The horse in the Bulgarian folklore

Todorovden - st. Theodore's Day is also called "The Horse Easter" because it is dedicated to horses; to perform rituals to make them strong and fast. The horse-winner in "kushia" (horse competition on Todorovden) is not sold because saint Todor / Theodore is its patron.

For centuries, the Bulgarian nation honors the horse for its loyalty, and devotion as well as attributes to it otherworldly force. The fast, durable, irresistible, freedom-loving horse is immune to all evil, even demonic creatures that roam the forests and roads during the night... so the man on the horseback is save from them. In folk beliefs even diseases fear the horse. Significantly, the Bulgarians say "healthy as a horse."



In Bulgarian folklore the horse is presented a symbol of the sky and the sun. The horse is also called "intermediary" between the upper and lower land.