In English, the term ‘hobby horse’ generally refers to a children’s toy comprising a stick with a horse’s head which a child pretends to ride. This concept is thousands of years old.
In the context of European folk tradition, ‘hobby horses’ are recurring character or costume, particularly in Britain, which usually consists of a horse’s head (sometimes a real skull) attached to a full costume. These hobby horse costumes are used in traditional folk dances, May Day celebrations and mummers’ plays.