# folklore and superstitions in the horse world



## lillie (Oct 26, 2009)

i would love to hear your superstitions and folklore associated with horses. old and new, wise or just plain quirky! some that i know are never put any harness on your horse before you put on the breast collar- if you do misfortune is sure to follow. never paint a cart or wagon green, plant an elder tree near the stables to stop witches in thier tracks, rowan trees are good to guard your boundaries from intruders.horseshoes; some say if you hang them ends up, the devil sits in them, if you hang them ends down, your luck drains away, you should hang them sideways to be on the safe side ... im really looking forward to hearing some from other countries!!! thanks !


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## Kentucky (Aug 2, 2008)

Cowboys (exspecially rodeo cowboys) always turn their hats upward, becuase that is where there luck is. And if you see one turn their hat downward. they have had a run of bad luck out, and they are trying to dumpg the bad luck.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Also, in the older days, rodeo cowboys would never put a hat on a bed, that is bad luck. And so was wearing yellow.

Back in the cowboy days, if the guys were around the campfire and heard their horses throwing a fit in the darkness, they were afraid to go look to see what was wrong. In the morning, many of the horses would have "witches stirrups" (hag knots) in their mane where the witches had braided the hair and spent the night riding on the horse's neck.


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## Kentucky (Aug 2, 2008)

of course, yellow is the color of a coward.


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## lillie (Oct 26, 2009)

these are really interesting- thanks very much, and hope to hear more. in u.k. its very unlucky to change a horses name; probably the same in u.s.a.? and here we also have witches plaits, for the same reason. does anyone have any folk remedies to share?


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## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

smrobs said:


> Also, in the older days, rodeo cowboys would never put a hat on a bed, that is bad luck. *And so was wearing yellow*.


_>>_*of course, yellow is the color of a coward.*

LAME!!!! I don't think we're unlucky... or cowards.


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## Kiki (Feb 7, 2007)

Yeah its considered unlucky to change a horses name in Oz too.

Also medicine hat horses (paints with painted ears) in American Indian culture were reserved only for Witch doctors paticularily with blue eyed.
Dogs, wolves etc with one blue one brown eye were considered to be in cohorts with the spirit world.
_Gray horses and horses with four white feet are considered unlucky in racing. _
The luckiest horse shoe of all, is one from the hind leg of a grey mare. (I'll remember that next time Dana chucks a shoe out on a ride and I have to walk back )
A local superstition in lincolnshire, UK says;_ If you see a white dog, stay silent until you see a white horse. _
The Spanish Riding School of Vienna traditionally retains a bay or brown coloured horse for performances. This is due to the ancient superstition that if one was not kept, the institution could fall on bad times and be forced to close its doors. So far over the centuries, this belief seems to have worked, as the school has escaped countless wars, bombings, earthquakes and, as recently as 1992, a fire at the Hofburg Palace where the horses are kept. 
A bristish law states that an englishmen must not sell a horse to a scotsman.
In New York City , it is illegal to open or close an umbrella in the presense of a horse.
Colorado bans fishing from horseback , as do Washington DC and Utah.
(to make a law means someone must have done it...what an idiot!!)


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## Cheshire (Oct 17, 2009)

I've heard the "bad luck to change a horse's name" thing too.

I was raised doing this actually...but whenever you see a pure white horse, you're supposed to quickly lick the first two fingers of your right hand, smack them into your left palm, and then hit your left palm with your right hand in a fist. For good luck.


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## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

The only one I can think of is yellow is bad luck. 

Hang your horse shoes with the points up like a U so the luck doesn't run out.


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## Brighteyes (Mar 8, 2009)

* If a horse steps out of its stall right foot first, it's good luck.

* A small white spot on a horse's back foot is a symbol of speed.

* If a horse is born pale and darkens, it's good luck.

* Blue jewels hung from a horse's bridle will protect it from the evil eye. 

* If the first thing you hear in the morning is a donkey's bray, you'll have good luck.


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## SmoothTrails (Oct 1, 2009)

I had never heard that changing the name is supposed to be bad luck. I always grew up being told that you should change a horse's name so that it would bond with you.


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## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

my mom taught me that selling a horse without giving a halter as well is bad luck... im not sure if its bad luck for the seller or for the horse tho lol


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

Any day you don't fall off your horse is lucky ...







I just made that up.


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## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

one white foot: buy him
two white feet: try him
three white feet: be on the sly
four white feet: pass him on by

used to hear that one alot before people found out that white feet are just as good as black or striped feet...

then there is the nail test
The "Nail Test" is supposed to predict what sex foal a mare is carrying. You take a hair from the mare's tail, and tie a nail to it. Then you hold it above the mare's hips... and if it doesn't swing, she's not pregnant. If it swings in a circle, she's carrying a filly; if it swings straight, a colt.

