Rocking horses are traditional children’s toys, usually shaped like a horse and mounted on rockers similar to a rocking chair. They are made from different materials including wood, leather, and plastic. There are also plush rocking horses that look like stuffed animals mounted on a wooden rocker base. Some even feature real horse hair for the mane and tail.
Today, rocking horses are not only considered as kids’ toys. They have now become a much sought after home decorations, particularly the vintage wooden ones. Antique hand-crafted rocking horses are highly collectible and can fetch huge amounts among collectors.
Because of its irregular shape, bulk and fragility, a rocking horse must be properly packed before shipping to ensure that it will arrive in perfect condition. Here are some helpful guidelines on how to ship a rocking horse.
Some rocking horses can be knocked down into smaller pieces making them easier to fit in a shipping box. All screws or mechanisms used to attach the toy together must be sealed in a Ziploc bag and placed inside the box. Wrap all parts of the rocking horse with bubble wrap giving more attention to pointed parts such as the ends of the rocker base and the handles. These parts should be wrapped with several layers of bubble wrap to prevent them from puncturing holes into the box.
Place the wrapped parts inside the shipping box and fill empty spaces with additional packing materials such as bubble wrap and packing peanuts to keep the parts from moving and banging into each other. Close the box and seal with heavy-duty packaging tape. All seams and openings of the box must be reinforced with packing tape to prevent the package from bursting open.
For smaller rocking horses that cannot be disassembled, look for a large and sturdy shipping box that can snugly accommodate the whole toy. Wrap the rocking horse in several layers of bubble wrap and secure with packing tape. Fill the bottom of the box with a layer of packing materials such as bubble wrap or packing peanuts and place the wrapped rocking horse on top. Fill the empty spaces with more packing materials to stop the rocking horse from moving inside the box. Close, seal and reinforce the shipping box with packing tape. Address and label the package and take to a reputable shipping company.
When shipping an oversized, fragile and valuable rocking horse, it is best to get the services of a freight shipper. These companies know how to properly pack or crate a fragile item and transport it with the utmost care.