FEATURE
Go Rocking Rocky There’s an art to making a great rocking horse, and a story behind each one, JANE CAMENS discovers.
That’s what happened when Deb and David Sainsbury’s farrier came to their property in Benaraby, near Gladstone in Queensland. The Sainsburys had recently finished making a rocking horse for their grandson, an undertaking that involved spending time outside Sydney doing a course with master craftsman and renowned rocking horse carver, Chris Woolcock. Their farrier, who had come to trim their mini pony, spotted the rocking horse and immediately
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asked if he could order one – and that was the start of Round Yard Rocking Horses. Rocking horses bring adults back to memories of childhood and build memories in children that can last a lifetime. Deb and David reckon that they are among perhaps 50 rocking horse makers in Australia. Like all good makers, their beautiful horses stand out because of the unique touches they give them. They’ve had customers come with photographs of a real horse and ask for a rocking horse that looks ‘like that’. The Sainsburys can fit either an English style or Western style saddle and they even have one special appaloosa palomino fitted out with a bling western saddle,
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ou can understand why a farrier might fall in love with a rocking horse. At last, they might think, a horse guaranteed not to give them any trouble.
Like all good rocking horse makers, their beautiful horses stand out because of the unique touches they give them.
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HORSEVIBES MAGAZINE - AUGUST 2019
