From "Once upon a time - manners and worldview of the Bulgarians"

This holiday is also known as Horse Easterbecause the main rites are in honor of horses. "When you're on a horse, you're both sitting and walking" – the villagers once joked. Since ancient times, the horse has been an integral part of Bulgarian life. The ancient Bulgarians taught their children to ride horses from the time they were toddlers. For the people of the mountainous regions, the horse was vital. It was their “means of transport” on the steep and narrow slopes. The animals also provided the livelihood of the mountaineers – horse-drawn carriages or the transportation of goods by horse. In the past, every family kept at least a few horses. That is why they greatly honored the holiday of horses – Todorov Den. Its patron saint is the horseman St. Todor.

According to the beliefs of this day, St. Todor threw off his winter coat and set off to search for the Sun, who lived at the end of the world. The main customs were the organization of various horse races. Some measured whose horse would run the fastest, others - who would withstand the heaviest load. Horse races are still called kushiia in many places today. There was also a mandatory prize for the winner - a little money or barley collected by the villagers. But more valuable was the victory wreath made of branches. Both the winning horse and its owner were adorned with such wreaths. Then everyone set off for the village, and the procession of horses and people was led by the winners.

Folklore collection "Once upon a time - manners and worldview of the Bulgarians"

The competitions were usually attended by family men who had their own farms. Bachelors, although they would have made the competition more spectacular, were not allowed to take part. Since they were not family and did not have their own farms, there was no way for them to prove that they knew how to raise quality horses. A boy could not compete with his father's horse, he did not have this privilege and right. It was an honor for men to prove that they could breed hardy, healthy and fast horses. If a dispute arose at the end of the race, and this happened often, a special “commission” composed of the oldest and most respected villagers would resolve the dispute. The owner of the winning horse would host a feast for everyone after the race.

Women are also not left out of this celebration. They wash their hair with herbs to make it thick and shiny like horse tails. And to keep their husbands' horses healthy, brides knead special cakes in the shape of a horseshoe or horse.

© 2023 Iliana Dechkova