I understand the meaning of the saying and the context it’s used in.
What I don’t understand is why you would look a horse (or gift horse) in the MOUTH. What is special about its mouth?
In: Other
You should appreciate a gift without scrutinizing it. After all, it’s the thought that counts.
Horses teeth actually grow quickly because in nature they wear them down by constantly eating a lot of things like tree bark. Captive horses need their teeth “floated” or ground down evenly because grain and hay don’t wear them down well enough. This is also the origin of the phrase “long in the tooth”.
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