Horsemans Word
A persistent theme in British folklore is the magic word or
phrase that can tame an unruly horse. Gypsies were reputed to
have this secret, and it was also known to members of a mysterious
group of individuals known as the Brotherhood of the
Horsemans Word. In other parts of Britain, horse handlers
with the secret were said to practice horse-whispering. It has
been suggested that the secret was in substances with an attractive
smell for the horse, and that the whispering was simply a
blowing in the ear of the animal.
