A rocking apparatus comprises a rocking base and a user support body mounted on the rocking base. The rocking base has a front end with a front strut fixed thereto. The front strut inclines upwardly by a predetermined angle and has a first wheel unit provided thereon. The rocking base further has two curved rocking plates and a second wheel unit mounted on front ends of the rocking plates. Hard forward rocking movement of the rocking apparatus results in the first and second wheel units contacting a support surface at the same time and the rocking plates separating from the support surface to permit forward movement of the rocking apparatus. At least one spring unit is interposed between the user support body and the rocking base to permit vertical reciprocating movement of the user support body. The first wheel unit includes a wheel support mounted rotatably on a distal end section of the front strut and provided with a steering axle that extends therethrough. The wheel support carries a wheel thereat. A pair of reins are disposed on two sides of the user support body. Each of the reins has one end tied to the steering axle. The reins are pulled to cause slight turning of the wheel support in order to steer the rocking apparatus.

A rocking horse has two arcuate members or rockers which can held in spaced relation to a supporting surface during a portion of the rocking cycle by stirrups. During this portion, the rockers can move with respect to the stirrups and hence with respect to the supporting surface to take a step forward and/or turn. The horse moves using inertial forces inherent in the rocking motion and/or riding activity.