What does it mean in a park if a statue of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air?

Answer 1

for the most part, in general, This is a myth, . Equestrian statues of war and military heroes are not indicating anything by the placement of the horses hooves, Far too many counterexamples can be shown where the contrary is true. -- however, there are exceptions to the rule.

The only places that a horses hoof/ hoves, commonly referred to as "Hoof Code", has any implication or meaning , is on the Monuments at the Gettysburg Memorial, as well as some in horse and Rider Statues witin Washington D.C. The only one that doesn't adhere to the "Hoof Code" at Gettysburg, is Lieutenant General James Longstreet --allthough he was severely wounded At Chapultepec during the Mexican American war, Longstreet was not wounded in the Battle of Gettysburg, yet his horse has one hoof raised.

The placement of the feet at the Gettysburg Memorial, and in some Washington D.C. Statues, usually means the following when adhering to the "Hoof Code".

All four hoofs on the Ground, the Rider was not wounded. One Hoof Raised:the Rider was wounded in battle, Two Hoofs Raised: the Rider was Killed in Battle . Again, this only applies to the Gettysburg Memorial, and to some of the monuments in Washington, D.C., and no where else.

Most of the time, the hoof placement is merely to make the horse and rider look good.

Here is more information on the placement of hoofs, and the Hoof Code.

http://horsehints.org/WashingtonDCHorseStatues.htm

Answer 2

One of the front feet in the air means wounded in battle but lived, both feet in the air means died in action and both feet on the ground means died of natural causes.

Answer 3

It means its rearing to show that its a hero!!

Answer 4

the horse is rearing as it is scared