Some years ago we discovered this rocking horse in the Stable Yard. As you can see it was not looking its best. It had a great deal of woodworm in the stand. Something had nibbled its ear. I don’t think it was it’s sweetheart, it looked awfully like rodent teeth marks.
It was made by F. H. Ayres around 1885 and it is the Rolls Royce of rocking horses.
One of our team also had a rocking horse a little the worse for wear and we decided to send them off together to be restored by Stevenson Brothers in Kent. After all Kent is a long way away and it is always great to have a travelling companion.
They both came back fully restored last year and ours stands in the Drawing room here at Ballywalter Park. Below you see it in Technicolour glory and now fearfully valuable, considering it is still just a toy.
