Jess and I enjoyed another great weekend at the Heavy Horse show at the Weald and Downland, Open Air Museum, Singleton. For a change we decided to lead the horses into the ring with the use of a Cock Horse.
This term is used in the nursery rhyme – “Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross. To see a fine lady upon a white horse With rings on her fingers, And bells on her toes. She shall have music , Wherever she goes”
Dating back to olden days, when horses and carriages were the only form of transport. Cock horses was the name given to the horses that were ridden to the base of large hills and then harnessed to the front of carriage horses to assist them pulling their carriage or coaches up. At the top they were ridden back down the hill to assist the next coach on it’s travels.
Heavy horse show – Weald and Downland Museum
Heavy horse show – weald and Downland