Hiya! Tigidig tigidig!

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3 years ago

Let's talk horsey, shall we?

"Hiya" is a derivative from the word "heeyah" like what the cowboys used. "Tigidig tigidig" is the sound we refer to the a galloping horse. Our version of clippety-clop.

"Kabayo" is the Filipino word for horse. "Kabalyo" is our term for it from the Spanish word "caballo."

"Kuboy" is how we call the rider of a horse, a derivative from cowboy. It is also our term for someone who is not picky or choosy, someone who is always game.

The Cordillerans have been greatly influenced by the American cowboys and country songs. Thus, aside from horses, country music is the music of the Cordillerans.

Even in showbiz, some well known local celebrities have been referred to a horse.

Horses in the Baguio City were brought by those who conquered our country namely Japanese, Spanish and Americans. They were also said to have been brought by traders like the Chinese. It is safe to say then that Baguio horses have descended from these and also from Arab horses (read more here).

These conquerors most especially the Spanish uses horses for there were no roads then that led to our mountains. Thus, horses are the best choice for they are able to carry heavy loads of supplies to the steep trails leading up to the Cordilleras.

Horse in Puguis Communal Forest

In pursuit of gold and other minerals, the Spanish paved the way to make trades and mine gold here in the Cordilleras.

For the Ibaloys, one of the natives of Benguet, it is their belief that these horses will take their soul to the spiritual world to the peak of Mt. Pulag, Luzon's highest mountain. I have not seen it yet but if a prominent Ibaloy dies, a horse is slaughtered. The spirit of the horse will then take that person's spirit to the up to mountain.

Today, these horses can be seen in Wright Park and Camp John Hay and also in the nearby town of La Trinidad (click the link to see related article). These horses are for rent. The owners of these horses especially those in Wright Park are called the Pony Boys. During city festivals, they join in parading their horses in town.

A horse in Wright Park

I don't know if you can see but the horse above has pink mane and tail (the tail covered by the tree). I don't find it attractive quite honestly but to each his own. It could be marketing strategy to attract more tourist to ride the horses with colored mane and tail.

I was asking a friend if he has stories about horses here in Baguio. According to him, his grandfather is one of the first owners of horses for hire in Burnham Park. He said that tourists would pay 2 cents and they can ride the horses for hours. 2 cents! I was amazed and surprised but then again the value of 2 cents is enough. I remember taking my niblings to Mines View Park and let them take photos with a horse there. We had to pay PHP50.00 per person for three different poses. If you want to put on the headdress, (see photo below) there's another fee. Before pandemic and during peak season, one horse owner/carer can earn up to PHP1,000.00 in one day and probably even more. Depending on how long you want to ride a horse, the fee can start from PHP250.00 and up. From 2 cents to PHP1000.00, that's a massive difference.

A "kuboy" and a horse in Session Road

Another story my friend told me is which is his grandfather's favorite is an uncle of his who would have a drinking spree in town until the wee hours only to be brought back home secured at the back of his horse, drunk of course (not the horse, silly, but it's the uncle who was drunk).

It would be nice to hear more stories of old.

In Abanao Road, there is a monument of two horses that seem to drinking from a log. This is a reminder where of the watering hole where horses used to drink back in the old days.

The photo above was not mine. It was taken from the post of Baguiobostonterrier in noise. I have asked permission to post it here of course. I'm just waiting for her approval lol! jk (Her post in noise is not about horses but the man/woman sleeping in the middle, homeless people during pandemic.)

Don't mind the traffic. Focus on the horses in the middle. Yes, those are horses. I can see that there is a plaque there. I wonder what's written.

Last year, however, it was reported that 27 horses have died from Equine Infectious Anemia or EIA. According to the city veterinarian, this disease has no cure (read more). When pandemic hit, the Pony Boys lost their means of livelihood. The deaths of these horses have added to their suffering. This disease is not transmissible to humans thankfully. One owner accounted that some horses would just literally fall down to the ground already dead (read here). Since then, it is reported that vitamins and necessary medicines have been administered to the remaining horses. There is a concern for how well these horses are being taken care of especially when it comes to proper sanitation because of the death of horses. Others have speculated that the deaths were due to COVID but there is no truth in that.

