Thoughts from Places: On a Horse

[@peachcreamnshit3168]

Funny how not one of us can likely name a time they have ever seen a pig carry anything on its back; yet we rarely question the term “piggyback”. How could this be? As with many English terms, we have to think back…way back, and usually over time we find a logical progression that allows us to come to a better understanding of a term commonly used that otherwise seems most illogical. To understand the logic behind the term “piggyback”, we must go back as far as the year 1564 or thereabouts. Back in the 16th century, goods were transported in packs that people carried on theirs or animals backs. The term used to describe this was “pick pack” because you would pick up a pack in order to carry it on your back. Seems logical enough so far right? But how does the “omnivorous domesticated hoofed mammal with sparse bristly hair and a flat snout for rooting in the soil” fit in here? “Pick pack” eventually became “pick-a-pack” which still makes sense - pick a pack and carry it on your back. Eventually, because an individual was picking a pack to carry on his or her back, the term “pick-a-pack” became “pick-a-back”. Turns out, though, that the insertion of the “a” caused a problem and ultimately paved the way for the original phrase “pick pack” to become “piggyback”. How? Due to the pronunciation of the term as a whole, “pick-a-pack” often sounded like “pick -i-back” which sounded like “picky back”. Of course “picky back” made no sense at all to those who didn’t understand the progression of the phrase, which was pretty much everyone by the 18th and 19th centuries. This ultimately gave rise to the term “piggyback” around this time for people carrying a pack on their back and by the 1930s, the definition further progressed to describe riding on someone’s back and shoulders. But why “pig” since we never ride on the back of one, except perhaps in certain country fairs where kids occasionally do just this? Well, it was the only animal that sounded like “picky” and “pickyback” made no sense so surely “picky” was really supposed to be “piggy”, right? Thus, folk etymology won the day in this case. That’s how English works sometimes. Seriously, study the evolution of language and words for a little while and it’s amazing how often similar stories can be found. A great additional example of this sort of seemingly bizarre progression where the end is so far from the beginning that it makes no sense how we got there until pointed out can be found in how “Dick” came to be short for “Richard”. Long story short: Richard -> Ric -> Rick, gave rise to the rhyming nickname “Dick” around the 13th century. For the fascinating full details, click the preceding link.

[@KazisCollection]

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[@reANNAmatedd]

Hank, as both a nerdfighter and an equestrian, this video is one of my all time favorites. I also suffer from chronic illness, books and horses being the things that keep me holding on. Not long ago my horse was taken from me in a series of complicated events. He is alive and happy, but I am no longer able to see him more than once every few months. John's book TFiOS was the thing that made me change my point of view, and is why I am still here today, despite being ill and losing my best friend.

[@bizmullen9972]

You are sore for a few reasons 1. Your stirrups are short, your feat should be able to reach them comfortably but your knees shouldn't be very bent and you probably have to much weight on them 2. Your knees, hips, shoulders, and head should be almost stacked up, you had bad posture 3. This is mainly caused my the other 2 but you should be pretty much melted around the horse Keep these in mind next time you go horse back riding

[@wolfferoni]

I feel like the horse handler or whoever was in charge should've definitely told this to Hank and anyone else who was going to ride the horses

[@StephanieDayonotVlog]

As an equestrian and someone who considers her horse her bestfriend, I can really appreciate this video =D I'm glad you can at least appreciate the bond between horse and rider! It's a very spiritual connection

[@doodlepony2]

I love seeing/hearing about non-horse people riding horses ;D Lol I'm teasing ;)

[@tomaskalinka5679]

and by horse people you mean centaurs ? :)

[@AudibleHush]

As someone who works with horses on a daily basis (I work at a Therapeutic Riding Center), this video was a wonderful surprise. And the beauty of connecting with a horse is something that people can't really understand until they've experienced it. Children with speech delay can being forming sentences after some riding, when they'd never spoken coherently before, or someone with Cerebral Palsy has muscles that loosen and relax with the motion of the horse, etc. The horse is a treasure. :)

[@MAdelineMichelRiding2Paradise]

your body hurts because you don't ride regularly

[@webkinzgirl2405]

As a regular horse rider I agree with this

[@QtipKiwis]

This video was everything I love brought together. Horses+history+reflecting on the history of horses+John Green = WIN

[@behindthesun02]

Along with an many of the other commenters, I also love horses. I've been riding for about ten years now, and it's always exciting for me to see other people experiencing what I - and others- have been experiencing for such a long time. God I love horses. John, I'll see you Wednesday :).

