A while back I went to a
junk store in town and saw a wood rocking horse. I was just
stained but a bare horse someone had for their child. Not
fancied up or anything like you see for sale on the internet
just plain wood. The fancied up ones seem to run about $350
and up on the net.
I found mop "hair" at dollar tree for $1. I needed 3 for the mane, tail and bangs of the horse. I then had to figure out a way to take that horse hair and attach it to the horse. I pulled out Nikki's rinky dink Brother sewing machine to use since I gave her my high dollar $3000.00 one I wasn't using any longer. Really funny. I had to figure out how it worked. I normally go through a machine to lube and make sure everything was working good. Didn't have time at the moment and besides taking this machine apart looked like deconstructing the world trade center. Ridiculous! You had to take the whole back off the machine and I don't know what all else.
I found a sturdy strip of some kind of reinforced braided cloth and figured out how to sew the "mop hair" on the cloth. It was a challenge. Actually for such a little nothing machine it did pretty good. The only thing is my old fancy machine ran like a top and just hummed when you push on the peddle. This thing ... oh my gosh..... sounded like a old clunker car pulling in to the repair shop for new mufflers, front end alignment and I don't know what all else. It sounded horrible ! But it worked.
The next job was figuring how to attach it to the horse. Just gluing it may come off. Nailing only the nails could come off and hurt the kids. So I got some liquid nails and glued the fabric and the area on the horse and placed the "hair" in the right place. Darn if it wouldn't stay where it belonged... of course! So I got some string an tied it down everywhere until it could dry and stay in place. I had to laugh.... What does this look like to you other than a perplexed horse saying what the heck is going on??
It looks like some adult fun night time game! LOL
Well anyway maybe it's just my crazy
imagination.
When it was dry I took off all the strings and it was stuck on good but I wanted to make sure it stayed. I found some screws with a big enough head on it the cloth wouldn't go anywhere and tacked it down better. Waaaa Laaa ! It worked and the screws were deep enough they shouldn't be pulled out or anything.
The next job was I wanted a halter and lead rope for the little guy. That for sure was some trial and error in measuring and figuring out how to do it. Went to the hardware store and bought some nylon rope, chrome round rings. They didn't have any clamps or anything to use to attach the ropes in the right places. I just thought I would figure that out later. I did! Went to atwoods and bought some small hog rings that were just right. I borrowed some hog ring pliers from Nikki's husband and I was ready to go! It took some real power to clamp those things down! Good thing I have always had strong hands.
I figured out that even tough strong scissors don't cut skinny nylon rope. I got my favorite serrated knife out I like to use in opening boxes and cutting cardboard. Worked like a charm. I had to borrow hubby's small propane hand torch we use for gate locks. I used that to heat seal the ends.
We got all this done and THEN decided it needed another new coat of stain. I know backwards, but my mind doesn't always think about things in the correct order. With hubbies help of holding "hair" back the little guy for sure looked like new even with the loving chewing it had from a previous child.
When it was dry I took off all the strings and it was stuck on good but I wanted to make sure it stayed. I found some screws with a big enough head on it the cloth wouldn't go anywhere and tacked it down better. Waaaa Laaa ! It worked and the screws were deep enough they shouldn't be pulled out or anything.
The next job was I wanted a halter and lead rope for the little guy. That for sure was some trial and error in measuring and figuring out how to do it. Went to the hardware store and bought some nylon rope, chrome round rings. They didn't have any clamps or anything to use to attach the ropes in the right places. I just thought I would figure that out later. I did! Went to atwoods and bought some small hog rings that were just right. I borrowed some hog ring pliers from Nikki's husband and I was ready to go! It took some real power to clamp those things down! Good thing I have always had strong hands.
I figured out that even tough strong scissors don't cut skinny nylon rope. I got my favorite serrated knife out I like to use in opening boxes and cutting cardboard. Worked like a charm. I had to borrow hubby's small propane hand torch we use for gate locks. I used that to heat seal the ends.
We got all this done and THEN decided it needed another new coat of stain. I know backwards, but my mind doesn't always think about things in the correct order. With hubbies help of holding "hair" back the little guy for sure looked like new even with the loving chewing it had from a previous child.
So here is the final redo of the blue eyed
rocking horse.
I know the bangs are long but I think it
gives it more character ! We delivered it to Nikki's house
and told her to look it over for safety issues because I am
out of practice for that one. The only thing they had to do
was take out the loop on the lead rope so the little bozo's
don't try to hang themselves. LOL
I wish I could send you a video of the little guy riding it. He says he goes fast. Go more fast..... The almost 1.5 year old has to look and play around it climbing all over it so far. I'm sure she will get the hang of it some day soon. I told Nikki when they are done with it send it back and I will let Allexcia use it for her grand kids some day. This thing is built so good it could last a couple of generations with a little touch up every now and then.
PS.... Update... the1.5 y.o baby is now climbing up and riding the horse now. Nikki will say 1...2...3... and the baby will throw up her arms and say.. GO! so cute. LOL
Love
Ranchmama
I was thinking I bet a adult size rocking horse would be cool. I would try one just because. LOL Go down the page a bit and look at these.
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=adult+rocking+horse&form=HDRSC2&first=1&tsc=ImageBasicHover
I wish I could send you a video of the little guy riding it. He says he goes fast. Go more fast..... The almost 1.5 year old has to look and play around it climbing all over it so far. I'm sure she will get the hang of it some day soon. I told Nikki when they are done with it send it back and I will let Allexcia use it for her grand kids some day. This thing is built so good it could last a couple of generations with a little touch up every now and then.
PS.... Update... the1.5 y.o baby is now climbing up and riding the horse now. Nikki will say 1...2...3... and the baby will throw up her arms and say.. GO! so cute. LOL
Love
Ranchmama
I was thinking I bet a adult size rocking horse would be cool. I would try one just because. LOL Go down the page a bit and look at these.
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=adult+rocking+horse&form=HDRSC2&first=1&tsc=ImageBasicHover
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