During my walks in Wright Park, I have seen tourists riding horses. I'm glad to see that but I think they are only limited to ride within Wright Park. I hope soon everything will get back to normal so these horse owners can start getting back on their feet or should I say horses.

Tourists riding horses at Camp John Hay

I may have grown up here in Baguio and Benguet, but I have not yet ridden a horse. Maybe one of these days. Strong as they, still, I feel like I would burden the horse with my weight.

In case someone needed this:

What do you call a horse in your local dialect? What is your horse story?

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3 years ago

Comments

Great article - an interesting intersection of cultures, and I love how horses seem to very much be part of the social historical landscape. I had a horse growing up - a skewbald pinto, which is brown and white. She was called Bayleaf and I used to ride her bareback down to the beach.

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3 years ago

I have to google skewbald pinto. I'm not that knowledgeable about horses :D Bayleaf sounds like a great horse.

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3 years ago

Oh I love the horses especially the ones I see in Mines view, ang colorful nila! Kulang nlng talaga horn sa gitna ng forehead nila para maging unicorn heheh! Dito sa amin meron pa calesa as a public transport pero in a certain area lang.

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3 years ago

Haha! Meron yata ginagawang unicorn e lalo na pag parada. Sa Ilocos lang ako nakasakay ng kalesa. Dami din kabayo sa Vigan.

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3 years ago

I love horses. Although I'm not an expert at riding them, I have done it sometimes. The Ibaloy tradition of killing a horse to accompany the souls of those who die seems a bit cruel. And I don't like either the painted tails and mane of horses to attract tourists. Interesting as always your post. And by the way, I loved how the word Kuboy sounds, and I was going to ask you if you were one, hehe! But I saw that you have never ridden a horse.;)

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3 years ago

I have to agree how cruel traditions are but such is the way of life for some that is hard to break away from. These are deep rooted beliefs and practices. I could be a kuboy in other ways lol!

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3 years ago

Sometimes, those traditions are deeply rooted, and it's hard to get rid of them. Here, we also have some :(

Glad to know you're a Kuboy, hehe. I think it enters in my list of favorite words, LOL. Maybe I should call you Kuboy from now on;)

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3 years ago

Haha! Sure, you can call me that :D

Traditions sometimes is a curse for it hinders progress.

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3 years ago

Well, now you are officially Kuboy for me, hehe

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3 years ago

I like that :D :D

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3 years ago

I like the story of the drunk uncle brought home on his horse. The good thing is that drunk riding wouldn't have the danger of the horse crashing into a lamp post or a tree.

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3 years ago

I like how see the goodness in things :D

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3 years ago

Lol. I love horses.

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3 years ago

I tried riding horse before but the horse is still young and wild tas parang galit sya sakin. Nung sumakay ako tumakbo nang malakas ayun nahulog ako hahaha

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3 years ago

Oh my that must have hurt :(

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3 years ago

Aww, I feel sorry for the horses actually. Imagine walking for 2hrs with something heavy on the back. I could also guess that the disease was because of poor sanitation. Animal diseases starts there.

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3 years ago

I hope they will take better care of what's left of the horses.

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3 years ago

Riding a horse is not for me, pagdi gumalaw pede pa 🤣

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3 years ago

Haha! Na try mo na ba? Ptry mo sa mga kids :D

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3 years ago

haan pay..isuda cguro bka kayat da hehr

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3 years ago

Wen tatnu handa maging ignorante kasla kanyata haha!

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3 years ago

Hhhaha true😊

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3 years ago

Hindi ko pa rin naexperience sumakay sa kabayo. Sana soon,kung makapasyal sa Baguio.

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3 years ago

Sana nga soon matapos na etong pandemya para makagala na tayo.

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3 years ago

I really want to ride a horse.. my last experience with a horse was in our field trip in Santiago city. I don't know if it's there the memory was vague..but I remember the horse thing..Also back then when the pandemic hasn't started yet there was a vendor coming in our barangay who sell different things and his ride was a kalesa ..ofcourse with a horse..

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3 years ago

I didn't know there were horses in Santiago. It's possible though for there were horses in Jones as was told to me by a friend about an experience of her mom back then.

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3 years ago

I'm afraid of horse 🙈😂.. ui kawawa mga kabayo na namatay. Dami non ah.. at npka expensive pa nman nyan.