[@trissay]

Love this video Hank! I've been riding horses since I was 6 and it is truly the most precious bond you can ever share with an animal. I think its so special, in fact, that I am going to college to major in Equine Entrepreneurship and hopefully continue working with them my entire life. Its kinda cool to trust these huge animals by getting on them, knowing that they have more than enough strength to do what ever they want to but instead they let you be in charge. DFTBA Green Bros

[@neeagirl1]

Hank, thank you FOR WEARING A HELMET. So many people fail to understand that this is a pretty much essential part of being on top of a horse. :) Yay for your brains being in significantly less danger than they otherwise would have been in! As a long-time horse lover (and, unfortunately) ex-horse owner, this video was pretty awesome to see, especially since I am a relatively new nerdfighter. Yay!

[@tahlialouise1]

You nailed it, the relationship between the horse and human is different to any other It's a hard thing to describe, but there's trust, and patience on both halves, and at any point in time one has to comfort the other, you comfort them past a scary object and they comfort you when you need someone don't get me wrong, arguments are a part of the relationship, we argue because he doesn't want to put his head down, or jump that jump, but at the end of the day - we are a team

[@carpathiandragon]

Wow, one of the best videos! He got the idea of horse people down! I've been in love with them since before I could remember. Not ponies, horses, for I never had a "pony phase". When he said that it was in the genes...probably, it feels like it because it's a connection that deep. I've been around horses my whole life and I never ever get tired of them. There is a saying I like, "nothing is better for the inside of a man than the outside of a horse", that couldn't be more true.

[@marquiejo13]

VlogBrothers is always the place I come when I need cheering up. This video was no exception.

[@farfromkallefornia]

Hahaha I've been riding horses for ten years, ever since I was seven. Since I really consider it a sport that I must compete and win awards to do well in, over the years I've sort of become desensitized to the fact that the bond between horse and rider is actually kind of incredible. Watching this video made me realize how awesome it actually is. Thanks :D It was a good reminder.

[@melissaheartshorses]

I've experienced first-hand what a horse can do for someone. It's an amazing bond and they teach you SO much.

[@christaberry2694]

Your comments about the effects of the domestication on horses and humans remind me of the amazing book The Horse: The Epic History of Our Noble Companion. It looks at the relationship between humans and horses over time, starting long before modern humans and horses even existed and continuing up to today. This book goes into much greater depth about horse evolution than anything else I've ever read, which makes my inner horse nerd, science nerd, and history nerd very happy! The same environmental factors influenced the evolution of both humans and horses, and fossils from the early ancestors of humans and the early ancestors of horses have been found together. Later, wild horses were often among the animals depicted in cave paintings, and the oldest known horse sculpture is 35,000 years old! And we're still watching, working with, and making art about horses today.

[@the-jedi-ninja]

I miss my pony so much while I'm at uni. You're completely right Hank. There is something of a magical bond between horses and horse lovers, that I think non-horse lovers struggle to comprehend. But there's just something about being on the back of an animal so much stronger than you, with a mutual trust between you, and then being able to gallop for miles and leap over hedges and fences. There's nothing else like it in the world.

[@opticalillusionm]

Yeah! my two favorite things: Hank and horses! I'm so proud you understand the awesomeness of these big guys.

[@lindybeige]

I want you to edit together all the times you draw breath, and all the times you push your glasses back up into place, and see what you get. I think it will mostly consist of the latter.

[@deathbatpride92]

I'm a riding instructor, so it makes me pretty happy that you got on and talked quite about them too. :) Way to be awesome!!

