Over the ages, horses have symbolised various things, from life, prosperity and the sanctity of marriage, to pride, death and even war. It is unsurprising that with such great interest in the horse, many superstitions have arisen.
Besides superstitions are old wives’ tales and idioms; things like ‘dark horse,’ ‘from the horse’s mouth,’ ‘on your high horse’ and ‘hold your horses’ that we say every day without thinking about. All have their roots in history.
In many cultures, the horse is heralded as a luck-bringer, a symbol of riches and innocence, while in others, it is considered a dark and evil omen. To the Spanish and Hungarians, black horses are considered lucky, while in France, quite the opposite is true.
In Wales, it is the grey horses to watch out for, as many believe they summon death. The Trojan Horse was a Greek subterfuge used to destroy the city of Troy - a tale that signposts for many the beginning of the horse's dark associations.
When it comes to white horses, the symbolism is unclear. In England and Germany, dreaming of a white horse is thought to signal imminent death, although historically, the white horse was believed to denote victory, strength and fertility.
Because truly white horses are rare, from the earliest times they were thought to possess exceptional qualities that set them apart from other horses.
Despite being mythological, unicorns are nearly always white, suggesting that the white horse is the one boasting purity and power. Pegasus also happened to be white, with wings that gave it an image of freedom, holiness and immortality.
Many equestrians have personal superstitions they live and ride by, including rituals they perform before competing, lucky clothing items they wear for important events, and so forth. If you have any horsey superstitions that you swear by, please share them with us! We would love to hear from you :)
Here we take a look at some of the world's superstitions and old wives' tales - if you know of any more, please let us know!
- Changing a horse's name brings bad luck
- Leading a white horse through the house banishes evil
- Horse brasses protect horses from witches and the evil eye
- Plaiting a horse's tail wards off the devil
- A horse neighing at the door of a house bodes sickness for its inhabitants
- Horses standing with their backs to a hedge signals rain
- Sitting backwards on a horse is a cure for toothache and snakebites
- Inhaling horse breath is a cure for whooping cough
- Horses with four white feet are unlucky
- Mounting a horseshoe above a doorway brings luck and banishes nightmares when placed above a bedroom door
- Seeing a grey horse on the way to church is lucky for the bride and groom
- Owning a white horse prevents early death
- Chopped horse-hairs fed to children in bread and butter cures worms
While some of these superstitions are more convincing than others i.e. that changing a horse's name brings bad luck and mounting horseshoes on fence posts and stable doors wards off evil, others are just plain crazy! If you have any comments on this discussion, please post them below or email me directly: [emailprotected]
Written by: Hannah
FAQs
One white foot, buy a horse; two white feet, try a horse; three white feet, look well about him; four white feet, do without him. A red mare will either be crazy or mean. A horse with two whorls on its forehead will be more difficult. Changing a horse's name is bad luck.
What does 3 horses mean? ›
Feng Shui is a Science of placement of figures in various directions of your home/office and 3 Galloping Horses signifies rapid growth and fast movement of stagnant ideas. • The Horse (seventh sign of the Chinese Zodiac) in Chinese Feng Shui symbolizes Speed, Power, Victory, Movement and giving speed to your projects.
Which way should a horseshoe hang? ›
For instance, many believe that to hang a horseshoe with the ends pointing upward, is good luck as it acts as a storage container for any good luck that happens to be floating by, whereas to hang it with the ends pointing down is bad luck because all the good luck will fall out.
What does the half horse half woman mean? ›
In Greek mythology, a half-woman, half-horse creature is called a centaur. Centaurs have the upper body of a human and the lower body of a horse. They are often portrayed as wild and violent creatures, known for their love of wine and partying. In Indian mythology, a similar creature is known as a 'Gandharva'.
What do four white socks on a horse mean? ›
One white sock - keep him for a day. two white socks - sell him far away. three white socks - give him to a friend. four white socks - keep him til the end!!!
What do horses mean spiritually? ›
In many cultures, horses have long been revered symbols of power, strength, and freedom, making their presence in a dream significant and evocative. Dreaming of a horse often reflects the dreamer's inner strength and resilience, representing the capacity to face challenges and overcome obstacles in waking life.
What does horse mean in the Bible? ›
A horse is presented as the opposite of a person who governs himself or herself by willing submission to God's law; it is by nature wild and unbridled and has to be subdued with sustained training.
What does 3 swirls on a horse mean? ›
Double or triple whorls indicate multiple personalities. Horses with multiple face whorls can be more complicated and can be more difficult to initially read and address appropriately. Multiple whorls will usually come out somewhere.
What does it mean when a horseshoe is upside down? ›
What does an upside down horseshoe symbol mean? Hanging a horseshoe facing upwards in a "U" shape is said to keep evil out and bring good luck into your home. Conversely, hanging it upside down will have luck flowing out of your home.
What does the horseshoe mean in the Bible? ›
The horseshoe also retains biblical meaning. Horseshoes are mentioned numerous times in the Bible. Horses, and by extension horseshoes, represent strength and solidity. This has been adopted by everyone, from soldiers in the front line of war to nailed to the posts of navy vessels at sea.
The horseshoe is usually placed outside the front door (and above it) as a protective symbol. Some feel that hanging the open-end up collects luck, while others hang it open-end down to share the luck. Most people prefer the points of the horseshoe pointing up (like U).
What does it mean when a cowboy puts his hat on the bed? ›
Cowboy Hats
One of the most grievous cowboy faux pas you can commit is placing your cowboy hat on a bed. At best, putting a hat on a bed is said to invite mischievous bad luck or foretell an argument; at worst, it's a premonition of injury or death.
Is it bad luck to rename a horse? ›
It's considered bad luck to change a horse's name, and even though it's clearly just a superstition, many people to this day refuse to do it.
Does a horse recognize you? ›
As horses have an almost photographic memory, it's no surprise that they remember people by their faces. Show them the picture of someone they know and they will probably react. Horses can even recognize people after years of being apart! But their memory goes far beyond our general appearance.
What does the horse symbolize in the story? ›
A loyal ally to the hero in epic tales, a tireless companion in cowboy adventures, the horse has become a symbol of war and political domination throughout history, a symbol of evil through its association with nightmares and demons, and a symbol of eroticism through the ambiguity of riding.
What is the old saying about horses with white feet? ›
But this myth is probably behind the old saying that goes: One white foot, buy him; two white feet, try him; three white feet, look well about him; four white feet, go without him, and is based on the old belief that white hooves are weaker than dark hooves.
What is the Chinese story about losing a horse? ›
If you have heard or read the story before now the story goes like this: A Chinese farmer loses a horse, and the villagers say, "What bad luck!" The farmer replies, "Maybe." The next day, the horse returns with several wild horses, and the villagers exclaim, "What good luck!" Again, the farmer says, "Maybe." Later, the ...
What is the story of the girl who loved wild horses? ›
Plot. The story focuses on a young Native American girl who has a deep affinity for wild horses. She cares for the horses that her tribe relies on for the nomadic hunting of buffalo. One day, the herd stampedes due to a thunderstorm, while the girl is among them.
When it comes to white horses, the symbolism is unclear. In England and Germany, dreaming of a white horse is thought to signal imminent death, although historically, the white horse was believed to denote victory, strength and fertility.
- Inhaling horse breath is a cure for whooping cough