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“Horse and equestrian lovers across the nation celebrate each year on July 15th as National I Love Horses Day,” reads the National Day Calendar. “This day pays tribute to, and honors, the horse. According to an Animal Planet poll, the horse is the world’s fourth favorite animal” {behind only tigers, dogs and dolphins}.

And a woman straddling a stallion certainly has strong sexual connotations—which explains the numerous websites devoted to the activity, such as Naked Horse Riding.com and Riding Fantasy. The latter describes its content up front: “Riding Fantasy is equestrian erotica—to put it simply, beautiful women nude on horseback.”

Naked horse riding is becoming increasingly popular with amateurs who want a quick naturist thrill,” notes one sporting site. “Let’s face it: Equestrian epidermis is excellent!” And if it’s wordplay you want, how this for an acrostic creation?

As Intellismut.com e•labia•orates: “Since prehistoric times horses have been a symbol of masculinity and virility, and for women horseback riding has often been thought of as an expression of sexuality. We’ve heard tales of women orgasming as they grip a galloping steed between their thighs, or of young ladies losing their ‘cherries’ from the friction of the ride or saddle horn.”

Indeed, as a Live Journal blogger remarked: “Some have questioned the feasibility of a woman riding a horse naked, so I feel compelled to post the findings in The Journal of Sexual Medicine of ‘Subclinical Clitoral Microtraumatisms’ for some women just for riding astride (as opposed to side saddle). But I imagine there are actually cases where clitorises might find themselves quite amenable to some horseback related microtraumatisms.”

Such as Angela above, the brunette who demonstrates her stallion-straddling technique in this au naturelvideo:

Angela Nude Horse Riding 1080 Preview from NudeMuse on Vimeo.

Sleuth notes that it’s no coincidence that the sport seems to generate an usual amount of barnyard comments and euphemisms: “There’s nothing like having 17 hands between your legs;” “I felt him come in my hands when I gave him his head;” “I need spurs and whip to really get him going;” “He needs a good 20 minutes to warm up;” “I’m going to get off now;” and “You look good on top of him,” to name a few.

The last phrase brings to mind the name we all equate to un•dressage: “You might associate the name ‘Godiva’ with a brand of Belgian chocolates,” observes History.com—though note the logo on every box:

“But it was first popularized as part of a 963-year-old English legend. The original Lady Godiva was an 11th century noblewoman married to Leofric, the powerful Lord of Coventry.” Godiva—or ‘Godgifu’ as she appears in the census and records—was troubled by the crippling taxes her husband had levied on the horses his subjects required for work and transport. “After she repeatedly asked him to lessen the burden in 1053, Leofric quipped that he would lower taxes only if she rode naked on horseback through the center of town.” This 1892 painting depicts their bargain being struck.

Five years later, the most famous painting of Lady Godiva—John Collier’s 1897 masterpiece—depicts how she “stripped off her clothes, climbed on her horse and rode though the market square with only her long flowing hair to cover herself.”

About 33 years old at the time—according to William the Conqueror’s landmark Domesday survey, which shows she lived another 27 years after her protest—there is no doubt Lady Godiva was real…and her ride was described by Roger of Wendover in the early 13th century: “‘Ascend, he said, ‘thy horse naked and pass thus through the city from one end to the other in sight of the people and on thy return thou shalt obtain thy request,” the historian wrote circa 1230. “Then the Countess Godiva, beloved of God {the name means ‘Gift of God’ in Olde English}, ascended her horse, naked, loosing her long hair which clothed her entire body except her snow white legs.” As shown in these acclaimed artworks from 1904 and 1877, respectively.

Adding credence to the story’s veracity is this earliest painting of the event, commissioned by the City of Coventry way back in 1586 and produced by Adam van Noort of “a voluptuously displayed” Lady Godiva totally nude.

It’s thought that the later legend of Rapunzel might have been added for propriety’s sake—“her long hair effectively hiding her nakedness from sight”—but one fact seems certain: “We must conclude that she rode aside,” opines one history buff, “because a naked woman astride a horse in those days would have been quite the scandal!”

