ROCKING HORSE TIPS
  

rocking horse tips: why us?

rocking horse home

rocking horse shop

rocking horse restorer

 

You may only ever buy one rocking horse, so make it the right rocking horse, not just any rocking horse, by turning to the specialists. Here are a some reasons to do so and some tips to bear in mind:
     

traditional rocking horse

traditional horses gallery

  

choice - no-one else in the world offers you such a wide variety of sizes, styles and prices of high quality, individually hand-carved, wooden rocking horses.

rocking horse sizes

how to order

  

excellence - our team of rocking horse makers comprises a hand-picked selection of the UK's finest, most experienced and skilled professional rocking horse makers.

children's rocking horses

contact

  

value - given the excellence of our rocking horses, we believe that they represent truly outstanding value for money.
     

 

showroom and rocking horse shop - you can meet a wide selection of rocking horses in a relaxed, rural setting, discover your preferences and possibly even buy from stock.
 

quality materials - our hand-carved rocking horses are made from 100% hardwoods - no laminates, no plastics, no fibreglass. All have leather tack and real horsehair.
 

personal service - you are assured of friendly, personal service, regardless of whether you are just contemplating buying a rocking horse or are ready to make your selection.
     

An increasing number of so-called 'traditional rocking horses' are imported from the Far East, particularly Indonesia and Thailand!


They are, of course, relatively cheap, but you will decide for yourself whether they represent good value for money when you examine the workmanship.


Some of those offering such horses for sale are open about their origin. Others are not:


It is disappointing to see at least one British rocking horse maker offering such horses for sale with the clear intention that the customer should infer that they are made in his own workshop. Caveat emptor - let the buyer beware!





Extremely few rocking horses are entirely hand made by individual, professional rocking horse makers. Quite apart from the imported horses and those made by hobby woodworkers, many are made by outworkers on piece rates. This inevitably leads to great variation in appearance and quality.

 

a friendly face - our designs have a warmth which wins children's hearts but also have detail and sophistication, which makes them ideal for adults buying for themselves.
 

rocking horses for horse lovers - you don't have to be a horse lover to appreciate our rocking horses, but we are often told that many capture the personality of a real horse.
 

uniqueness - our makers offer many variations, including some which are highly unusual and some rocking horses which are quite simply unique.

   
 

rocking horse tips: hints
 

How much shall I spend?

Stretch your budget! A rocking horse is for (at least) a lifetime!

What size should I buy?

If you would like to ride the rocking horse yourself (and be honest!!), do bear that in mind. Our Chester rocking horses are designed for adults. As well as being beautiful, they are also extremely robust and great fun for adults to ride.

If you are making comparisons with any other rocking horses and rocking horse makers (and we welcome the comparison), please consider:

Are you dealing with an experienced professional rocking horse maker? We respect anyone who completes the arduous task of hand-carving a rocking horse, but amateurs with limited experience come and go with great regularity. Very few professional makers have stood the test of time. Every one of our rocking horse makers and restorers has at least 20 years experience!

Can you see a wide selection of real rocking horses on display and for sale in a showroom or shop (not just a brochure, photo album or website!)? Many of our visitors are simply astonished at the wide choice we can offer and frequently comment that photos do not do justice to the beauty of the horses.

Consider the size of the actual rocking horse. Stand sizes and mountings are sometimes used to 'inflate' the dimensions and create the impression that the rocking horse is bigger than it really is. We offer a lot of rocking horse for your money.

Ask what materials are used. You might find some unpleasant surprises.

Is the rocking horse really carved individually by hand?

Some of the most widely available rocking horses from so-called "British makers" are no more than plywood identikits: Imported machined pieces of plywood are glued together like Airfix kits. These are sometimes marketed presented as 'hand-finished' or indeed 'hand-made' (which they simply are not). Is that really what you want? Or is it quality and traditional individual craftsmanship?

You may only ever buy one rocking horse, so why compromise?

We offer you an even broader range of styles of rocking horse than is yet featured on this website. Many others are on view in our showroom and rocking horse shop. Indeed, it is probably the finest and widest range of new rocking horses on display anywhere. Why settle for limited choice elsewhere?

back up to top

© The Kensington Rocking Horse Company 2009. All rights reserved.