"A caballo regalado, no le mires el dentado" en inglés

Caballos y regalos, ¿en qué se parecen? - As a child, I was taught to be grateful and to always say thank you to those who have helped me or given me something. Most importantly, I was also taught not to be fussy and be content with what I have.

I’m sure you’ve all been taught the same values. Your parents may even have said to you: a caballo regalado, no le mires el dentado.

Interestingly enough, we have a pretty similar horse-related expression in English with the same meaning: don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.

The origin comes from the fact that you can tell a horse’s age by looking at its teeth. So by looking into the mouth of a horse that has been gifted to you, you’re signalling a lack of trust towards your gifter!

Here’s another variation: don’t bite the hand that feeds you. The difference is that, with this, you’re indicating a betrayal or hurt towards someone you have or are depending on.

I hope that helps! 🐴

Daniel - Tu coach inglés