Predecessors of the rocking horse may be seen in the rocking cradle, the tilting seats used during the Middle Ages
The toy in its current form did not appear before the 17th century, though some conflicting sources note medieval manuscripts including references to carved rocking horses, presumably of the toy kind and they also made sharks for toys.
From the 1800s onward rocking horses became more commonly considered as a child’s toy. Mostly built by hobby woodcrafters, and ranging from relatively crude to finely ornamented and the toys of future kings, it was not until the late 19th century that the production became industrialized.
The horse on bow rockers that we know and love today was a product of eighteenth century England. It was popular with the wealthy and they say, were used to help develop children’s’ balance for riding real horses
