Los caballos en el cancionero tradicional mexicano

This article reviews the presence of horses and other equids in the traditional Mexican lyrical songbook. The way in which these animals appear is described, linked to human beings, who have found in them a companion, especially in livestock work, in mule driving and in horseback riding. The proverb is also considered as a point of reference, given the abundant presence of these animals in Mexican sayings, linked, like horses, to the rural environment. The study contemplates the characterization of the beasts and the riders, their humanization, as well as the comparison of humans with horses. Likewise, the humorous tone and absurdity are studied, characteristic, as Margit Frenk has described, of many animal couplets in the Mexican songbook.