03/12/2025
After almost two month’s work, Pete Rix, 47, adds the finishing touches to a rocking horse that will be ready to ride just in time for Christmas. The brand new child’s toy, based on a 1930s Polychrome style horse, is one of the finest that Pete makes in his old brick-workshop next to Sudbury Hall in Derbyshire. “It’s a tulipwood horse with an oak safety stand and has gold leaf spots, real horse hair, and a leather saddle,” he says.
Pete makes about five new horses each year. His clients need deep pockets as his finished horses cost upwards of £3,500 each - with the one photographed retailing for £6400. “It really depends on what the customer wants,” explains Pete, founder of Rix & Co Rocking Horse Maker and Restorer.
“I could add diamond encrusted hand-stitched saddles or whatever.
“The run-up to Christmas - from September - is my busiest period. It usually takes between five and six weeks to make a horse.
“Many of my customers are retired ladies who like to indulge a passion of their own and pass an heirloom down to their grandchildren,” he adds.
Pete moved from his home workshop to the old ambulance station in Sudbury five years ago. He also restores dozens of rocking horses and teaches wood-carving to more than 200 students each year.
“I first started wood carving when I was 14 and loved it. After a product design degree I then worked as a creative director for a dot com.
“We had a daughter and I made a horse for her when she was two - and it all went from there.
“I think rocking horses should be ridden,” laughs Pete, “although some are too old and valuable.
“I use local English oak and beech where possible. The head I’m carving today is for a medium-sized horse. It’s made from tulipwood - it’s a very stable wood - excuse the pun! It’s for a child up to eight years-old and will take about four days to carve. It’ll be finished off with glass eyes and real horse hair. Getting the symmetry to match on both sides is the hardest part.
“Each horse is made from 24 pieces of wood - not including the stand. I use traditional chisels, rasps and mallets. When complete the horses are sanded down and painted with hot gesso - a glue and chalk mix - and then left for two weeks to harden and cure before being decoratively painted. My wife helps with the painting.
“I’ve sold to customers all around the world, many in Europe and some hobby-horses went to a childhood museum in Connecticut.
“I prefer the look and aesthetic of a ‘bow rocker’ but the ride is much better on the ‘safety stand’ - they canter so well,” he chuckles.
Pete is one of only a handful of rocking horse makers in the country.
The Polychrome horse Pete is working on today is available to buy.
