Few 200-year-old hobby horses have survived. So replicas were built by cycle enthusiasts to enjoy the sensations that would have been experienced by the original pioneers. There were no pedals in those days. To move forwards, the rider sat astride of the machine and walked it along, and then coasted once they had built up sufficient speed. It was known as ‘Swift-walking’.
1819 Hobby Horse (Replica)
LENGTH: 62″
WIDTH: 20″
HEIGHT: 47″
25″ wooden wheel rims, spokes and hubs & metal band tyres
Standover Height: 33″
(Now sold)
The few original surviving hobby horses are in museums and are much too valuable to use on the road. So enthusiasts build their own, and many also ride them in vintage events. The interesting thing about this type of machine is that despite it being over two centuries since the Hobby Horse was invented, traditional carpentry, blacksmith work, saddlemaking and wheelwright skills have not changed that much. So it’s possible to use similar methods of construction to create replicas.
This was one of a small batch built by Bill Haylor in the 1990s, and is the nicest one I’ve seen.
IAN RIDING THE HOBBY HORSE AT AMBERLEY MUSEUM
DENIS JOHNSON’S HOBBY HORSE
Denis Johnson (born 1760) was a coachmaker who patented the ‘Pedestrian Curricle’, or ‘Hobby Horse’, in England. His premises were located at 75 Long Acre, London.
It seems that just over 300 machines were built, with production having been estimated at around 25 a week. Two were sold in May 1819 to the Duke of Northumberland for £11 each. The early machines were steered by long, curved, iron rods that connected to the front wheel hub, but most were made with the handlebar operating directly onto the top of the front forks. Johnson managed to improve the hobby horse with iron forks instead of wood, and a curved frame that was more elegant and lighter (around 50 lbs).
Riding schools were established to teach people how to ride this revolutionary new form of independent transportation.
PINNOCK’S CATECHISM OF MECHANICS
The following explanation of the Hobby Horse appeared in ‘Pinnock’s Catechism of Mechanics,’ published in 1823.
BICENTENNIAL OF THE DENIS JOHNSON HOBBY HORSE
I worked as the publicity officer at the International Cycling History Conference at The Guildhall in the City of London in 2018, so I attended this nearby event celebrating the 200 year anniversary of Denis Johnson’s hobby horse. I photographed and videod the enthusiasts riding their (replica) hobby horses to Johnson’s original shop at 75 Long Acre in Covent Garden.
