Viral ‘crying horse’ toy flies off shelves after factory error sparks meme frenzy

A budget-friendly horse toy has become an unexpected viral sensation after shoppers accidentally spotted it smiling upside down; This design flaw has now made it the internet’s favorite “crying horse”.

Factory owner Zhang Huoqing announced that the plush sold about 400 units a day when it was launched in October. But demand exploded when social media users started sharing memes of her grief-stricken expression. Since then, orders have reached tens of thousands each day, with wholesalers sending bulk orders from as far away as South Africa.

The toy was quickly adopted as a mascot by young factory workers who jokingly called themselves “niu ma” (meaning cattle and horse); The phrase was used to describe employees who felt overworked and undervalued.

A customer posting under the name Tuan Tuan Mami summed up the call in a comment shared by the South China Morning Post: “This little horse looks so sad and pathetic, just like how I feel at work. With this crying toy in the Year of the Horse, I hope to leave all my grievances at work behind and only maintain happiness.”