{2011 Holiday Gift Guide Review} Lacey the Deluxe Talking Spring Horse

A Rockin Rider Deluxe Talking Spring Horse from Tek Nek Toys!

I have always wanted a spring horse! Okay, I mean when I was a kid I wanted one. 😉 But I still think they are the coolest toys ever, and was beyond thrilled when I was given the opportunity to review one! My horse-crazy daughter, Emma, who has turned up her nose at all dolls so far but is an animal-lover through-and-through, is absolutely loving her new horsey, Lacey. From the moment Lacey peeked at her through the hole in the box, Emma was taken with her. She couldnt wait to start riding her and did so immediately, before I even had Lacey installed in her metal frame and springs.

I was initially overwhelmed by the number of parts and screws when we opened the box, but I was too impatient to wait for my husband to come home and do it, so I jumped in myself. I was surprised at how straight-forward it was, I basically just needed to assemble the frame, secure the wooden rods through Laceys body, and then attach the springs. The hardest part was attaching the springs because I needed help, but Emma and I managed to do it (she was so helpful!). And in the end, there she was all ready to go! Emma didnt hesitate, either she just jumped on and practically galloped away

Lacey really came at the perfect time. Emma had recently discovered the joys of riding on mommys back and I had mistakenly taught her how to use her ankles to prod me to go, then go faster. You know, like on a real horse. The thing is that she got way too into it and didnt want to get off of me and I was worried that I would run out of jeans after they all developed holes in the knees. Thankfully, since Lacey has joined our family, she hasnt requested a horsey ride from me. WHEW.

I havent yet mentioned the fact that Laceys mouth moves when she talks and sings have I? Emma was so excited about this when she first discovered it. I mean, mouth wide in an O and hand covering her mouth, then a huge smile. It was so cute watching her reaction (I only wish I had gotten it on video!). When you press Laceys right ear, she says 8 different phrases and these include sound effects like neighing and blowing air out her mouth (you know what Im talking about, right?). When you press her left ear, she sings a song that begins with Im a pretty pony, clippity clop, clippity clop. Be prepared to have this running through your mind constantly because your child will most likely love it and not want to ride without listening to it. Oh, what we parents do for our kids.

Video demo:

So, these are the things Im really liking about this toy:

• Lacey is VERY soft and plush, and her mane and tail are brushable.
• There are motion-activated galloping sounds for a realistic riding experience.
• The steel frame is very sturdy I have no worries about its security whatsoever.
• There are plastic tubes that cover the metal springs no more pinching!
  

  See why I’m happy about the covers?

• There are three places for kids to put their feet in the stirrups this toy grows with kids well!
• Although this is a large toy (40 length x 38 high), its narrow enough to fit through all of our doorways! We have a small house so this was important to me. Emma can pull it out in the living room during the day and put it back in her room at night.
• Lacey can take weight up to 65 pounds (sadly, though, I weigh more than that)

So the only suggestion I have for improvement would be a better volume control. There is very little difference between her high and low volume. Shes not overwhelmingly loud at all, but I think I would like the low side to be lower. I do appreciate that you can move the switch to Try Me Mode so that the motion-activated galloping turns off. Its a battery sucker when left on because any little movement sets it off, even if shes just brushing her.

Final Thoughts: We are loving Lacey and highly recommend Tek Nek Toys spring rocking horses! Im very happy with the quality of the horse we received and think shes worth the $80 to $100 youll spend on her, without a doubt!

There are quite a few different horses to pick from at Rockin Rider including Legend (with yarn hair), Lucky (brown with a gold mane), Lightning (a smaller version of Lucky with no tack), and many more. There are a variety of sizes and colors check them all out here at Tek Nek Toys! You can also find these horses at KMart, Target, and other stores. Lacey retails for $119.99 but at the time of this post is on sale for $87.99 at Amazon.com!

Disclosure: We received a Lacey the Talking Spring Horse to keep thanks to Tek Nek Toys. All content and opinions on the product and company are mine.