spelled folk custom found kent county south eastern england tradition use wooden hobby horse known horse mounted pole carried individual hidden historically tradition restricted area twentieth century spread neighbouring represents regional variation animal tradition appears forms british isles recorded eighteenth early twentieth centuries tradition performed christmas time groups farm labourers form teams accompany horse travels local area makeup groups varied typically included individual carry horse leader man female clothing known musicians team carry horse local houses shops expect payment appearance practice extinct present horse incorporated plays morris dances place different times year origins tradition original term remain subject academic debate early suggestion term related pre christian god tradition originated pre christian religious practices early medieval kingdom kent approach found support historians studying tradition scholars commented custom thought likely term relates reference worn individual carrying horse earliest reference tradition comes half eighteenth century number scattered references appeared century half considered declining tradition extinct parts kent aware decline early twentieth century historian documented survived tradition traced appearances historical documents publishing findings horse deemed extinct time world war custom revived altered form mid twentieth century use horse incorporated number modern folk traditions description surviving sources testify fact clear variation tradition practiced different individuals different parts remarkably uniform horse centre tradition usually wooden horse head pole feet long jaw moved string horse carried aloft individual concealed beneath dark cloth custom team consisting men carry horse streets team included horse operating groom driver carried whip led horse jockey attempt mount horse man dressed woman musicians men farm labourers usually worked horses performed custom christmas time usually christmas eve team arrive people houses sing song admitted entry inside horse jaw jockey attempted mount swept floor chasing girls present sing songs point presented payment team leave repeat process house wider animal tradition identified existing different forms parts britain features common customs use hobby horse performance christmas time song spoken statement requesting payment use team included man dressed women clothing etymology origins noted nineteenth century sources describing tradition spelled word favoured better reflected pronunciation word long added word rhymes wooden writers appear think given pronunciation suggested better spelling tradition noted communicated aware etymology term similarly unaware tradition historical origins possible explanation origin emerged wooden referring use wooden horse critical idea expressing view unlikely emerge dialect second possibility reference nature horse bearer historian deemed simplest considered likely explanation critical suggesting cloth carrier concealed large considered hood history kent antiquarian suggested corruption ultimately derived gothic meaning horse opined argument ignored stating rested erroneous assumption began short concluded tradition mutilated survival form morris dance noting dancers incorporated games devoted english folk hero custom suggested originally reference idea challenged noted legends depicted archer horse rider questioning come associated horse addition noted medieval games devoted hood took place christmas criticised argument noting evidence morris dancing kent prior twentieth century particularly close association morris dance start origins anonymous observer suggested term linked god tradition festival commemorate saxon ancestors landing suggested custom known reference early medieval scandinavian god author idea suggested custom begun ritual wearing skins horses sacrificed early christian practices noted initially attracted idea term derived old english thought likely origin investigating possibility found sufficient evidence added unlikely lost dialect citing example village interpreted having derived clearly retains use stated feels theory based strong foundation carry building erected idea linking tradition dismissed unlikely believing likely tradition substantially pre dates earliest appearances suggested possibility originated rite vegetation evidence noting english winter folk customs interpreted manner suggested use horse tradition connections use white horse symbol kent use stallion horse old english prominent characters origin myths early medieval kingdom kent regional restrictions historians recorded instances tradition extant kent prior twentieth century revival crescent shape eastern northern coasts county found area historically defined tradition unknown neighbouring specifically noted records tradition having found west region populated area period active noted areas tradition found contained east dialect analysed historical distribution found correspond areas early anglo saxon settlement kent similarly accord county coal mining areas stated apparent reason custom spread recorded appearances early references oldest known reference comes alphabet manuscript authored served vicar kent death manuscript obtained sir death purchased published manuscript noted simply country christmas times comparing earliest known description tradition provided letter published edition letter written anonymous individual describing encounter visit coastal town found begin festivities christmas curious procession party young people head dead horse pole feet length string lower jaw horse cloth attached parts gets frequently pulling string keeps loud snapping noise accompanied rest party hand bells proceed house house ringing bells singing songs commonly beer cake money called later commenting source highlighted author appear kent use wording appeared told tradition locals actually witnessed hand suggested author wrong describing use horse skull tradition given later sources time wooden model horse head time noted use horse skull impossible hobby horse traditions parts britain anonymously authored work repeated range publications coming decades giving description far wider exposure printed reference horse having wooden head appeared guide referred curious custom prevail later suggested horse tradition died interviewed number elderly town residents early twentieth century aware taken place town recall happening lifetime nineteenth century years event antiquarian meadows cooper related sitting pub outskirts boxing day encountered party carrying horse entered building local resident later related child