Sitting backwards on a donkey - cure for snakebites and toothache

If you put horse skulls under the floor of a house they improve the tone of a piano that was above them. wierdos....

The deeper a horse dips his nostrils while drinking, the better sire he will be.

In Wales a gray horse is considered to be a death omen.
more on
http://www.ultimatehorsesite.com/info/superstitions.html


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## lillie (Oct 26, 2009)

loving all these; heres another, at gypsy horsefairs, always give a pound back to the buyer, as good luck.( it was a penny years ago, but inflation, you know!)


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## shesinthebarn (Aug 1, 2009)

We never introduce anything new on a friday. Ever. No new gear, no new training method or skill. My trainer's Dad (hall of fame horseman) made the rule and we have stuck with it. I guess they used to have wrecks on Fridays!


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## Lobelia Overhill (Nov 3, 2009)

You're supposed to pay cash when buying a horse
The seller should give you the top note on the pile of money back for luck

the most ridiculous thing I ever heard was that you can 'value' your horse if he can roll right over from one side to the other - supposedly 1,000 £,$,€ whatever your currency is per roll over. I knew a girl who was adamant her pony was worth 12,000 because he rolled right over 12 times :roll:


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## Kentucky (Aug 2, 2008)

^ I thought it was a hundred dollars per roll.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

Kentucky said:


> Cowboys (exspecially rodeo cowboys) always turn their hats upward, becuase that is where there luck is. And if you see one turn their hat downward. they have had a run of bad luck out, and they are trying to dumpg the bad luck.


That's a quaint thought but the real reason is because if you but a hat right side up the brim gets flat and out of shape.


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

smrobs said:


> Also, in the older days, rodeo cowboys would never put a hat on a bed, that is bad luck.


I heard this one too. The only way to get the bad luck out was to stomp it out!


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## Annaland13 (Oct 28, 2009)

White colored hooves are a sign of weak hooves.


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## PoohLP (Jan 15, 2009)

Honeysuga said:


> .
> 
> then there is the nail test
> The "Nail Test" is supposed to predict what sex foal a mare is carrying. You take a hair from the mare's tail, and tie a nail to it. Then you hold it above the mare's hips... and if it doesn't swing, she's not pregnant. If it swings in a circle, she's carrying a filly; if it swings straight, a colt.
> http://www.ultimatehorsesite.com/info/superstitions.html


Ok, I have heard that one for women too. Only, you put a ring on a string and drop the ring while holding the string. It it is straight, no kids, if it turns one way, that is girls, the other, boys and if it goes one way then the other - both. How ever many revolutions it makes each way is the total number of children you will have in your lifetime. My Polish friend taught it to me.


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## Lobelia Overhill (Nov 3, 2009)

Kentucky said:


> ^ I thought it was a hundred dollars per roll.


you've heard of that 'theory' too?!?! This girl said it was 1,000 - which was an enormous amount of money 25 years ago!


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

> The deeper a horse dips his nostrils while drinking, the better sire he will be.


Pity my boy is a gelding, he sticks his whole nose in and blows bubbles!


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## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

Lobelia Overhill said:


> you've heard of that 'theory' too?!?! This girl said it was 1,000 - which was an enormous amount of money 25 years ago!


my granpa taught me that too!! except it was only 100 when he told it. haha my horse was only worht 100 bucks


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## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

wild_spot said:


> Pity my boy is a gelding, he sticks his whole nose in and blows bubbles!


HEHEHE, Yeah, he'd sure be making some darn good baby's wouldn't he... for some reason that really cracked me up...


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## masatisan (Jan 12, 2009)

My own personal superstitions:
If a horse breathes on you it is good luck. If a horse yawns at you, bad.
Hold the bucket wile the horse eats he will appreciate you more
It's bad luck to leave knots, braids or elastics when the horse is turned out. 
Bridle last, unbridle first.
To cut a horses mane with scissors or clippers, is unlucky, with shears, lucky.
Keeping a lock of your horses hair near you, or near where you sleep, is good luck.
Letting a horses chestnuts grow is bad luck, they should be peeled regularly.
Tie a horses tail in a war knot before going on a trail ride for good luck:


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## New_image (Oct 27, 2007)

_*Also medicine hat horses (paints with painted ears) in American Indian culture were reserved only for Witch doctors paticularily with blue eyed.


*_.... =D


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## Lobelia Overhill (Nov 3, 2009)

ridergirl23 said:


> my granpa taught me that too!! except it was only 100 when he told it. haha my horse was only worht 100 bucks


I don't know about mine, I've never seen him roll yet! :lol:


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## jimmy (Aug 26, 2009)

ridergirl23 said:


> my mom taught me that selling a horse without giving a halter as well is bad luck... im not sure if its bad luck for the seller or for the horse tho lol


 thats true if i dealt for a horse and the seller took the halter off i would,ent buy


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