Welcome to my latest crochet pattern, this crochet rocking horse.

Finished crochet rocking horse group portrait

If you would like to follow along with the crochet video tutorial it’s available on my YouTube channel at Crochet Rocking Horse Tutorial.

You can view the full pattern on this page by continuing to scroll down, or if you would like to download the pattern it’s available on Ravelry at Crochet Rocking Horse Pattern.

This pattern will be using US terminology. If you would like to view the UK version go to Crochet Rocking Horse (UK Version).

Crochet Rocking Horse Pattern

Abbreviations

  • st – stitch
  • sts – stitches
  • ch – chain
  • sl st – slip stitch
  • sc – single crochet
  • hdc – half double crochet
  • dc – double crochet
  • tr – treble crochet
  • dtr – double treble crochet

Materials Used

  • Four colours and black crochet cotton or wool.
  • Crochet hook.
  • Scissors.
  • Thread to sew together.
  • Sewing needle.
  • Darning needle to weave in ends.
  • Black cotton to embroider on the nostrils.
  • Seed beads if desired to attach the flowers.

Rocking Piece

45 ch.

Row 1:  Miss 1st ch and work (1 sc in each of next 5 sts, 1 joined sc over following 2 sts) repeat to end.  Turn.
Row 2:  1 ch, 1 joined sc over 1st 2 sts, 1 sc in each st across to last 2 sts, 1 joined sc over last 2 sts.  Do not turn.

Crochet rocking horse rocking piece

Neatening Row

1 ch, work 1 sc in each st around and join with a sl st in ch.  Fasten off.

Crochet rocking horse rocking piece neatened

Head

Make a magic loop.

Row 1:  1 ch, work 7 sc into circle, pull circle tight and join with a sl st in ch.
Row 2:  1 ch, 1 sc in each of next 5 sts.  Turn.
Row 3:  1 ch, 1 sc in each st to end.  Turn.
Row 4:  1 ch, 1 sc in each st to last st, 2 sc in last st.  Turn.
Row 5:  1 ch, 1 sc in each st to last st, 2 sc in last st.  Turn.
Row 6:  1 ch, 1 sc in each st to end.  Turn.
Row 7:  1 ch, 1 joined sc over 1st 2 sts, 1 sc in each st to last 2 sts, joined sc over last 2 sts.  Turn.
Row 8:  1 ch, 1 sc in each st to end.  Turn.
Row 9:  1 ch, 1 joined sc over 1st 2 sts, 1 sc in next st, 1 joined sc over last 2 sts. Turn.
Row 10:  1 ch, 1 sc in each st to end.  Don’t fasten off.

Crochet rocking horse head

Neatening Row

1 ch, 1 sc in each st around to end. Sl st in ch.  Don’t fasten off.

Crochet rocking horse head neatened

1st Ear

3 ch, a joined dc into same st as ch and next st.  Fasten off.

Crochet rocking horse first ear

2nd Ear

Join cotton 6 sts back from 1st ear.
3 ch, a joined dc into same st as ch and next st.  Fasten off.

Crochet rocking horse head with ears

Front Mane Piece

7 ch.

Miss 1st ch, 1 sl st in next st, 1 sc in next and 1 hdc in following st, sl st in next st on original ch, 4 ch, miss 1st st, 1 sl st in next st, 1 sc in next st, 1 hdc in following st, sl st into next of original ch, 3 ch, miss 1st st, 1 sl st in next st, 1 sc in following st, sl st into last of original ch.  Fasten off.

Crochet rocking horse front mane piece

Body

4 ch.

Row 1:  Miss 1st ch, 1 sc in each remaining ch.  Turn.
Rows 2-4:  1 ch, 1 sc in each st to end.  Turn.
Row 5:  1 ch, 1 sc in each st to end.  Work 15 ch.
Row 6:  Miss 1st ch, work 1 sc in each st to end.  Turn.
Rows 7-9:  1 ch, 2 sc in 1st st, 1 sc in each st to end.  Turn.
Row 10:  1 ch, 1 sc in each st to end.  Turn.
Row 11:  1 ch, 1 joined sc over 1st 2 sts, 1 sc in each st to last 2 sts, 1 joined sc over last 2 sts.  Turn.
Row 12:  1 ch, 1 sc in each st to end.  Turn.
Row 13:  1 ch, 1 joined sc over 1st 2 sts, 1 sc in each st to last 2 sts, 1 joined sc over last 2 sts.  Turn.
Row 14:  1 ch, 2 sc in 1st st, 1 joined sc over next 2 sts.  Turn.
Row 15:  1 ch, 1 joined sc over 1st 2 sts, 2 sc in next st.  Turn.
Row 16:  1 ch, 1 joined sc over 1st 2 sts, 2 sc in next st.  Turn.
Row 17:  1 ch, 2 sc in 1st st 1 joined sc over next 2 sts.  Turn.
Row 18:  1 ch, 1 joined sc over 1st 2 sts, 2 sc in next st.  Turn.
Row 19:  1 ch, 1 joined sc over 1st 2 sts, 1 joined sc over same st as last part of joined sc and next st.  Turn.
Row 20:  1 ch, 1 sc in each st.  Turn.
Row 21:  1 ch, 1 sc in each st.   Fasten off.

