THE HORSE IN TRADITIONS

 

The tradition of worshiping the horse came to Lithuania together with the Indo-Europeans, who compared the horse to gods.

Almost all Lithuanian gods had their horses. The sun went round the sky with the help of three horses: diamond, golden end copper.

The stallion of the Thunder running along the sky left the streak of fire lightning. The brownie had the stallion able to change into tornado. Witches and devils took black horses and rode to meetings. Goblins took care of a horse.

In folk art you can see a hobby - horse. The roofs, harness, spindles, towel-holders, the ends of wedding-beds were decorated with them.

The horse was considered to be extraordinary by ancient Lithuanians. They didn’t eat horsemeat, believed that it can talk, warn about dangers, help in trouble. When the horse digs earth with his hoof, he senses his master’s death.

Even the colour of the horse could predetermine fortune. Unmarried girls had to meet grey horses. The hundredth had to be with a future husband.

It was bad to meet a grey horse on Christmas morning, a matchmaker wouldn’t come. You could not even visit a relative with a piebald horse.

A horse head had some powers. In the 19th century the people of Anyksciai dug a dead horse head under the table. They protected themselves against diseases.

In most Lithuanian places, a master put a halter on the stove - it saved animals from diseases. If a master wanted to have a son, he put a bridle under the pillow.

During christening, a baby was smelled by the horse in order not to get ill.

The bishop A.Baranauskas wrote about christening of a colt. Maids prepared a special dish and boiled honey with vodka.

Before Easter horses were bathed to make them healthy all year round.

April 23 is Jurgines - a horse festival. People couldn’t plough, sow and touch the ground that day. Horses were bathed in rivers and lakes and their cattle - sheds were sprinkled with lamb blood, then witches couldn’t take the horses.

During the first ploughing horses were incensed with a rowan - tree, nettles and juniper.

During the harvest time a master gave to smell a wreath of feast to the horse. Horses were given the bread of the first harvest.