Stevenson Brothers

HRH Princess Royal visits Stevenson Brothers Rocking Horse workshop in Bethersden Kent on 12th February 2020.

Finisher Matthew Clift paints the details onto each unique rocking horse at the Stevenson brothers rocking horse company workshop in the village of Bethersden near Ashford in Kent. The company makes bespoke rocking horses using traditional methods. Twin Brothers Tony & Marc Stevenson set up in 1982 to revive rocking horse making. Joined by partner Sue Russell soon after. Inspired by their uncle James Bosworthick who made rocking horses They now make 175 horses a year, all bespoke and individual, numbered and dated Many clients are adults buying the horse of their dreams they didn’t get as a child. They specialise in copying real horses, including VALEGRO for Charlotte Dujardin, TINKERBELL for Her Majesty the Queen, BEST MATE for Henrietta Knight, & SYNCHRONISED for Sir AP McCoy. English Oak is used in most of the horses showing the grain under many hours of painting and polishing. They make a rocking Zebra to remind them of their childhood growing up on the plains of Kenya. They also run a unique “Rocking Horse Hospital” where they restore damaged rocking horses Each horse is individually commissioned and include features such as secret safe’s inside the tummy and bottom drawers, literally where you imagine it to be! Commissioned by discerning families who want to own an heirloom piece that will stay in their family forever being handed on through the generations. Family crests, racing colours and initials can be embroidered in the saddle cloths in gold silver and silk threads. The twins have made over 9000 horses and restored nearly as many. They replace the wood they use by sending out an English Hardwood tree to every customer, so there are nearly 9000 Magic Rocking Horse Trees planted in the UK. They have a global door to door delivery service, flying the horses around the world. Many of the craftsmen and women have been with the small family business for thirty years or more. Matt Clift and his brother Steve clock up 55 years between them Saddler Claire Smith trained at Cordwainers and makes miniature copies of real saddles. Each horse takes three months to complete. Marc Stevenson rides one every day to relieve his back pain. The horses are a great work out. Coming in four sizes; Miniature, Medium at 3ft high, Large at 4ft high and the Extra Large at 5ft high is strong enough for two adults to ride together. Rocking horses were invented to teach children their first Equestrian skills, hence are a teaching aid.