Rocking their world

Rocking horses were once a common fixture in children's playrooms - or a charming trinket on a Christmas tree. Now, some are getting a new lease of life for grown-up enthusiasts, finds Liz Falkingham

- Liz Falkingham

"IT'S like having Solo back again," was Joanne Chester's emotional response to seeing the rocking horse that artist Helen Taylor created for her. Designed to commemorate her late Welsh cob, every detail from the liver chestnut coat and distinctive markings to the flowing mane and tail (some of which was Solo's own) was there.

"I bought Solo for my daughter, but she didn't like her - fortunately, I fell in love with her and for the next 18 years, she was my best friend," says Joanne. "After she was put to sleep, I wanted to commemorate her life with a piece of art, but hadn't thought of a rocking horse until I saw some Helen had done. Now, Solo rocking horse has pride of place in our living room and my granddaughter gets to ride her."

As a horse owner herself, Lincolnshire-based Helen knows the utter heartbreak of losing a beloved equine.

"It's one of the reasons I love being able to bring a horse back in some way," says Helen, one of a growing number of artists using their skills as painters to give new life to old rocking horses. "All of the rocking horses I get have been on a journey, some happy ones and some not so happy, just like real horses.

"I'd always had a hankering for a rocking horse, but it took until I was 50 to get my first one. Just before Covid hit, I bought a Lines Brothers Sportiboy [a classic model] at auction - I didn't really know anything about the history of them at that time, although I'd always been fascinated by antiques."

That first horse happened to be a rare, extra carved bay Lines on a bow (the curved rocker). After treating it for woodworm, Helen began the process of painting it.