I suspect today's recollection may touch many Boomers, because I remember nearly all of my 1960's friends had spring horses similar to mine.
The fascination that 20th and 21st century kids have with toy cars is probably directly related to archaeological discoveries of small terra-cotta horses in Greek ruins. The horse was the transportation of the day (at least for the well-heeled), and kids love playing with miniaturized versions of things that get you around.
Sometime during the medieval period, stick horses appeared. And by the 17th century, the first rocking horses appeared. The rocking horse King Charles I played with as a child still exists today.
As technology improved, so did the sophistication of rocking horses. Additionally, they became affordable to other folks besides royalty. And many handymen became adept at creating rocking horses that would turn into family heirlooms.
The Wonder Products Company of Collierville, Tennessee was manufacturing wooden rocking horses during the 1940's. The cheap cost of molded plastic caught their attention, and during the next decade, they began making plastic spring horses that were suspended from a tubular frame with four stout springs.
And believe me, a kid could spend many hours happily riding that plasticine bucking bronc. I have many, many memories of riding mine while chasing imaginary outlaws, or perhaps being chased by them, or simply watching TV from a fun perch.
Wonder Products continued to make the spring horses throught the 60's and early 70's, then became a victim of the bad economy of the decade. It's a wonder any toy companies survived the 70's.
In 1988, the Hedstrom Company began manufacturing spring horses right in the good old US of A. Unfortunately, at presstime, it appears that they have hit hard times of their own.
But Radio Flyer still makes them, in a beefier, safer version that the ones we played with. To be honest, though, I don't recall ever falling off of mine ;-). So Boomer grandparents, keep your eye out for Radio Flyer spring horses that are quite similar to the ones you played with as children. I'll bet you'll have some very, very happy grandkids if you do!
Comments (6)
Geez, spring horses are one thing I completely forgot about. I have an old home movie of being on one in Christmas of '65. With all the hubbub about Chinese toys, imagine trying to sell the old ones with the sea of springs underneath! I
sorta remember getting my hand caught in the spring, but prob by just being a silly kid sticking my hands inside. Its funny how much of the old toys are gone now. Train sets, erector sets, dolls, BB guns, and all that good stuff are gone. Now its not as much fun, as kids just get tech-orientated things that aren't nearly as tangible as the large items we once got. Sometimes I think tech thingies are as large as they are just to give us that tangibility of the old.......I still think kids will play in boxes
for all eternity though.
Posted by Scott | October 19, 2007 8:36 AM
Posted on October 19, 2007 08:36
I remember mine! It was an appaloosa and I loved it.
Posted by Incurable Insomniac | October 19, 2007 12:48 PM
Posted on October 19, 2007 12:48
I had a spring horse. Her name was Firecracker and she was red.
She was my favorite toy ever!
Posted by jolynna | October 19, 2007 4:58 PM
Posted on October 19, 2007 16:58
I had a spring horse. Her name was Firecracker and she was red.
She was my favorite toy ever!
Posted by jolynna | October 19, 2007 4:58 PM
Posted on October 19, 2007 16:58
I still have my spring horse - it is now 35 years old and I am giving it to my nephew for his 2nd birthday tomorrow. That is after "giving" it to several other nieces, nephews and toddler friends over the years and he looks as good as ever. That ol' rocking horse has seen many miles and produced many smiles in his 35 years. Find me any other toy that has lasted over three decades and is still in tact and as treasured! Happy Trails~
Posted by still a cowgirl | November 13, 2007 11:55 PM
Posted on November 13, 2007 23:55
Ah, yes, spring horses even in Maine. Loads of them. Similar sorts for a dime to ride at stores, too. But there was one horse in particular burned into my mind. We were at my mother's friend and her 2 boys and we went over to meet the family in the other apt. on the other side of the 2 apt building. They had a horse and small boys a a girl just a year younger than me, age 7 and her 6. She was stunning and riding the horse. I never forgot that face.
But as westerns declined, so did western toys. Horses, guns, hats, holsters, the works.
I have seen several wooden rock horses made at wood shops in memory of this toy.
Posted by Scott Irv | May 23, 2009 9:58 PM
Posted on May 23, 2009 21:58