Horse racing and Great British culture go hand in hand; it’s a bit like bangers and mash, fish and chips and royalty – all of these including horse racing are British staples, but that doesn’t mean you won’t find the sport played anywhere else. Many believe the sport to be woven into the very fabric and folklore of the UK, Ireland and many countries around the world and over the years, there have been more than a few superstitions flying around and this article debunks some of the biggest gambling and casino myths.
#1 – Unlucky Green?
The colour green is said to be extremely unlucky for equestrians, so unlucky in fact, that even onlookers who are said to be sporting a green tie or handkerchief will bring the horse and jockey bad luck. But how true is this? Well, you only have to pull out the colour supplement in the paper to see that this is not the case, what with jockeys wearing green jerseys! Green has always been considered unlucky in Great Britain with the history books showing superstitions surrounding this colour dating right back to the 1700’s where the colour green upon someone’s clothes was a mark of impending death! However, in many western cultures green is a symbol of good luck; the Irish four-leaf clover and leprechaun being just two examples of this.
#2 – Lucky Horseshoe
The horseshoe has long been a symbol of great fortune and prosperity, what with many traditions placing a blacksmith on a luck pedestal, but this one symbol has two meanings! Did you know that the horseshoe when placed outside the home is said to ward off evil spirits? But if you hang it the wrong way, your family’s luck will turn on its head! Seven is a lucky number and each horseshoe takes seven nails to secure it to the hoof, another reason why it’s considered lucky.