hobby-horse

A child's toy horse, usually made of a straight stick with a small horse's head (of wood or stuffed fabric), and perhaps reins, attached to one end. The bottom end of the stick sometimes had a small wheel or wheels attached. This toy was also sometimes known as a cock horse (as in the nursery rhyme Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross).

The Hobby-Horse

The name of a quarterly magazine published by the Century Guild of Artists between 1884 and 1892. Despite having a small cirulation, it was very influential.