Wishing on a White Horse

Long ago, my mom's best friend taught my sisters and I how to wish upon a white horse.  Before she bestowed this knowledge upon us, I'd never ever before heard that white horses were lucky, but an intrigued child with plenty of banked wishes, I didn't question her logic.  We were fascinated, and listened carefully to her tutorial of how to wish upon a white horse.

* spot a white horse
* lick your thumb
* stamp your thumb in your open palm
* make your wish
* seal your wish by punching your opposite fist into your open palm
* wait for wish to come true

One thing I do know, it's definitely something I've never forgotten.  Learning this as a child was magical as it was such a strange, weird, and unique set of instructions to follow in order to cast a wish.  Yet regardless, ever since that day, I've found myself scanning the horizon on road trips in search of every white horses without any markings, splashes, or spots, eager to make that next wish.

image/bbb

22 comments

Robyn said...

and-have they come true...hope so!

Lindsay said...

I've never heard of this! How fun!

Leslie said...

What a great thing to teach a child. :)

rooth said...

I haven't heard about this either. I'll be making wishes often now

Diana Mieczan said...

I really like this and I think that it's such a sweet idea:) Hope you are having a great week so far. Muah

Anonymous said...

my Mom taught us this exact method and to this day (I'm 50 now) I always wish on white horses. I even found a beautiful print of a white horse and sent it to her, signed, "to my Mom, who taught me to wish on white horses" and she treasures it.

Anonymous said...

my Mom taught us this exact method and to this day (I'm 50 now) I always wish on white horses. I even found a beautiful print of a white horse and sent it to her, signed, "to my Mom, who taught me to wish on white horses" and she treasures it.

Unknown said...

I have done this since i was a child in Michigan (44 now) and never known anyone else who does it. I think my dad taught me.

Unknown said...

I have done this since i was a child in Michigan (44 now) and never known anyone else who does it. I think my dad taught me.

Anonymous said...

I learned to make a wish on a white horse as a child in Ohio many, many years ago. Like the other responders I have never met anyone else who did this. Never knew there was a poem with it.

Anonymous said...

When you see a white horse, make a wish, lick your thumb, and press it into the palm of your other hand. Stamp the wet palm with your fist while saying:

"Crisscross, white horse."
If you stamp "crisscross, white horse" one
hundred times, your wish should
come true in a month's time.

(In some places the chant is:
"Crisscross, white hoss,
Money for the week's done.")

When you see a white horse, make a wish and say:

."White horse, white horse, ding, ding, ding.
Grant my wish for a very good thing."

(In some places the chant is:

"White horse, white horse,
ding, ding, ding.
On my way I'll find something.")

Annie perry said...

Yikes! I am 74 and my dad taught me that in the mid 40's! I always thought he made it up, but have been doing it since i was 6!

Unknown said...

My grandfather from Ohio taught me this when I was young. I am 50 now, and he is gone. Every time I see a white horse, I think of him. Thanks for sharing. Now I know I'm not the only one that does this. 😀

Kelly Myers said...

My Grandmother taught us this when I was a child. We lived in middle Tennessee and she was born and raised in Shelbyville Tennessee which is famous for Walking Horses. Alot of people in that area own a variety of horses and every road trip to her home town for visits we would always see beautiful magnificent white horses. Many a wishes made and truly a lifetime of great memories. Even at her age of 90, before her passing, she continued making fun loving wishes!

Unknown said...

My grandpa who would have been 104 taught me the "White horse, white horse ding ding ding" poem when I was little in Central Illinois.

Anonymous said...

My dad taught me and my brother, too. We both still do it at ages 73 and 78.❤️

rbrtlwng said...

My grandfather and father did this gesture when they saw a white horse as well and as they sealed the Wish they would say “white horse at last”

Unknown said...

My wife was explaining this to her younger sister because their mother used to do it. This came in handy, so thanks!

Anonymous said...

My father taught me this more than 50 years ago. I still do it today and have passed it along to my wife and children

Anonymous said...

Oh how awesome!! My mom did this her whole life but we didn’t really have the real reason behind it! Brings back SOOO many wonderful memories of my passed on mom. Thanks for sharing. Blessings Rhonda D

Anonymous said...

I really want a iphone so I hope this works I hate and

Anonymous said...

My great grandmother told this to me when I was in the 3rd grade. I always wished for a horse of my own each time a saw a white horse. My wish came thru when I was in the 6th grade and got a horse of my own.