In Notes and Queries, xvi. 156, several explanations are offered, ascribing a political meaning to the words quoted—Jack Horner being elevated to a king’s messenger or king’s steward, and “the plum” pulled out so cleverly being a valuable deed which the messenger abstracted.
Horse. The first to ride and tame a horse for the use of man was Melizyus, king of Thessaly. (See Melizyus).
Horse (The Black), the 7th Dragoon Guards (not the 7th Dragoons). They have black velvet facings, and their plume is black and white. At one time they rode black horses.
Horse (The Green), the 5th Dragoon Guards. (These are called “The Princess Charlotte of Wales’s ...”). Facings dark green velvet, but the plume is red and white.
Horse (The White), the 3d Dragoon Guards. (These[(These] are called “The Prince of Wales’s ...”).
⁂ All the Dragoon Guards have velvet facings, except the 6th (or “Carabiniers”), which have white cloth facings. By facings are meant the collar and cuffs.
N.B.—“The white horse within the Garter” is not the heraldic insignia of the White Horse Regiment or 3d Dragoon Guards, but of the 3d Hussars (or “The King’s Own”), who have also a white plume. This regiment used to be called “The 3d Light Dragoons.”
Horse (The Royal), the Blues.
Horse (The Wooden), a huge horse constructed by Ulysses and Diomed, for secreting soldiers. The Trojans were told by Sinon it was an offering made by the Greeks to the sea-god, to ensure a safe home-voyage, adding that the blessing would pass from the Greeks to the Trojans if the horse were placed within the city walls. The credulous Trojans drew the monster into the city; but at night Sinon released the soldiers from the horse and opened the gates to the Greek army. The sentinels were slain, the city fired in several places, and the inhabitants put to the sword. The tale of the “Wooden Horse” forms no part of Homer’s Iliad, but is told by Virgil in his Æne´id. Virgil borrowed the tale from Arctīnos of Milētus, one of the Cyclic poets, who related the story of the “Wooden Horse” and the “burning of Troy.”
⁂ A very similar strategem was employed in the seventh century A.D. by Abu Obeidah in the siege[siege] of Arrestan, in Syria. He obtained leave of the governor to deposit in the citadel some old lumber which impeded his march. Twenty boxes (filled with soldiers) were accordingly placed there, and Abu, like the Greeks, pretended to march homewards. At night the soldiers removed the sliding bottoms of the boxes, killed the sentries, opened the city gates, and took the town.—Ockley, History of the Saracens, i. 185.