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3 years ago

Oo din. Nagstart December 2019 pa ata na start may mga namamatay. Akala ko minsanan na 27 namatay na sabay sabay. Mas nakaka alarm naman pag ganun.

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3 years ago

Ako diiin po hindi pa nakakaride sa horse. Nung nagpunta kaming Baguio natakot ako e. Hahaha. Sa kalabaw nakasakay nako, same lang naman siguro mataba lang kalabaw. 🤣

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3 years ago

Haha di rin ako nakasakay na din ako ng kalabaw pero once lang ata.

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3 years ago

Ako po twice 🤣

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3 years ago

May mga kalabaw din dito pero ayoko lapitan. Parang ang tatapang haha!

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3 years ago

what ? you have not ridden a horse pa? seen those pink colored horses and I was not attracted to it too.. i feel bad for the horses. I didn't ride one when we went to Baguio though...

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3 years ago

Surprisingly, yes, I haven't yet. Maybe soon I will lol!

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3 years ago

Hehe soon

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3 years ago

I have ridden horse just for one time at a beach last year. It was cool 😎 We call it "Ghoda" by the way.

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3 years ago

Did you make the ghoda run fast? :D

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3 years ago

kabayo rin tawag sa cebu niyan pre...naka sakay nako pero sa maliit na kabayo lang..ang ganda nang baguio at ng cute nung monument nang dalawang kbayo na umiinom nang tubig sa area na yun😍

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3 years ago

Nadaan ako dun kanina nakalimutan ko check un nakasulat sa plaque. Balak ko kanina un na daanan e hehe.

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3 years ago

Reading this makes me feel like I was in Baguio too 🥺. To be honest, palagi akong nakakita ng kabayo kasi malapit lang sa farm yung Bahay ng Lola ko, tas maraming kabayo don, sadly ni isang try hindi pa ako naka sakay ng kabayo haha gusto ko sanang subokan kaya lang natatakot akong mahulog 🤣

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3 years ago

San ang place ng lola mo? Sa Ilocos ako nakakita ng maraming kabayo din e.

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3 years ago

Actually sa Cebu haha, meron kasing farm dito. Tas sa farm na yun maraming kabayo.

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3 years ago

Oh nice naman :)

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3 years ago

Lols!! sa end part... Going to Baguio when we were younger, horseback riding is always part of the agenda. I remember there was a horse there my brother rode. His name was Joker. And his mane was dyed rainbow colors. and maybe then he was already tired or agitated because of the crowd - the horse not my brother i mean. He always stands on his two hind legs I think trying to shake my brother off his back. Hehe. but he calmed down eventually.

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3 years ago

I am easily turned off by the smell of them that's probably why I don't dare ride one haha! Ang arti lang :D :D But maybe all that will change if I will try.

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3 years ago

ma-anggo naman kasi talaga. .kaya siguro nung tumanda kami.. hindi na din namin tinatarget ang horseback riding hahahahaha

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3 years ago

Haha! Yun ba ang term dun sa ganun na amoy? bagay na bagay :D

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3 years ago

Hahahaha.. yun gamit namin. Tapos yun hb riding din sa tagaytay.. tawag naman nun group namin dun mahalimu-yuk hahahahaha

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3 years ago

Yuck na yuck! Haha! Pero kahit ganun mahal naman ang bayad hehe.

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3 years ago

tapos nagkalat pa sila lagim ahahahahha .. . watch your step lols

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3 years ago

Truths! Dapat parang dog owners din yan. Be a responsible horse owner haha! Dami kaya ng poops nila hahaha!

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3 years ago

Bata pa ako, dream ko na talaga makasakay ng kabayo huhu. Your title somehow reminded me about my childhood. Ganyan ko kasi tawagin yung kabayo.

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3 years ago

Hahaha! Sa movie at radyo ko lang yan naririnig pero di naman ganyan nila tawagin hehe.

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3 years ago

Yes, kabajo. I dream of riding a horse and have a photograph riding on it. Nice article, articLee. Your pseudonym suits you💛

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3 years ago

Ako din. Dream ko din yan. Pero hanggang dun lang haha! Thanks :D

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3 years ago

Sana makasabay ako sa kabayo next time..may chance na sana nsa Tagaytay ako..kaso ang mahal tig 350 🤣

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3 years ago

Halos same din yata dito. Kaya hindi ko alam kasi wala talaga akong balak sumakay ng kabayo ever since kaya di ko pinapakialaman. Gang picture lang ako hehe.