lived house named near remembered horse visiting christmas time 1850s found horse appeared discontinued 1860s active 1850s active ceased 1860s found based active 1850s leadership subsequently taken son john tradition ended locally january edition gazette anonymous author mentioned taken place author noted tradition featured carol singing ringing accompanied appearance horse expressed surprise event thought horse extinct dictionary dialect parish claimed term kent refer custom involving singing past applied involving horse added gained information older custom reverend smith turn learned retired farmer parish farmer send annually round neighbourhood best horse charge instead man represent horse supplied tail wooden figure horse head plenty horse hair custom long ceased parish mention time year tradition took place geographical location reference sack person carrying horse thought likely parish seen horse instead information based older written sources thought noteworthy described tradition past tense indicating considered dead dying time writing believed information decline tradition erroneous active wade early twentieth century locals living area time recall taking place area 1840s december letter written resident named appeared stated elderly residents subject informed custom discontinued years previously woman scared horse died added horse skull rarely owing difficulty wooden head typically replacement stated company typically consisted jockey placed individual carrying horse sport attempted throw resulting violence horse jockey accompanied singers individual dressed old woman carrying company knocked people doors old woman job sweep inhabitants feet away chase girls paid money opinion custom restricted noting locals informed carried lawrence nicholas number letters published january attested continuing practice horse tradition deal investigations born farming family solicitor supreme_court working professional solicitor canterbury married kate born hastings sons robert james outside professional life keen cricketer coin collector amateur historian joined 1880s came tradition began undertaking research searching references tradition books periodicals newspapers interviewing involved extant traditions deal expressed opinion days kent possesses genuine popular customs kind afford indifferent existence excuse attempt record custom existing utterly lost period conducted research witnessing increased interest recording britain rural folk culture particular members professional classes member fear traditions rapidly dying folklore collecting encouraged associated widely read book golden work comparative authored published research horse edition limited copies book reviewed folklore journal described admirable piece work careful thorough complete later described unusually good concluded time horse active use stored wade noted brought christmas visit members included man female known procession added time reintroduced benefit book included photograph horse taken christmas eve encountered second horse time horse came local hotel accompanied musicians playing man named lead horse wearing ordinary clothes informed worn tradition members recall having custom hotel owner daughter placed horse mouth troupe moved local shops given similar manner talked troupe tradition eventually organised horse accompanied march interviewed involved tradition deal encountered summer elderly gentleman related father led town troupe personally carried head father drum uncle john old years included man dressed woman clothing known discontinued given tradition years previously horse come possession continued lead troupe christmas year visiting deal neighbouring villages informed time britain involvement second boer war horse decorated military equipment fourth horse encountered owned men worked farm word near sandwich informed farm hand brought word farm workers relocated ultimately believed custom natural spontaneous people clearly going die expressing hope horses preserved museums brought specially arranged public maintain place culture later life focused exploring family history privately publishing dying century following death book difficult obtain expensive purchase mark centenary publication republished altered title kent horse writing introductory article second publication specialist folklore praised book classic study impressive separation fact speculation origins significance custom twentieth century revival writing claimed point book published died horses hung stables came taken burnt noted revival custom world war took place kent district folk dance festival new horse specially created festival modeled older example new horse subsequently adopted morris troupe based west village morris tradition earliest known variant custom exist accounts horse located west town 1930s included pupils staff school possibility horse celebration marking british victory second world war horse brought instance described kind missing link tradition revival horse historical tradition born forest subsequently educated trained banker working manager branches retirement field wife keen interest folk dances established founded field constructed horse group use based large deal horse photographed book unveiled celebrations coronation queen elizabeth_ii june came took performances parts continental europe including austria netherlands yugoslavia sweden czechoslovakia developing came known brought horse accompany went public collecting money charity christmas time horse brought celebration village green special service held danced chancel aisle vicar horse horse brought july ceremony pub officially renamed present venture led groups establishing new folk custom hop derived older hop picking ceremony found area new custom involved different groups joining tour villages beginning going ending barn dance october field introduced boy performed troupe earlier century taught field historical tradition unearthed old horse stored later placed display deal maritime june field wife established international folklore festival celebration folk customs continued years end second world war horse use revived brought jack green festival owned group called use horse incorporating play specially written purpose annual conference established initially meeting marsh gate inn near subsequently moved canterbury member nicholas wade established website devoted tradition prompting local residents december pub named located corner road nash road renamed horse folk custom commenting revival suggested success largely desire folk culturally distinguish neighbouring london
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