Guides & trainingDecember 4, 2023 · 3 min read

How to Care for a Hobby Horse

A girl in a pale green sweatshirt sits on the grass beside a wicker basket of hobby horse gear, gently holding a tan hobby horse with a black bridle, white mane, and quilted cover. Another child is partly visible on a blanket nearby, creating a calm

Like anything you use regularly, your Hobby Horse needs proper care. A well-cared-for Hobby Horse will stay looking like new for a long time.

Yarn mane

Every yarn mane will start to fray at the ends over time. You can trim these ends now and then, but only a tiny bit. Unfortunately, a Hobby Horse mane does not grow back :-).

To keep the mane from tangling, you can occasionally comb it through with a wide-toothed comb, preferably a wooden one. The mane will look neat afterwards, and your Hobby Horse will look beautiful.

We do not recommend soaking the mane, and definitely do not shampoo it. It may dry, but its quality will never be the same again.

Furry mane

This type of mane can be cared for too. It needs combing from time to time. The best option is the type of brush shown in the photo. Do not comb it too often, as this can pull out the fibres. Use only light strokes when combing.

If the mane gets very dirty, you can wash it with water and gently dry it straight away, for example with a towel, then leave it to dry thoroughly.

Frequent washing and the use of shampoos are not recommended. This kind of treatment would make the mane matted.

Close-up of a tan plush hobby horse with a white face stripe and light grey mane beside a black-bristled grooming brush on a wooden surface, showing a simple tool for keeping the mane neat as part of hobby horse care.

Close-up of several soft fabric hobby horse heads stored side by side, showing plush materials and rope manes in gray, white, tan, and black, useful for illustrating gentle care and storage of hobby horses.

Hobby Horse fabric

Light dirt can be brushed away. Use gentle strokes and a brush with soft bristles, preferably natural ones.

Stubborn dirt, such as stains, must be washed by hand. You can also use a mild cleaning product. IMPORTANT: rinse all cleaning products out thoroughly, then leave the Hobby Horse to dry completely.

We do not recommend washing your Hobby Horse in a washing machine. The horse’s body may survive, but the mane will not turn out well. It will unravel into individual strands, and you will not be able to put it back together again. The stick inside the horse’s head can damage the washing machine drum, and your mum really would not be happy about that.

We do not recommend drying your Hobby Horse with a hairdryer.

What can be repaired

The mane can be unpicked and replaced with a new one.

The horse’s body can be topped up with stuffing and reshaped so it is back in good condition.

If there is a stain that cannot be cleaned, you can sew a decorative marking or blaze over it.

A black yarn hobby horse mane lies on a light wooden table with a pair of scissors placed on top, ready for trimming or tidying. This simple care step helps keep the mane neat for hobby horsing.

Close-up of a black plush hobby horse head lying on a light wooden surface, with a torn patch exposing white stuffing. The damage shows a spot that needs repair as part of careful hobby horse maintenance.

What cannot be repaired

Damage caused by experimenting with the wrong paints or dyes on the horse’s body cannot be repaired.

If the horse is torn on a sharp object, it usually cannot be fully restored. It can be sewn up, but the seam will always be visible.

It is not a good idea to use hairspray or other styling products on the mane. They will glue the mane together, and you will never be able to comb it out again. On top of that, lots of dirt will stick to it.

Another irreversible mistake is cutting your Hobby Horse’s mane unevenly or very short.