make a noise, the 45-minute scanning session should generally go without an issue. Though the company is now primarily focused on horses, they also have experience scanning and printing other animals like dogs, cats, and birds, which are performed with a smaller-sized 3D scanner setup in their Bleiswijk-based studio. With My Horse in 3D’s specialized scanning system, horseback riders in the Netherlands can now admire and reflect upon their majestic horse wherever, whether they’re physically in the stable or in the comfort of their own home. What do you think of this idea? Discuss further in the 3D Printed Horse Sculptures forum over at 3DPB.com.