Rocking horses are one of the greatest treasures a child can have, much more than just a beautiful wooden toy, they are a lovingly hand crafted piece of history! Dating back to the 17th century, many private collectors and museums are now preserving these magnificent creatures for our future generations. The V & A museum of childhood currently displays a rounded base wooden "rocker" dating back to 1610, which it is believed, was once owned by King Charles I, made for him when he was a child to strengthen his legs and aid his recovery from rickets.

Despite the prominence and rise of rocking horses, which first appeared during the Georgian and Victorian periods, there is some evidence that crude wooden horses with wheels were once made for the children of the ancient Greeks and Egyptians. Though the proof of this is sketchy at best, it is not unreasonable to assume that a time which produced temples and pyramids, would be more than capable of producing a simply fashioned childrens wheeled toy.

The forerunner to todays rocking horses were of course hobby horses, sometimes also referred to as "broomstick horses" which were popular with children as far back as medieval times. Nothing more than a horse head fashioned from a flat piece of wood and attached to the end of a broom stick, these traditional childrens toys would be "ridden" by their galant riders, no doubt into some battle or fighting off the invading marauders from a distant land. Hobby horses can still be found and bought today, though their popularity has naturally wained in favour of the realism that a rocking horse provides.

The 16th century holds what can be considered the earliest ancestor of the modern rocking horse. With a large round timber or log as its body and four roundwooden legs, the barrel horse was far more "horse like" and can be considered the true forerunner to todays horses as we know them. With its barrel body, sturdy frame and formed neck and head, children were now able to mount and ride these wooden beasts like a real horse.

It was during the 17th century that the earliest "bow" type rocking horses appeared. With their rounded circular base and carved features, these toy wooden rockers were beginning to resemble there real counterparts, it was not until the 18th century however, that craftsmen began to create our beautiful sculpted fillies and mares! In 1880, a milestone in the history of the rocking horse, the Marqua company of Cincinatti made a significant breakthrough in the construction and rideability of the humble rocking horse, the patented "swinger base".

The swinger or "glider" mechanism of the rocker held many advantages over the earlier bow type rocking horses, which would move and slide when ridden. The swinger needed much less space to use, was quieter, safer and provided a smooth and much more realistic action for its rider. Over  time these horses became the firm favourite of the landed gentry and well to-do, children of royalty and the wealthy would have beautifully carved and hand crafted wooden rocking horses specially made for them. These horses became ultra realistic works of art, with tails and manes made from real horse hair, glass eyes and "proper" saddles, these children enjoyed the real thrill of riding.

Naturally enough, for these children of nobility and the like, many learned their basic riding skills which they would use for real horses later in life. These early masterpieces still survive today fetching thousands of pounds at auction and forming the centre piece of a many a collectors "stable"! However these rocking horses remained the exclusive property of the upper classes, with the masses unable to afford such luxury, and making do with home made barrel horses and hobby horses fashioned from an old broom or a plank of wood.

The industrial revolution was the turning point in the history of our beloved creatures. With the advent of mass production, and perhaps more importantly the jobs and wealth that the factories created, the middle classes now had some disposable income, creating an explosion in the popularity of these grand mahoganies and dappled greys. This was the heyday of our beloved rocking horse, but all was about to change. In 1914 the world went to war, all available man power and machinery was diverted to the war effort, and with the coming of the great depression, there was no money available to families for such frivolous luxury. The popularity of the rocking horse never fully recovered and the modernist eras of the '60s and '70s were no place for these "old fashioned" toys.

Thankfully it is this generation of children, now parents and grand parents, who are the driving force behind a renaissance in the rocking horse world. Perhaps there is a longing and a fondness for the simpler times that these beautiful creatures represent, or maybe a sadness that the rocking horse almost became extinct. Whatever the reason, we should all be thankful that craftsmen and restorers are breathing new life into the humble rocking horse, and inspiring our young ones, who will, with any luck, keep the breed alive.

Tags: childrens toys, rev, rocking horse, Toys, TP, traditional, Wood

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