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3 years ago

Nung nag baguio kami last 2013, dun sa mines view meron dun mga nakastay na mga kabayo na maraming designs sa katawan. 50 pesos ata 3 shots pero di ako nagpicture. Dun ako sa malaking aso nagpapicture kahit na mukha na akong kakainin. Grabe ganda ng mines view lalo na kase nahahawakan ko yung fog.❤❤

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3 years ago

Dami na nga din dogs dun e since nalaman nila na good business pala papix sa dogs. Dati isa lang yun nun. Lagi dun sa mines view ang fog lalo na pag maaga ka talaga. Ganda mag sunrise dun.

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3 years ago

Nung nagbaguio kmi ndi kmi nagpapicture sa kabayo, medyo mahal na din kasi that time taz ndi namin masyado naenjoy kasi ung pinuntahan kong kaibigan sa pangasinan may namatay na kamag-anak so biglang uwian agad

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3 years ago

Dibale sa sunod na bisita nya baka mas matagal na ang pag stay or baka ayaw mo na umalis hehe. Understandable naman na ganyan na biglaan. Hirap din talaga pag namatayan.

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3 years ago

Haha gusto ko talagang mangabayo kaya napaclick ako. Bwahaha pero ayun ng nagpunta ako ng baguio hindi naman ako nakasakay! 😆😆 kapag di na malamig ulit! Haha

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3 years ago

Haha! Salamat naman sa pag click :D Try mo na lang pag napasyal ka ulit.

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3 years ago

I saw the horse. I miss Baguio, but I didn't try to ride a horse because I have fear that it will kick me, lol.

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3 years ago

That is also one of my fears hehe. I'm sure the handler/owner will not put you in danger so he will make sure that the horse will not do that.

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3 years ago

Nakakaexcite pumunta dyannn AHAHAHAAHAH

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3 years ago

Baka bukas nandito ka na haha!

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3 years ago

We call it "kabajo" hehe! I don't have any horse story since I am afraid of getting close to them for I might be kicked. Lol.

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3 years ago

Do you pronounced the j as in junior? We also call it kavadjo especially the Ibaloy tribes.

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3 years ago

Yes, that's it. What dialect do you have btw?

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3 years ago

That's Ibaloy term. Here in Baguio and the Cordilleras, the Ibaloy and Kankana-ey are the two major spoken dialects. I am a Kankana-ey.

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3 years ago

Oh nice so I guess we have similar terms

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3 years ago

Wahhh, I also dream of riding a horse. Thanks to Martha Cecilia's pocketbook. Ang cocool kasi ng mga nag hohorseback riding. Lalonna pag sa girl, omooo. I want 💙. Si Mikiee Cojuangco mandin ang cool cool nya 💙🤩. Kelan kaya makakaranas ng ganire.

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3 years ago

Kung malapit ka Tagaytay, meron din ata dun hehe. Pero kung wala, akyat na dito :D Oo din galing din ni Mikee. Parang wala na masyado balita sa equestrian dito sa bansa or di lang siguro ako aware.

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3 years ago

I wanna ride on horse or i wish i had born 1000years back to experience it..

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3 years ago

I have been here my whole life but I haven't been in one. I did ride a kalesa though, horse drawn carriage.

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3 years ago

Hiyaaa! Tigidig-tigidig... :)

I thought you were scared to ride one but you actually didn't want to burden them. Nice :) I have ridden once a long time ago there in Wright Park. But the horse didn't go tigidig-tigidig. They just walked sexily :)

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3 years ago

I'm scared for the horse haha! Mabalin siguro nu expert kan hehe.

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3 years ago

Hehe sweet mo sa horse :) Wen siguro saka mabutengak mtlng idi

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3 years ago

Kunak la ta mabutengak kadi hihi

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3 years ago

Haha, okay :D

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3 years ago

Ellek kon jay title mo lol

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3 years ago

Haha! Awan mapanunot kon nga title.

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3 years ago

han man naragsakanak ya haha.

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3 years ago