[@DimityGirl]

As a horse lover of 10 years and a nerdfighter of 2 years, I think I have found my favourite vlogbrothers video =D

[@RaziemeIborra]

oh, hank, you look so happy with your IRH helmet, enjoying life :D and, why, yes, riding horses the first couple times hurts a lot ... i'm used to it now; i've been riding for years. also, i completely back you when you say that there is a unique bond between a horse and rider. i'm so glad that someone who is new to the equestrian world believes in this as much as seasoned riders do.

[@CrazyHorse980]

I love this! It is really sweet. Jewel reminds me of the lesson ponies I used to ride. (Oh how I miss you, sane lesson ponies!) Now I have a rather troubled horse of unknown parentage that seems to be suffering with the equine version of teenage angst. I bake horse treats and preform self-taught equine massage whenever I get the chance in order to console him. I believe it is helping, as he recently stopped trying to trample me and he doesn't rear as much any more. Oh, how I love you, horse...

[@1039mustang]

One of my favorite videobloggers in the world doing one of my favoite things in the world...love this vid. DFTBA

[@AllTimeLowLuver1012]

The bond between a horse and its rider is a really strong bond that is hard to be broken... With me, my horse (who I sadly had to sell when I left for college) she knew that she had to take care of me and even if I fell off she would stop and whinny... I think it sometimes she was say I'm sorry/ are you okay? I really enjoyed the video and it really does describe the bond between horses and people.

[@134amy134]

YOU FILMED THIS AN HOUR AWAY FROM WHERE I LIVE. I love you Hank.

[@KadenKryptonite]

Riding a horse is really a wonderful experience and I'm glad I have the oppurtunity for it every summer and fall. If just riding with a saddle leaves you sore, going for trail rides bareback is painful in a whole new way, and once you do that you really come to understand that horsebackriding is a team sport between you and the horse. The horse trusts that you know what you're doing, and you put your own trust in the horse to take care of you while you're up there.

[@Rociero1991]

I've been riding horses since I was 5, and I just recently started playing polo. And it's amazing how few actually understand the bond between a horse and rider. A lot of people who don't spend all their time with horses don't see it, but I'm glad you do :) And if I had to guess at what happened to spook your horse, I'd say it was stung by a bee, or something similar...

[@oxNEONxGREENxo]

That was really awesome. You really said it, horses and their 'people' really do change eachother! I love how you can see this from being on a horse once :)

[@elithebarrowboy]

Hahaha, the end was wonderful! And I like where you went with this, Hank. Something interesting to thing about...

[@ntcssj]

I feel the same way, Hank, I've been to a camp this weekend, and though I didn't go horse riding, I hurt everywhere! Even when I laugh, which is not great when trying to watch these videos!

[@bugly1]

I live in North Carolina! I went to school an hour away from Asheville! And I'm in Arkansas for the week. You come to my state, and I'm not even there. Story of my life.

[@Cakevspie94]

Nice job Hank! I really like this style of vlogging because you use your intelect to craft your day into a message instead of just spontaneous silliness. DFTBA

[@holleywane]

This is probably my new favorite video out of all of your videos! I absolutely LOVE horses! Actually, one of my retirement plans was to move to a place like Montana and have a horse farm or something like that.

[@faerisoul]

that is sad but very sweet, I have never had the pleasure of owning a horse but love them dearly and ride whenever I get the chance. keep holding on. all love and best wishes, from a fellow nerdfighter and equestrian.

[@adchick27]

It's really frikkin exciting to think we're living in a time as important to humanity as the industrial revolution, the domestication of the horse, or the invention of fire. Well done fellow humans. DFTBA

[@CodedLockFilms]

These videos are always my favorites.

[@dunemanic]

nice to see that someone who has only been on a horse 3 times, understands what its like to be in that kind of partnership. also yay for not falling off during a spook! you're a natural!

[@courxcore]

wonderful vlog as usual. i find it's always fun to think back on the origin of things.

