Wild Horses
Wild Horses
The horse, apart from being the main working animal on the land, has always been a potent image and a symbol of strength and virility. It is also the central focus in a number of May Day festivities.
Padstow
Every May Day, in Padstow, Cornwall, thousands of people come to see the two famous Hobby Horses, the ‘Old ‘Oss’ and ‘Blue Ribbon ‘Oss.’ Each is a man completely hidden under an enormous frame draped with heavy, black tarpaulin which has many layers of black paint on it. The frame rests on his shoulders and his head is covered with a heavy mask – representing the rider. A symbolic horse head and real horse-hair tail is fixed to the rim of the frame. To the accompaniment of accordions, drums, and singing, this ‘Oss is teased and danced through the streets of Padstow all day long. Imagine dancing in the ‘Oss on a very hot May Day. Not only are there two adult ‘Osses, but the children have their own that appear during the first part of the day. And the drumming goes on...
Minehead
Further along the coast at Minehead, in Somerset, the Sailor’s Hobby Horse appears. This horse, rather like an upturned boat in shape, is covered in hessian and heavily decorated with ribbons and rags and makes an appearance at dawn on the first of May at Dunster Castle. Accompanied by musicians, it then spends the next three evenings performing around Minehead and collecting money from those it meets. This hobby horse tradition has fewer visitors than Padstow, but the horse is no less dramatic: its stepping, cavorting, and shrieking is an exhilarating sight and if you happen to get in the way of its long rope tail as it swings around, you certainly won’t forget the experience!
Horse representations appear throughout the year in a variety of customs and will also be seen regularly in a more comic form as part of the Morris dance.
Various animals and beasts feature in the Beginners' Guide to English Folk Costume.
