post horse
Definition
Noun: A horse kept at a designated station (an inn or post house) along a mail or stagecoach route, specifically for the use of mail carriers (post riders) or for hire by travelers to continue their journey.
Usage
This term refers specifically to the system of horse relays used for rapid transport of mail and passengers before the advent of railroads. The horses were stationed at regular intervals to be exchanged for fresh ones.
Examples
- Noun:
- The weary courier changed his mount for a fresh post horse at the next relay station.
- In the 18th century, a traveler could rent a post horse to continue his journey along the post road.
Advanced Usage
- Historical Context: The term is almost exclusively used in historical contexts describing pre-industrial travel, postal systems, and coaching inns.
- As part of a system: The efficiency of the postal service depended on a network of post horses stationed at regular intervals.
Variants and Related Words
- Post-horse (noun): An alternative hyphenated spelling of the same term.
- Post chaise (noun): A fast carriage for travelers, pulled by post horses.
- Relay horse (noun): A more general term for a horse kept ready to replace a tired one in a relay system.
Synonyms
- Relay horse
- Stage horse (specifically for stagecoaches)
- Hired horse (a more general term, lacking the specific systemic connotation)
Related Phrases
- To ride post: To travel using a series of post horses.
- He rode post from London to Edinburgh, changing horses every ten miles.
- Post house / Post inn: The establishment where post horses were kept and travelers could stop.
- The old post house still stands at the crossroads.
Noun
-
a horse kept at an inn or post house for use by mail carriers or for rent to travelers
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