[@TheDastardlyHippo]

I so enjoy "Thoughts From Places." They are like sincere, non-self-aggrandizing things that should be on the Travel Channel, but since they are sincere and non-self-aggrandizing, they never will be.

[@inckeeper]

Wow, you are amazing. Don't EVER change.

[@roxyqueen2]

"and they will put you at the top of their social heirachy" , haha, try telling that to my old horse. She was very much an independent/determined/stubborn soul. But this is a lovely video, and you make some great points.

[@Sparks.u]

It's nice that you can be in 2020 and just drink some wine and watch these videos and be not in 2020.

[@Exactpie1]

I love the Thoughts from places idea. They make my day :)

[@TheNdengel]

From a horseback rider and a horse owner, thank you. Not everybody gets the bond between horse and rider. And now that horses are no longer necessary to our survival, they become even more beautiful.

[@geeleegeelee]

it's so adorable when he pushes his glasses up

[@TheSarahSideofThings]

I love horseback riding. I've been doing it every day for a week each summer for the last 4 years at summer camp while also learning a lot about horses. (yes I realize that was confusing). also, I love how happy you look at 0:43 XD

[@StrayMedicine]

I enjoy your romanticist thoughts put into video blogs. It's really amazing to just think about things like this.

[@saber1epee0]

The word "Piggyback" comes from "Pickaback", which comes from "Pitch-a-Pack", describing how you carry a heavy load or "pack" by throwing it on your back and wrapping it around your shoulders and waist. This and more can be found in Charles Earle Funk's book "Horsefeathers! and other curious words."

[@princessaimeemae]

I like that - how the horse has changed us. Anyone who has ever fallen head over heels for one of these majestic animals (you know, unless your first/only horse experience was traumatizing) knows exactly how the right animal can change you. Dogs and cats can do it too, but horses are in a league all their own.

[@StormValleyStables]

Yeah Hank!! Horses are the best animals... they love their humans and we love them back. We honestly consider them to be the best things in our lives

[@wellmakesmokesignals]

I'm always amazed at how the vlogbrothers can take something I find wholly uninteresting, like, say, horses, and turn them into something I care to hear about.

[@lolgirl607]

HANK IN NC? WHERE I AM? WHAAAAAAT??? I love these videos! I also love the thumbnail for your Harry Potter song :)

[@TheBrokenTimeMachine]

@Fernanjo89, to your rhetoric question, it was the domesticated horse. It's believed that the begining of the centaur myth came from the early Greeks when their enemies were riding on horseback in battle. They thought it was a half man, half beast centaur trying to kill them, not some guy on an animal they hadn't seen before.

[@Horsedogz]

I do not have a horse, but horses have been a big part of my life for a long time, and Iust agree that the bonds we share and the trust is beautiful

[@Luciffie]

Thank you thank you thank you. Being both a nerdfighter and equestrian this video makes me smile with happiness. Most often "non-horse people" (haha you muggles!) only want to say how easy riding a horse is and how horses are "dumb" or something inane version of that. :] This video makes me squeal with glee a little bit too!

[@mmmmmheyyyy]

Speaking as an equestrian myself, I would just like to point out that saddles are NOT meant to be comfortable. AT. ALL. They're terribly uncomfortable, yet wonderfully helpful at the same time.

[@MickShaftItsAPun]

I don't know why but this video made me realise how much John and Hank look like each other .

[@cindyluvsdemselandjb]

i love you and john's special, thoughtful messages at the end. but i guess that's why they call this, thoughts from places. :P

[@Speilbilde]

I sat the entire video waiting for an "I'm on a horse." Hank, you never disappoint. :)

[@ferngirltlc]

I love horseback riding! It takes a while for those muscles to not get stiff. There was one weekend where I was riding bareback and an off-road-vehicle comes roaring past without stopping. That was the only time I fell off a horse. But the sorts part was that there was a little kid riding the other horse. Luckily they got her off the horse before they bolted away. But I still love horses and wish I had a stable!!! And dad and go to see the wild mustangs every year in Reno. They're beautiful.

