When was the rocking horse invented?

While the actual date of its invention is unknown, the rocking horse is known to have been present at around 4000 B.C. in ancient Greece and Persia. Rocking horses with half-moon bases are thought to have originated from cradles. The oldest known rocking horse still in existence as of 2014 is from around 1610 and is thought to have belonged to King Charles I.

The first rocking horses made with half-moon bases were made in a very crude manner. They often had a roughly sawed head with nothing more than a log for a body. In time, rocking horses became more sophisticated with some having ornate paintings and detailed carvings.