Horse Superstitions and Wives’ Tales

            Most of us are familiar with the well-known superstitions that involve horses. For instance, an upward facing horseshoe hung above a doorway will bring good luck to the home.

However, after a little research I found a number of interesting superstitions and wives’ tales that I had never heard of before.

            Supposedly, you can predict the sex of an unborn foal by doing “the nail test.” To begin, you take a hair from the mare's tail and tie a nail to it. Then, you hold it above the mare's hips. If it swings in a circle, she's carrying a filly; if it swings in a straight line, she’s carrying a colt.

             In some instances, it is thought that horses can be used to counteract bad omens or change someone’s luck. Walking under a ladder is considered to be bad luck, but you can counteract the bad luck if you keep your fingers crossed until you have seen three horses. If a bride and groom see a grey horse on their way to the church it is considered to be good luck. On the other hand, in certain situations a horse can be a bad omen. If a horse neighs at the door of a house, someone in the house will become sick.

            There are also a few wives’ tales that are still popular among the older generation of horsemen. Supposedly, the deeper a stallion dips his nostrils into water when he drinks, the better sire he will be. Also, putting copper pennies in a mare’s water tank can help to eliminate moody behavior.

One very common belief is that the location and number of hair whorls on a horse’s head or neck is related to its temperament. Actually, Dr. Temple Grandin of Colorado State University conducted a study of hair whorl positions and concluded that there is a definite relationship. A hair whorl that is located high above the eyes indicates a flighty temperament. 



Some of the most unusual superstitions come in the form of cures for various conditions or diseases. For example, eating a hair from the forelock of a horse is supposed to cure worms. Also, it was once thought that inhaling the breath of a horse could cure whooping cough. It was also believed that warts could be cured by circling them in horsehair.

However, possibly the most well known superstition of all involves the bad luck that comes from putting a cowboy hat on a bed. Almost every cowboy believes this superstition and will go out of their way to counteract its effects. There is a widely circulated story about a cowboy who showed up at the National Finals Rodeo to compete with a smashed hat, because the night before his mother had accidentally placed it on a bed. According to the superstition, the only way to fix this is to throw the hat outside and stomp all of the bad luck out of it.

I hope you enjoyed all of these and if you come across any other interesting ones please share them with us on Facebook.