[@steffenml]

Pick is the original version of "pitch", as in "throw". Piggy-back, as others have explained, comes from "pick-a-back", or as we would have said it "pitch-on-back" - in other words it means throwing something onto your back. So a pick-a-back ride, then, is when you throw someone up on your back. The "piggy-back" is simply a lingual evolution which happened to catch on.

[@meaghanaddict]

That piggy back ride was absolutely adorable!

[@ArcadianBunni]

Hank... i love how many times you push up your glasses in videos.

[@frankieinlights]

i love your glasses-fidget. it makes me smile. that's all

[@Tubenuub]

I love you for this video, Hank.

[@jaymsielucille]

I love the ''queen'' door knob hanger behind you. :D

[@XOXfreakshowXOX]

Not gonna lie, I zoned out at about 3minutes when I realized how often Hank was pushing up his glasses... and how goshdarned adorable it was O_O

[@XerkDaniels]

@xmissjemx I second that count. Good job seeing the jump cuts where you can infer he was adjusting his glasses by seeing his hand retract from that part of his face.

[@PrincessSpaz12]

I love how Thoughts from Places videos come in groups :)

[@EvilPonyRiderx44]

Hank, I am a horse lover and I have been riding my whole life. Yes the bond between us is amazing and when the bond has to end it is the saddest thing in the world. But Hank... you mounted on the wrong side... you get on, on the left, not the right. Hahaha HORSE LOVER + NERD FIGHTER

[@hectangle.crafts]

ahhh, it looks so nice and fall-ish where you are... here in Calgary it was the second coldest place in the entire world.

[@daniellea.3000]

Hank Green has now become probably my favorite person as he described how I feel every time I'm realtivly near a horse :P And the sore thing? Yeah I am SERIOUSLY sore after three hours of riding yesterday, I can so relate *dies in a corner*

[@EvilPonyRiderx44]

@armanixD Well mounting on the left side dates back to medieval times because knights kept their swords on their left sides. So when they would go to mount their horse on the right side, the sword would bang into them. So we typically train a horse to be used to being mounted on the left side. But all in all it doesn't really matter. Its good to get your horse used to being mounted from both sides. It's really just a matter of tradition to mount on the left side. :)

[@Evimarie08]

Horse riding is an awesome sport for Nerdfighters! It takes less stamina than most sports and rather than physical joy (which does exist in horseback riding, but it's different.) there is psychological joy. There is a huge connection between horse and rider that is very hard to understand unless you ride horses ( as in, you take lessons or know how to do it.) Hank talked about that a little.

[@konpt128]

I must say that for someone with such a limited experience with horse riding as yours, you really did get the hang of a horse geek mentality. Congratulations, Hank, you are a horse-person now :)

[@MoodyMare14]

Hank is right, horses have changed us. They changed me for the better, I'm more confident nowadays and I have more self-esteem and I can safely say that is due to my horse riding. Oh and if you wanna feel the pain and aches of riding try riding for 5 lessons in a row with no stirrups then tell me about pain! DFTBA!

[@SaelaLei537]

AGH! I'm from NC ^_^ (Greensboro tho :P) but I now live outside of Philadelphia for school also, I love riding horses, it's so nice and peaceful, even if you do feel like you're still riding it several hours after you get off...

[@sonipitts]

Woot! Asheville in the house! Wish I'd known you were here.

[@becauseidreamedit]

...the image of katherine walking in on hank while he was looking up the my little pony graphic and going "oh good, here we go again," just overwhelmed my brain.

[@polarqueen1232]

You also held a chikaaaaan. And I'm loving the princess door hanger. I think they called them piggy-back rides because the people that came up with it were drunk at the time, and the person carrying the other person starting oinking because he thought he was a pig. No, alcohol can't do that. They were high.

[@mollypotter15]

Welcoming to Horseback riding, Hank. The land were everything hurts. But we do it anyway. Because, as you said, we love the animal that we are riding.

