Friday the 13th…

By: Brittany Bevis

Horse owners are known to be a very superstitious bunch. Whether in competition or out on the farm, there is a definitive line between what is considered to be unlucky and lucky, (more on the latter coming on St. Patrick’s Day next Tuesday…)

In all actuality, we’ve already survived one Friday the 13th this year (in February) and we still have one more to go in November. Today, March 13th, is the third of this superstitious holiday that will occur this year.

If you have a fear of Friday the 13th, you suffer from Triskaidekaphobia. That means having a black cat cross your path, stepping on a crack, or accidentally walking under a ladder are just enough to send a chill up your spine. Those are a few of the more common superstitions, but we wondered what superstitions out there have to do with horses…

Actually, many people believe horses can be used to counteract bad omens or change someone’s luck. For example, if you happen to walk under a ladder today, you can counteract the bad luck by keeping your fingers crossed until you have seen three horses. In certain situations, seeing a grey horse can be bad luck. However, if a bride and groom see a grey horse on their way to the church, it’s a good omen. But, if a horse stops in its path to neigh at the door of a house, someone in the house will become sick.

Of course, the most popular superstition circulated within cowboy culture has to do with placing a cowboy hat on a bed. Even if a cowboy isn’t particularly superstitious in other areas of his life, we’ve never met a cowboy who would take his chances. As the superstition goes, the only way to fix the situation is to stomp all the bad luck out of the hat.

If you rely more on scientific analysis than superstition, check out a 1993 study published by the British Medical Journal entitled, Is Friday the 13th Bad For Your Health? The object of the study was to examine health and behavior in the United Kingdom on Friday the 13th by examining the number of vehicles on the roads, the number of shoppers in supermarkets, and hospital visits due to accidents as compared to Friday the 6th, over several years.

Results showed there were significantly fewer vehicles on a certain roadway on Friday the 13th as opposed to Friday the 6th, but the number of shoppers didn’t change that much. However, hospital admissions due to transportation accidents significantly increased on Friday the 13th. 

Their conclusion? “Friday 13th is unlucky for some. The risk of hospital admission as a result of a transport accident may be increased by as much as 52%. Staying at home is recommended.”

Great…

So do people really believe in these superstitions? According to the Stress Management and Phobia Institute in North Carolina, these types of phobias are no laughing matter. It is estimated that between 17-21 million people in the US are affected by a fear of Friday the 13th.

If you’re on your way to a horse show this weekend, we hope you don’t suffer from Kakorraphiaphobia (the fear of failure), Antichrometophobia (the fear of losing money), or worst of all Equinophobia ( fear of horses).

Finally, here are some things you might not know about the number 13.

• Many tall buildings don’t have a 13th floor.
• Some elevators don’t include the #13 button.
• Many planes don’t have a 13th row of seats.
  

  Check out this list to see if you or your horse has any #HorsePhobias!