| The rocking horse and its larger cousin, the carousel | | | | principle as a gliding rocker. The wooden horse is set |
| horse have been entertaining children (and adults) for | | | | on a stand that stays in one place while the safety |
| ages. | | | | swing mounted to the frame provides the rocking |
| Some sources say that the rocking horse first made | | | | motion. Overall, the safety stand offered far more |
| its appearance in the 17th century, possibly as a tool | | | | stability and appealed to safety-conscious parents. |
| to begin to teach young children how to ride. It | | | | These days, both options are offered on the market. |
| wasn't until two centuries later, during the Victorian | | | | For most people the elegance of a traditional bowed |
| era, that rocking horses became the toy of young | | | | rocker is still part of the attraction of a rocking horse. |
| aristocrats. | | | | Rocking horses can be as simple as a few flat boards |
| Others theorize that the concept of the rocking | | | | and some stain or as ornate and beautiful as a |
| horse began much earlier and during the Middle Ages. | | | | carousel horse. Some rocking horses have real |
| Knights in training would often construct horses to | | | | saddles too. If you're handy in the workshop, you |
| practice jousting and other skills. Of course, the | | | | can make your own rocking horse. There are sites |
| children of that era would want to emulate their | | | | on the internet that offer plans and instructions. This |
| heroes on horseback, and it's possible that smaller | | | | could be a fun project for you and your child to |
| versions of the knights' contraptions might have been | | | | work on together. You can make your rocking horse |
| toys. | | | | as fanciful or as simple as you like. In fact, the |
| Queen Victoria was the woman responsible for | | | | "rocking horse" doesn't have to be a horse at all. |
| making the rocking horse famous. She had given her | | | | Some rockers look like swans, unicorns, cars, and |
| children dapple-gray rocking horses. Once the rocking | | | | motorcycles! |
| horse obtained the young royal seal of approval, | | | | Whether you buy a rocking horse or make one |
| everyone had to have a dapple-gray rocking horse. | | | | yourself, the rocking horse will no doubt become a |
| At first, only the wealthy could afford these | | | | cherished heirloom of your child. While your child is |
| state-of-the-art toys. They were hand crafted in | | | | young, he or she will spend hours playing on the |
| small numbers until the industrial age hit and mass | | | | horse, stretching imagination and going on wild |
| production made the rocking horse available to the | | | | adventures. As children grow older, rocking horses |
| public. | | | | remind them of fond childhood memories. Eventually, |
| Up until 1880, rocking horses were mounted on a pair | | | | when children have children of their own, the rocking |
| of bowed slabs of wood like a rocking chair. During | | | | horse passes down to the next generation to begin |
| this period, Philip Marqua of Cincinnati invented the | | | | the cycle all over again. |
| "safety stand". The safety stand works on the same | | | | |