The Heirloom Rocking Horse

Step 10: Apply the stain or finish
of your choice. For this project, one coat of stain and two coats of polyurethane varnish were used.

Step 11: (Optional) Upholster the saddle
(H). Use your bandsaw to cut out and chamfer the top edge of a piece of 2" thick foam rubber. Then, cut the saddle covering out of leather, vinyl or cloth. Attach the front edge of the material to the front of the 3/4" thick saddle board using staples or decorative upholsterer's tacks. Pull the material back over the foam. Locate the back edge and insert an upholstery tack strip (available from upholstery shops) through the covering material. Fold the tack strip under the foam and pound the tacks by hitting the seat with a rubber mallet. Tack the sides of the covering material under the saddle and along the sides. Pleat the material as you go by folding it under and securing it with upholstery tacks or staples.

Step 12: The mane.
To make the horse's mane, use a skein of rug yarn and unloop it. Cut it into three equal parts, each about 14" long. Next, take a piece of 1/2" wide durable tape (reinforced duct tape, etc.) and lay it out on a flat surface with its sticky side up. Lay the yarn across the tape and press it down firmly to secure it. For additional strength, stitch the yarn onto the tape with a sewing machine. After the yarn is secured to the tape, glue the mane into the head groove. Use a small stick to force it into the groove. Several small pieces of wood can be used to wedge the mane in place while the glue dries.

Step 13: The tail.
The tail is made from a single skein of rug yarn, unlooped and cut. Wrap 2" of one end of this yarn with a section of yard and tie it securely. This will help the tail stand out from the body. Glue the tail into place.

Step 14: Eyes and ears. the eyes can be found at most craft shops. The eyes used on this project have 1/4" stems and are glued into place with yellow woodworker's glue. Or, if you prefer, the eyes may simply be painted on.

To make the ears, cut four triangles out of soft leather or vinyl. Put two triangles face-to-face and stitch them together where indicated in the drawing. Turn them inside-out, fold the bottom corners together and attach them to the horse's head with small screws.

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