Classic Rocking Horses - UK Rocking Horse Makers and Restorers

Rocking horses of various shapes and sizes have been made for hundreds of years in many countries throughout the world. The classic English dappled grey rocking horse, which we have come to know and love, evolved during the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries in response to the demands of an increasingly affluent society.

Initially only the landed gentry could afford such a luxury toy, and did so to give their children their first experience of a horse ride at a very early age. With the advent of the Industrial Revolution a new and wealthy middle class expanded rapidly and wanted the trappings of success, even in the nursery. To satisfy this need rocking horses were made in huge numbers, with the dappled grey horse proving the most popular and chosen by both King George the Fourth and Queen Victoria.  Many alternative colourings have been tried, but the Dappled Grey rocking horse has remained a consistent favourite with children of all ages.

Early Georgian and Victorian rocking horses were mounted at full stretch on deeply curved bow rockers. However, experience showed that these elegant rockers could easily gallop around the house, posing a threat to their riders, furniture and onlookers alike.

Many different types of rocking horse stand were tried without success until 1880 when an American, Philip Marqua of Cincinnati, took out a British patent on his invention, the swinger or 'Safety Stand'. This proved very successful and steadily replaced the more precarious bow rockers, to become the style of choice.