physics

Horsemaning

Horsemaning is a physics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Horsemaning rather than just read about it. In short: Horsemaning (or horsemanning) is the act of posing for a photograph in such a way that the subject appears to have been beheaded, their head resting on the ground or on a surface. Such photography was a fad in the 1920s.

Key takeaways

Horsemaning belongs to physics; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Horsemaning to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Horsemaning from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Horsemaning (or horsemanning) is the act of posing for a photograph in such a way that the subject appears to have been beheaded, their head resting on the ground or on a surface. Such photography was a fad in the 1920s. The practice derives its name from the Headless Horseman, an evil character from Washington Irving's short story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow". Horsemaning saw a revival in 2011, along with other photo fads such as planking and owling. All three were considered among the top 10 Facebook sensations of 2011 and a series of horsemaning photos began trending on sites like BuzzFeed as people were inspired to recreate the original fad. It has also become popular with beachgoers, one person is buried in the sand with her body covered and another person lies next to her with her head buried in the sand.

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) Victorian headless portrait

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Horsemaning

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Horsemaning claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In physics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Horsemaning before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Horsemaning ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Horsemaning

In research: Horsemaning appears in physics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Horsemaning in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Horsemaning is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1920s fads and trends, 2010s fads and trends, Internet memes, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Horsemaning outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Ask Teacher Smith questions about this articleOpens your AI tutor with a question about “Horsemaning” →

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study Horsemaning in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Horsemaning means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Horsemaning out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Horsemaning in simple terms?

Why does Horsemaning matter?

Because it connects several physics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Horsemaning?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Horsemaning.