El Cid and the Reconquesta
Once over the river we crossed a bridge lined with statues depicting the heroes of the Reconquesta and then, there he was – El Cid, looking fearsome with his grizzled beard, wild cloak flowing madly behind him, his mighty sword La Tizona extended ahead of him, much too big and heavy for an ordinary mortal, his burning eyes fixed ferociously on an enemy army as he led a charge to victory against the Moors sat on his magnificent famous white steed Babieca.
Have Bag, Will Travel 
Fearsome imagery indeed. This statue reminds me of a moment on a tour bus in Boston back in 2002. We passed an equestrian statue and the tour guide asked how many of us knew that a horse with one leg up meant that the hero portrayed died later of his wounds. Some nodded. “And what do you think it means when both hooves are up?” asked the tour guide. When no one answered he told us, “That means the horse bit it, too.” The tourists looked in dismay at the statue and said, “Awwwww….” But then he laughed and said all of it was a rumour anyway, and the number of hooves in the air doesn’t always correlate to the death of the rider.
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If all four feet are on the ground then the rider died peacefully in bed!
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