How many socks?

S

Selle Francais

New Member
Jan 9, 2006
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Surrey
I came across this old saying which I believe refers to flashy chestnuts:

One sock buy it, two socks try it,
Three socks shy it, four socks fry it.

Can anybody shed any light on its meaning and intention? In particular what do "shy" and "fry" mean in this context?

Selle Francais
 
as the owner of a chestnut with 4 white socks i can confirm that's a load of nonsense! mine is the sweetest little thing. I guess shy refers to shy away i.e. avoid it. Fry it, well, if you take it literally i guess it means it's only good for the knackers yard! :eek:
 
#I have heard so many versions of this - let's see how many we can collect on NR :D

The one I was taught was:

One white sock, buy him
Two white socks, try him
Three white socks, sell him to a friend
Four white socks, keep him till the end.

Very confusing and possibly why I bought a horse with no white feet :D
 
I always thought it was hoof colour, not socks :confused: There is an old wives tale (I don't know how true) that white hooves are not as "strong" as black ones.

One white foot, buy it
Two white feet, try it
Three, look well about it
Four, go on with out it
 
My brother's father-in-law who has always ridden warned me off chestnut TB mares as he sys they're totally without breaks-dunno if that's true as have never had the pleasure but all the chestnut geldings I know are gorgeous!:)
 
*Sez* said:
I always thought it was hoof colour, not socks :confused: There is an old wives tale (I don't know how true) that white hooves are not as "strong" as black ones.

One white foot, buy it
Two white feet, try it
Three, look well about it
Four, go on with out it
Click to expand...

That's what i heard about it, too (that's the version of the rhyme i know)
 
Mine was always:
One white sock, buy 'im
Two white socks, try 'im
Three white socks, look well about 'im
Four white socks, better of without 'im!

Although I know all the others too! :p
 
*Sez* said:
I always thought it was hoof colour, not socks :confused: There is an old wives tale (I don't know how true) that white hooves are not as "strong" as black ones.

One white foot, buy it
Two white feet, try it
Three, look well about it
Four, go on with out it
Click to expand...

Thats what I have always heard, its about the fact that apparently white hooves are weaker than black, and causes problems.

I think :eek:

x
 
NOW you tell me, explains a lot:D;)

DSC00342.jpg




:p;) Think I will go with 'four white socks keep him til the end'
 
Four white feet, keep him not a day
Three white feet, send him far away
Two white feet, give him to a friend
One white foot, keep him to the end

I think that's the way round it was -- was trying to remember this the other day!
 
So basically we have it covered all ways. Whatever number your horse has you'll find a rhyme on here somewhere saying you should keep him :D
 
cinammontoast said:
My brother's father-in-law who has always ridden warned me off chestnut TB mares as he sys they're totally without breaks-dunno if that's true as have never had the pleasure but all the chestnut geldings I know are gorgeous!:)
Click to expand...

My first horse when I was 12 was a chestnut thoroughbred mare :D best horse I've ever owned.

Most trouble has been a bay gelding but I love him anyway
 
The one I knew was...

One white foot, buy him,
Two white feet, try him,
Three white feet, doubt him,
Four white feet, go without him.

I was lead to believe it was because white hooves tend to be weaker than black or tri coloured hooves and it all ties in with the saying "No foot, no horse".

Don't know if theres any truth in it though because both of mine are bay with no markings and have four black feet!!!! :)
 
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