“The significance of the story to Coventry goes beyond titillation,” notes BBC.com, “although the main character being naked has certainly helped the story gain momentum over the past 900 years.” Still, city records indicate that the ‘traditional foot procession’ through town as part of a ‘Godiva Festival’ started in 1678…and is held annually during the first week of June. Sleuth has managed to uncover a postcard from the celebration in 1900 (below left) and a shockingly unclothed ‘Godiva Queen’ from the 1920 event!

Nine years later, they were forced to put more hair there

Yet it took a visit to Coventry in 1840 by the great Alfred Lord Tennyson to cement the legend forever in his poem Godiva—‘Then she rode on/Clothed in chastity’—which is still taught and analyzed in British schools today.

“Lady Godiva to this day is revered in Coventry,” states the city’s chamber of commerce. “There is a large statue of her in the town center and the local council uses an image of her as their logo.” As one visitor posted last month on Trip Advisor.com: “What a surprise it was going for a walk around. There she was in the middle of the square in all her glory!”

According to the legend, “Lady Godiva issued a proclamation that all persons should stay indoors and shut their windows…and everyone showed respect for her act on their behalf as she rode through the deserted streets.” The tower on nearby Broadgate Street shows her moving clockwise across the balcony every hour…

…with a nod above her to the treacherous town tailor “who couldn’t resist opening his window to get an eyeful” as she passed his house—and was then struck blind. He became forever known as ‘Peeping Tom’:

A far more polished ‘equestrian statue’ that shows Lady G fore and aft was done by John Thomas—ironically the name of the lusty hero of Lady Chatterley’s Lover—who is famed for his work on Buckingham Palace. His mid-19th century sculpture resides in the Maidstone Museum in Kent.

Books carried on her name during the first half of the 20th century—most notably 1939’s The Seven Lady Godivas—written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss in one of his few books written for adults. “It was all full of naked women,” he later lamented, “and I can’t draw convincing naked women. I put their knees in the wrong places. I tried to draw the sexiest women I could, but they came out just ridiculous.” Calling it “my greatest failure” and “a book that nobody bought” {perhaps only 50 copies sold}, Dr. Seuss groused “I’d rather write for kids” and did so from then on—feeling that, “Adults are obsolete children, and the hell with them.”

Adult readers had to content themselves with the titillating tome published 8 years later, Lady Godiva and Master Tom, which depicted the noblewoman “as beautiful, spoiled and malicious” with her ride “made to humiliate her husband and satisfy her exhibitionist tendencies {which is where Tom comes in}. The elaborate preparations of Godiva for her journey, her fantasies and sensual pleasure during its course, all erotically told, make this novel unique,” read one review.

Next it was movies that kept our heroine in the public eye throughout the second half of the century—notably the 1951 British comedy Lady Godiva Rides Again—marking the film debut of sex symbol DianaDors; notorious Ruth Ellis, the last woman executed in England; and an uncredited beauty contestant named Joan Collins (2nd from right in the poster’s upper lineup}.

In the 1960s, the British harmony duo Peter and Gordon—“riding high’ with their hit A World Without Love {written for them by the lover of Peter’s sister Jane Asher, Paul McCartney}—brought our gal back into the spotlight with the smash single Lady Godiva: “Her long blonde hair/Hangin’ down around her knees/All the cats who dig striptease/Prayin’ for a little breeze.”

The novelty ditty was revived by English pop star Alex Day in 2013, accompanied by a video tribute:

And speaking of “all the cats who dig striptease,” Lady G was well represented in 1950s burlesque as well:

So it’s hard•ly surprising that a softcore porn flick followed in ’69…called Lady Godiva Rides, with mamnificent Marsha Jordan in the tit•ular role.

This millennium has produced two films on the subject in its first 13 years—starting with the 2008 romantic comedy Lady Godiva—starring redhead Phoebe Thomas, in the movie (below left) and promoting it!

