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WHAT'S WRONG WITH MOUTHY GIFT HORSES?

"Never look a gift horse in the mouth."

This age-old adage has become so overused that it now has its own chat-room acronym (NLAGHITM). If that doesn't make you roll on the floor laughing (ROFL), then what will?

WHAT DO HORSES HAVE TO DO WITH GIVING?

When a veterinarian or other expert assesses the value of a horse, he will look closely at the equine's teeth. Horse's teeth change dramatically, as they mature and grow older. A dental examination can reveal the age of the horse, while providing a helpful indication of the animal's overall health as well. This checkpoint has thwarted many a shoddy horse trader's attempt to pawn off an older horse at a higher price than he warranted.

According to the proverb, if one is given a horse as a gift, then that person should accept the gift without seeking a closer look, at least in front of the giver. After all, a gift is free; if the recipient did not pay for the horse, then why should he nitpick about its age, health or other features?

The gift horse metaphor does break down, though, particularly in modern times. Certainly, horses may be had for free, often by adoption or from rescue organizations. Such equines generally are not free, in the long run. Keeping a horse can be quite costly, even if the initial cost of the animal was little or none.

Truly, there is no such thing as a free horse. And, unless you happen to own acres and acres of grassy wilderness, there is no such thing as a free lunch for that free horse.

WHAT DOES THE PROVERB MEAN?

Metaphorically, the expression means that one should accept a gift graciously and gratefully, without criticizing the gift or giver.

Remember the old Hallmark card commercials, where the recipients flipped greeting cards over to look for the price and brand name? Yep! Those folks were looking their gift horses in the mouths! People who peek at price tags on gifts fit the same bill.

The gift horse proverb fits nicely with another popular quotation about gifts, "It's the thought that counts." In other words, the spirit of giving itself counts for much more than the actual features, or even pricing, of the item that is given.

WHERE DID THIS OLD SAW START?

According to several sources, this ancient proverb has been credited to St. Jerome (374 AC 419 AD), an early Christian church father. In his study on the Apostle Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians, written about 400 AD, St. Jerome actually said, "Never inspect the teeth of a gift horse."

NOT ANOTHER TROJAN

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