(no subject)

[ursula]

Here are some notes on buying a horse for ornerie, from The Book Containing the Treatises of Hawking, Hunting, Coat-armour, Fishing, and Blasing of Arms.

A good horse sholde have xv proprytees and condycions.

That is to wyte, thre of a man, thre of a woman, thre of a foxe, thre of an hare: and thre of an asse.

Of a man: bolde: prowde: and hardy.

Of a woman: fayr brested: fayr of heere: & easy to lippe upon.

Of a foxe: a fayr taylle: shorte eeres wyth a good trotte.

Of an haare: a grete eye: a drye heed: and well rennynge.

Of an asse: a bygge chynn: a flatte legge: & a good hove.

Well travelyd wymen nor well travelid horse were never gode.

Comments

[krait]

& easy to lippe upon

I grok what the author - so charmingly! - meant, but I have to say that this bit nonetheless made me giggle at the idea of someone seriously advising hunters to look for kissable horses. :D

I likewise feel obliged to say that it would never've occurred to me to choose a horse based on the size of its chin. (Nor, come to that, the colour of its mane.)

[daedala]

That is awesome.

"Well travelyd wymen nor well travelid horse were never gode."