Why is horse latitudes called horse latitude?

What is the geographical area of horse latitudes?

This article is about the geographical area. For other uses, see Horse latitudes (disambiguation). The horse latitudes are the latitudes about 30 degrees north and south of the Equator. They are characterized by sunny skies, calm winds, and very little precipitation. They are also known as subtropical ridges, or highs.

Why is latitude associated with the seaman’s ceremony?

The seaman’s ceremony was to celebrate having worked off the “dead horse” debt. As west-bound shipping from Europe usually reached the subtropics at about the time the “dead horse” was worked off, the latitude became associated with the ceremony.

What deserts do horses live in?

Unlike doldrums, horse latitudes create dry environments and mostly deserts like the Sahara Desert, Atacama Desert, Kalahari Desert, and the Australian Desert. Other areas that horse latitudes created are the southern areas of the United States, northern Mexico, and the Middle East.

Why are they called ‘Horse Latitudes’?

It is said that Spanish sailors ferrying horses to the West Indies were usually stuck for months in these calm waters and had to throw their horses into the water to conserve drinking water for themselves. This led to the term ‘horse latitudes’.

What happened to the horse latitudes?

Legends of the horse latitudes were revived in the 1960s when a band called The Doors recorded a gruesome spoken-word ode to lost horses at sea called “Horse Latitudes”, written by their leader, Jim Morrison. It would be 25 years until Geoffrey Lewis and Celestial Navigations broached the tragic subject again.

What is a seaman’s ceremony?

This period was called the “dead horse” time, and it usually lasted a month or two. The seaman’s ceremony was to celebrate having worked off the “dead horse” debt. As west-bound shipping from Europe usually reached the subtropics at about the time the “dead horse” was worked off, the latitude became associated with the ceremony.

How did wild horses get to the desert?

Native horses found abundant food supplies in the fertile valleys of the West and plenty of room to roam. The development of the West, however, drove wild horses to other locations, including deserts. Desert climates were suboptimal for early horses, as they were characterized by rough, rocky terrain and limited food and water supplies.

What does don’t flog a dead horse mean?

Also phrased as “don’t flog a dead horse”, “don’t beat a dead horse” advises “not to put effort into things that will not reap any benefit or cannot show anything for a positive outcome”. In other words, discussing a topic that has been talked about at length already to the satisfaction of everybody involved is “beating a dead horse”.

What does it mean when a horse is dead?

A horse is one of the most agile land-based animals on the planet. The four-legged, hairy creature represents or is synonymous with speed, strength, beauty, and power. But when a horse is dead or has passed its prime, it’s pretty much done for good or won’t serve its master like it used to.

What does able seaman mean in the Navy?

Also an Able Seaman was (and is) a naval rank for the lowest but one sailor rank, the lower rank being Ordinary Seaman or Seaman. It indicated a qualified sailor with service. ACATER A present day caterer.

What do you call an able bodied seaman?

Able bodied seaman: Certificated and experienced seaman, called an AB. Abeam: On the side of the vessel, amidships or at right angles. Aboard: Within, on board the vessel. About, go: To manoeuvre to the opposite sailing tack.

Why are wild horses bad for the desert?

Ecologists, rangeland managers, and ranchers are concerned that overpopulated wild horse herds have caused and are causing irreversible damage to delicate desert ecosystems. Wild horse advocates argue that sheep and cattle, which outnumber wild horses on public lands nationwide, should be reduced to make more forage available.

Why do they say beating a dead horse is futile?

So while beating a living horse serves a purpose, beating a dead one would be futile. Anyways, this saying dates back to at least the year 1859. A form of it makes an appearance in the London newspaper Watchman And Wesleyan Advertiser.

What does it mean to dream about a dead horse?

You understand in your heart that with your actions you can bring grief to your beloved ones, and therefore you come to such sad dreams. If you saw a dead horse in your dream and if it has already begun to decompose, worms creep in it, you should wait for shame, loss, ruin — such a plot does not promise anything good for the dreamer.

What does don’t beat a dead horse mean?

“Don’t beat a dead horse” most likely also has its roots in the sport. In horse racing, the jockey uses a whip to hit or “motivate” the horse to run faster. The horse is alive and is, therefore, able to respond to the jockey’s call steadfastly.

What is the original meaning of the word’a dead horse’?

The original meaning of ‘a dead horse’, apart from the literal ‘horse that has fallen off its perch’, was a reference to work for which a person had been paid in advance (and possibly had already spent the proceeds). This dates from the 17th century and is referred to in Richard Brome’s play…

What does Dead Horse mean in the military?

The term “dead horse” denotes anything that’s not relevant or useful anymore. The phrase can be used in texts as a standalone saying. But generally, it’s mainly used in the famous expression. The term is used in the military to describe a matter that has been looked into multiple times before.

What is seaman?

Seaman’s scornful name for any lead of a rope by which effort is lost or wasted. a boy (male minor) who serves as seaman and/or is trained for such service. It was the job of a ship’s page to turn the hourglasses and thus provide the times for the ship’s log.

What does horsed mean on a boat?

A term used since the end of the 17th century for the action of a strong, favorable current on a sailing vessel allowing her to make good progress despite insufficient wind for sailing; the vessel is considered to be horsed by the current, riding it in the way a human rides a horse.

What are the duties of able bodied seaman?

Check our related job descriptions examples for able bodied seaman. 1. Able bodied Seaman Perform following tasks on board ship to watch for obstructions in vessels path and to maintain equipment structures. Stand watch at bow or on wing of bridge to look for obstructions in path of vessel.