Her topless turn was a pre•lewd to a ‘Naked Ride’ through royal Hyde Park in the heart of London on 5/19/08: “Twenty women stripped off for charity yesterday,” reported the Daily Mail. “The ride was organized by 20-year-old Vicky Jewson, who wrote and directed a modern retelling of the story. And whosesister Libby led the pack out of the gate!

“The ride was a massive success,” Vicky enthused afterwards. “There was a big crowd and we got an incredibly positive response—no wolf whistling or anything like that. The girls were fantastic and not shy at all.” In fact, Jewson herself fronted the second group.

“Having naked Godivas riding through London is a great way to raise awareness” of Maggie’s Cancer Centers, Vicky figured. Agreed the centers’ director Frances Milner: “What Vicky is doing is fantastic. We are over the moon (below left) that she is supporting our charity. We hope to see lots of ladies joining in.” And we got to see lots of those who did (below right)!

The most recent ode to olden days was the 2013 feature film The Look of Love—a biopic of British strip club impresario Paul Raymond, featuring Tamsin (Camelot) Egerton channeling Godiva in a ride through London {alas, with panties and a hat}.

The scene was inspired by Raymond’s longtime lover and muse Fiona Richmond, who cantered through swank Sloane Square on August 29, 1974—before being booked on a charge of disturbing the piece.

“Beauties all over the world take different roads these days to expose their charms and get worldwide publicity,” writes journalist Sonia Mau. “Struggling to create their own niche, modern actresses are not shy about doing something outrageous. One such daring stunt that these stars have been doing time and again is posing nude on a horse. Most often one of white color {as we’ll see below}, since while it has long been the hue of purity and sanctity, it is also closely associated with erotica.”

“From Kate Moss and Gisele Bundchen to Miley Cyus and the most recent Emily Ratajkowski, none of them has escaped flaunting her nude frame on a white horse.” And none has escaped being exposed by Sleuth … in his display of a delightful dozen damsels in undress.

The first, fittingly, starred in the most memorable of the historic films, 1955’s Lady Godiva of Coventry

… the town where women still pay bare•back homage to their 11th century heroine today!

We speak, of course, of the recently deceased {at age 95} ‘Queen of Technicolor’ …

MAUREEN O’HARA

BETSY RUSSELL

Her glorious gallop in 1983’s Private School remains the hottest horseback scene on film!

BO DEREK

Unless that honor goes to her full-frontal saddle-for-sore-eyes prize the following year in Bolero. An accomplished Andalusian trainer, Bo’s 2002 book is titled Riding Lessons: Everything That Matters in Life I Learned from Horses. They taught her well.

CHELSEA HANDLER

“Taking this down is sexist,” the comedienne complained when Instagram pulled her topless photo three times in October 2014. “I have every right to prove I have a better body than {often bare-chested Vladimir} Putin. If a man posts a photo of his nipples, it’s ok, but not a woman? Are we in 1825? {or 1053?}

EMILY RATAJKOWSKI

Words fail us …

GISELE BUNDCHEN

She looks deflated about husband Tom Brady’s pending suspension, but gets back in the saddle quickly

KATE MOSS

A ‘wild child’ party girl when this was taken in 2001, she seems more stable these days

KATE UPTON

Sites censored her outtake from this 2011 shoot for Complex magazine …

… but Sleuth ponies up Kate’s spur of the moment topless flash!

LAURA PREPON

MAY ANDERSEN

The Danish Victoria’s Secret supermodel brought her horse whip home for a bedroom bridle shower

MILEY CYRUS

She’s not French kissing a filly but a fella, fiancé Liam Hemsworth in a mount mask, for the 2012 music video Decisions. The choice to rein in her wilder impulses below was an inspired one

JOY CORRIGAN

The ‘Miami It Girl’ looks hot to trot as a most fittingEND to our salute to good grooming

Think of it as ‘Filly Cheesecake’

… as glamour queen Kayla Rae Reid makes us say ‘Whoa!’ with her perfect pony tail.