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Horsemaning (or horsemanning) is the act of posing for a photograph in such a way that the subject appears to have been
Horsemaning (or horsemanning) is the act of posing for a photograph in such a way that the subject appears to have been beheaded
Decapitation or beheading is the total separation of the head from the body. Such an injury is invariably fatal to humans and most other animals, since it deprives the brain of oxygenated blood, while all other organs are deprived of the i ...
, their head resting on the ground or on a surface. Such photography was a fad
A fad or trend is any form of collective behavior that develops within a culture, a generation or social group in which a group of people enthusiastically follow an impulse for a short period.
Fads are objects or behaviors that achieve short- ...
in the 1920s. The practice derives its name from the Headless Horseman
The Headless Horseman is a mythical figure who has appeared in folklore around the world since the Middle Ages. The figure is traditionally depicted as a rider upon horseback who is missing his head.
Description
Depending on the legend, the Hor ...
, an evil character from Washington Irving
Washington Irving (April 3, 1783 – November 28, 1859) was an American short-story writer, essayist, biographer, historian, and diplomat of the early 19th century. He is best known for his short stories "Rip Van Winkle" (1819) and " The Legen ...
's short story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is a gothic story by American author Washington Irving, contained in his collection of 34 essays and short stories titled ''The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.'' Written while Irving was living abroad in Birm ...
".
Horsemaning saw a revival in 2011, along with other photo fads such as planking and owling
Owling was a common term for the smuggling of sheep or wool from England to another country, particularly France. The practice was illegal in England from 1367 until 1824. Participants were called "owlers"; their ships "owling boats".
The origins ...
. All three were considered among the top 10 Facebook sensations of 2011 and a series of horsemaning photos began trending on sites like BuzzFeed
BuzzFeed, Inc. is an American Internet media, news and entertainment company with a focus on digital media. Based in New York City, BuzzFeed was founded in 2006 by Jonah Peretti and John S. Johnson III to focus on tracking viral content. Ken ...
as people were inspired to recreate the original fad.
Description
The objective of horsemanning is to make it appear that the photo's subject has been beheaded. Horsemanning requires two individuals, one situated with one's head hidden (e.g. tilted backwards) with the other hiding his or her body and exposing only his or her head. The resulting photo appears to show a headless body with a disembodied head lying beside it; in fact, it consists of one person's body and a different person's head.See also
*Planking (fad)
Planking (or the Lying Down Game) is an activity consisting of lying in a face down position, sometimes in an unusual or incongruous location. The palms of the hands are typically touching the sides of the body and the toes are typically touching ...
* Victorian headless portrait
References
{{reflist, 2 1920s fads and trends 2010s fads and trends Internet memes Optical illusions The Legend of Sleepy Hollow