Crochet rocking horse body and back leg

Front Leg

Join cotton 3 sts back from front of body.

Row 1:  1 ch, 1 joined sc over 1st 2 sts, 2 sc in next st.  Turn.
Row 2:  1 ch, 2 sc in 1st st, 1 joined sc over next 2 sts.  Turn.
Row 3: 1 ch, 1 joined sc over 1st 2 sts, 2 sc in next st.  Turn.
Row 4:  1 ch, 2 sc in 1st st, 1 joined sc over next 2 sts.  Turn.
Row 5:  1 ch, 1 joined sc over 1st 2 sts, 1 joined sc over same st as last part of joined sc and next st.  Turn.
Rows 6 -7:  1 ch, 1 sc in each st. Turn.
Row 8:  1 ch, 1 sc in each st.  Don’t fasten off.

Crochet rocking horse body with legs

Neatening Row

(I use sl st down the legs to keep them thinner but use sc if you prefer) 1 sl st in each st down leg, 1 sc in 1st st on tummy, 1 hdc in next st, 1 dc in following st, 1 hdc in next st, 1 sc in each st to leg, 1 sl st in each st to top of leg, 1 sc in each st on top of leg, 1 sl st in each st down leg, 1 sc in each st to the top of the back, 1 sc in 1st st, 1 hdc in next st, 1 dc in each of following 2 sts, 1 hdc in each of next 2 sts, 1 sc in each st to beginning of front leg, 1 sl st in each st up leg, 1 sc in each st on end of leg.  Fasten off.

Crochet rocking horse body neatened

Mane

12 ch.

1 sl st in 2nd ch from hook, 1 sc in next st, 1 hdc in following st, 1 dc in each of next 2 sts, sl st into  2nd next st on original ch, 5 ch, 1 sl st in 2nd ch from hook, 1 sc in next st, 1 hdc in following st, 1 dc in last ch, sl st into 2nd next st of original ch, 4 ch, 1 sl st in 2nd ch from hook, 1 sc in next st, 1 hdc in following st, sl st into last ch of original ch.  Fasten off.

Crochet rocking horse mane

Tail

14 ch.

Row 1:  work 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, work 1 joined sc over next 2 sts, 1 sc in next st, 1 hdc in each of next 6 sts, 1 sc in next st, 3 sc in following st, 1 sl st in last st, 3 ch.  Turn.
Row 2:  work 1 sl st in 2nd ch from hook, 2 sc in next st, 1 sc in each of next 2 sts, 1 hdc in each of next 6 sts, 1 sc in each of next 2 sts, 1 sl st in next st, Turn.
Row 3:  1 ch, miss 1st st, sl st in next st, 1 sc in following st, 1 hdc in next st, 1 dc in each of next 4 sts, 2 hdc in next st, 1 hdc in following st, 1 sc in next st, sl st in each of next 2 sts.  Fasten off.

Crochet rocking horse tail

Hoof

Join cotton to end of leg.
3 ch, work 1 dc in each st across end of leg.  Fasten off.

Crochet rocking horse body with hoofs

Saddle

8 ch.

Row 1:  Miss 1st ch and work 1 sc in each st.  Turn.
Rows 2-3:  1 ch, 1 sc in each st to end.  Turn.
Row 4:  1 ch, 1 joined sc over 1st 2 sts, 1 sc in each st to last 2 sts, 1 joined sc over last 2 sts.  Don’t fasten off.

Neatening Row

1 ch, work 1 sc in each st around and join with a sl st in ch.  Fasten off.

Crochet rocking horse saddle

Flowers

Make a magic loop.

Into circle work 1 ch, 1 sc (3 ch, 1 sc) 4 times 3 ch and sl st in 1st ch.  Pull circle tight and fasten off.

Crochet rocking horse flowers

To Make Up

Weave in ends.  Embroider on nostrils.

Crochet rocking horse head with nostrils

Embroider on eyes and add a white dot in middle.

Crochet rocking horse head with eyes

Crochet rocking horse head with finished eyes

Sew on the front mane piece between the horse’s ears.

Crochet rocking horse head with front mane

Crochet 2 pieces of chain for the bridle and stitch to horse where shown.

Crochet rocking horse head with bottom bridle

Crochet rocking horse head with bridle

Stitch the head to the body.  Crochet a piece of chain for the saddle strap and attach to horse where shown.

Crochet rocking horse head with body

Sew saddle to horse over the saddle strap, sewing the top of the saddle over the back of the horse.

Crochet rocking horse body with saddle

Attach the tail.

Crochet rocking horse body with tail

Sew the mane to the neck starting just below the horse’s left ear.

Crochet rocking horse body with mane

Stitch a flower to the tail with a bead as shown, a flower to each end of the rocking piece and a flower in the middle of the rocking piece.

Crochet rocking horse body with flower

Crochet rocking horse rocking piece with flowers

Attach the horse to the rocking piece.

Finished crochet rocking horse landscape

There’s the finished crochet rocking horse.