Rocking Horses

NOTE: This page will no longer be updated!
Please visit www.rockinghorsedesign.com for our newest rocking horses!

Remember: it will take at least two-three months from the receipt of a order to the final delivery.
We always try to meet special dates such as birthdays.

Our rocking horses are created for people who want something different.
We do not stick to the conventional markings, painting patterns and design, but try to make out of each rocking horse a - one of a kind- individual with a personality.

We designed three types of rocking horses: the 'standard', the"de Luxe" and our topmodel: the 'Extra de Luxe' rocking horse.
If you are looking for a unique, high quality rocking horse with a close match to your dream-horse or own favourite horse or pony, we can paint your new rocking horse in the closest way you want to have it.

There are a lot of possibilities; For example choose your own color of the tail and the manes.
Perhaps you also want a brass double reining bit, brass stirrups, tack in the colour of your choice or a particular decoration.

Even if you want a horse in a 'Picasso'-design or a horse what appears to be made out of marble;
there are always possibilities!
In our, only handcrafted, studio we handle our horses with the atmost care and attention.
Once the horse is ready, you get a unique horse and one of the finest pieces of art!

THE PAINTING
For our horses we use an ancient oil-technique. By glazing, a time-consuming and difficult painting technique, the horse becomes very lifelike. Glazing is a process of adding depht tot colors and carvings details by applying layers of pigmented stains over a base-coat. While each layer is still wet, the excess glaze is bottled with a wadding of cheesecloth. Each layer must then be thoroughly dried. A glaze formula calls for parts of boiled linseed oil, added to tinting oils to create the desired glaze. After six or sometimes even 12 layers of paint the horse is sealed with thinned shellac. It is this coat which yellows with age and gives old rocking horses their own characteristic This means that each horse is an individual artistic work. For this reason they are signed. You will also find also a plate with number and year on them.

These horses represents our topmodel and are specially made for decoration or collectioners.

At this moment we've just finished -in this range- a luxurious, medieval black horse, complete with pendant, decorated with green leather, green velvet, French silk, embroidery, brass, gilt (a special paint with golddust) -on bow, shoes and saddle- and fine gold-coloured jewelery (rhinestones)on the head.
The bow is decorated with sandblasted decoration wood (made out of roots:Mopani) which is sealed with a thinned shellack.
An astonishing 'eyecatcher'

Detailed info goes with every, single horse. because they all are different.
(Prices on request)

'Tiramisu'

(sold)

A medieval horse with pendant, gillt, green leather, green velvet, French silk, tassel, brass, martingale, double reins, gilt bow and saddlecloth, wooden-roots ornaments and rhinestones.
A topmodel with historic elements....

"Verdi"

This is an example of 'the top of the range': the 'Extra de Luxe' rocking horse 'Verdi'.
This time we were inspired by the noble Spanisch, Andalusian horses.
All the leather on this horse is handcrafted and exclusively made. Front and back of the saddle are made of lamshide. The saddlecloth is made of the best quality velvet and decorated with gold coloured embroidery. For the manes and tail of this horse we used three horsetails to get the hair in the way we wanted.
The bow for this particular horse has handcarved ornaments.

This magnificent horse can be seen in the English Lifestyle
Shop 'Upstairs' in Brummen. (Look for more info at www.thegallerybrummen.nl' )

Perhaps an idea for a trip because the museum building of the Gallery Brummen offers as well 'The Toy Gallery '(a historical Toy Museum), the possibility to buy/look at exclusive classic-, and sportcars,
a refreshment in the lunchroom and a visit to 'the Gallery' Bookshop.
There is a lot to see!

click here for more pictures

'Verdi'

(sold)

The hair on our rocking horses is made from real, solid horse-hide. We don't dye it, because this would affect the natural, subtle variations of colour as opposed to a mass product. We use only real horse hair for manes and tails, ensuring a natural and very lifely, realistic appearance.

"Solist"
This example of our 'de Luxe' horse is a chesnut skewbald rocking horse.
Extra carved saddle and saddlecloth. Solid brass, original, horse-decorations on horse and bow or stand. Our own exclusive design double reining bit with double reins, matching stirrups,boots and rug complete this horse.
This horse can be used as a rocking horse and -if you wisch when the children have grown up- as a carousel horse, waiting for the next generation.

HORSES ON STAND
After receiving many questions we've made a special proto-type swingstand for our horses.
Take a look at our page "Accessories" for the prototype.

"Donut"
"Donut" is one of our painted 'Standard' horses .
This horse is covered with 8 layers of (oil)paint, extra decorated bitrings and decorations with an antique finish.
Click here for more pictures

This rocking horse "Wodan" Is covered with 12 (!) layers of paint to get the right colours and realistic surface which belongs to a dappled grey. Model for this creation was a Welsh Mountain pony called Wodan. The hair of the manes and tail is rare and came from the same horse. Saddle height is approx. 32inches/ 80 cm. Overall height is approx. 44inches/1.10m .

sold

(Germany)
(type: 'Standard')

'Ut Fata' (type 'Standard') got a home in America
Bryce received this brave
horse from his father as a Christmas present

THE BODY
The wood for the body is imported . It is nice, tropical wood that is easy to hand carve. It is our objective to protect nature and the environment. So we only use wood from a firm who's plan it is to achieve this in the best possible ways.

Click here for full screen view (101 Kb)

sold

This young grey horse "Brandy" was a commission.
Grandparents were so happy with their granddaughter that they decided to give her a replica of their own pony.

Although most of the owners are too young to ride their horses themselves, we receive letters and emails from parents, grandparents and collectioners who bought horses in the past.
Some of them became real 'family'-friends.
We always like to hear how our horses are behaving in another stable!

One of them is Joy who's enjoying her birthday presents, including her young grey rocking horse "Brandy" from her grandparents. They wrote: Everyone was absolutely delighted with it. The high quality, design and expression of the horse . We thank you very much'.

Recently we received a picture from a very happy collectioner in the USA who bought already three of our antique horses!

SAFETY
Because bow rockers can 'travel' when the child is rocking firmly, We advise children, especially those under 36 months should be supervised. A rocking horse on stand or bow has many moving parts. Always "beware!". Keep safety in mind.

Remember: each horse of Jo's Rocking Horse & Art Design is created for customers who want something different and therefore unique. Prices start as low as 1200 Euro.