What are Rocking Horses?
Rocking horses are riding toys for small children that are reminiscent of simpler times. Rocking horses are simply small, sturdy toy horses that are big enough for a child to sit upon, as if riding a real horse. Most rocking horses are made in the shape of an actual horse, with head, back, legs, and tail; but along the bottom, attached to the hooves, are curved bow rockers similar to those found on a rocking chair. This style is known as the Victorian rocker. When a child sits on the horse’s back, a back-and-forth bodily movement will allow the child to rock to and fro. Foot straps, foot rests, or stirrups provide the child with a place to place his feet while there are often handles protruding from the sides of the horse’s head for the child to grasp with his hands. Perhaps the first known wooden horse was the infamous Trojan horse, though the first known rocking horses came centuries later. Rocking horses date back to the Middle Ages and are thought to have been made in Germany. Medi