[@PhobeBarrymore]

This is one of the first videos where Hank is CONSTANTLY fixing his glasses! Lol

[@horses4petra]

Hank, for someone with such limited experience with horses, that was beautifully stated. :D

[@ArchetypeGotoh]

I love how you adjust you glasses at the beginning of almost every frame :)

[@BriIsTheFinestCheese]

nice door handle decoration. very pink ...and sparkly.

[@Quintinia]

Congrats Hank- you managed to be both educational and entertational at the same time!

[@SpencerDisaster]

Horse dominance hierarchy's are actually very interesting. If you introduce Mules and Donkeys into the herd, they will also find a place in the hierarchy. Mules will usually be higher up (under horses), and donkeys settled at the bottom. They all are fine with their hierarchy and accept their place. The term 'piggyback' came from the origin of 'pickaback' which came from the term 'pickback,' which means to choose the back, such as to choose to carry something on your back. Hurrah! Facts!

[@zombieedrea]

Fun fact. My mom used to have a horse named Chuck when I was very little. And of course I don't remember this, but whenever I went up to the stable, Chuck would lower his head down to my height so I could pet him (and I was like, two, so I was a tiny little thing, and he, of course, was huge compared to little ol' me). Yeah. Horses are cool. :)

[@sunchoked]

This video sent my mind awry when I realized you were riding English and trying to hold onto the saddle, which summoned my childhood riding instructor to the foreground of thought and all I could hear was her tirade from 15 years ago -- "STOP THAT, YOU'RE NOT ON A CATTLE DRIVE. YOU WANT YOU HOLD ON TO SOMETHING? YOU HOLD ONTO THE REINS LIKE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO. IF YOU CAN'T EVEN MANAGE THAT MUCH, THEN I DON'T KNOW WHY WE'RE HERE!" Brb, repressing this again.

[@briansmobile1]

I'm on a horse!

[@Abetterworld117]

When I was in New Mexico, staying at a hostel, I rode on a donkey. It's owner insisted that it was a very smart animal, and completely in control. So I got on the donkey. For some reason it decided to in between a 1 1/2 foot wide gap between a pine tree and a car. My left leg was completely bloody and scraped, and once I got off of the donkey, being ten at the time, I cried my little heart out. Tramautized me forever.

[@ceetor1110]

"Asses were first domesticated around 3000 BC,[3] approximately the same time as the horse, and have spread around the world." From Wikipedia with love! My guess is that horses and donkeys were mounted at EXACTLY the same time.

[@RebbelReb]

I'm always amazed at how much people love horses. (There is in fact a magazine in the UK called "I love horses" Having only ridden one once I wouldn't put them above any other animal in my love heirarchy (being a big general lover of all animals) ....but wow. Makes you think. Who was the first person to bring a wolf into his house.... that had to be pretty death-defying.

[@PANICitsJessi]

I did some research on why piggyback rides are named thusly, and found two possible explanations. 1) In the early 16th century, people used the term "pick-a-back" do describe the action of carrying someone on one's back, and over time, it has morphed into the more aesthetically pleasing "piggyback." 2) The Anglo-Saxons called their infants "piggies" and carried them on their backs. I find both theories equally entertaining and bizarre.

[@Badgerdd78a22f6]

Before it was "piggyback" or "pigaback," around 1555-1565 the term was "pickaback." That came from the term "pickback" (or "pickapack" or "pickpack"), which means "on the back. That's as much info as I could find. You COULD stretch things a bit and say "pick" means "choose", so "pickback" means "choose the back" (e.g., as a place to carry something or someone).

[@annieyueqin]

Thoughts from places are my favorite. I wait for them to appear in my subscription box. That and communitychannel.

[@neos1234125]

@songsqueer Piggyback doesn't really refer to "backing" the ideas of others. More like using them for personal gain or just jumping on (kind of like writing your name on a birthday card from someone else because you forgot to get a present). That meaning would most likely have come after the carrying someone definition because it generally means getting on the back of an idea.

[@alice151877]

I stumbled on this video, and know the place and the horses well. Jewel has since passed away, but she enjoyed giving rides to adults and kids for many years.