Saturday, July 25, 2009

Fetterlock, Fetlock

Fetterlock, Fetlock: Fetter, sharing its etymology with foot, means to hold back or restrain. The link between fetter (foot) and restrain is fetterlock - a D-shaped devise used to hobble horses. The fetterlock should not be confused with fetlock, a part of a horse foot (fet) and possibly the location where the fetterlock was attached. Today the fetterlock is mostly (exclusively) used in heraldry.
"Beautiful horses," Clint said to one man who was brushing a horse's fetlock and he grunted and didn't even look up.
On one side was the Deravenel family emblem, of the rose and fetterlock, the rose enameled white.

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