Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Gifts are to be received with gratitude, not examined for defects — complaining about a free good reveals ingratitude.
Horses were the most valuable commodity in medieval Lombardy, essential for agriculture, transport, and warfare. A horse's age and health could be assessed by its teeth — young horses have full, even teeth while old or unhealthy ones show wear, gaps, or discolouration. To examine a gifted horse's teeth was therefore an act of obvious ingratitude, calculating the monetary value of something received freely. Milan's position as a trading city made gift exchange a crucial lubricant of commercial relationships: merchants, guild members, and city officials all participated in networks of reciprocal giving that cemented trust. To evaluate a gift critically was to damage the relationship more than any business dispute could. The proverb remains in constant use across Lombardy and Piedmont in its Italian standard form, invoked whenever someone complains about a free benefit.
The equestrian metaphor reflects medieval Lombard agrarian economy; the saying appears in Lombard dialect texts from the 14th century and is the direct ancestor of the standard Italian and English versions.
A parent responding to a child's complaint about a birthday gift
Non ti piace? A caval donaa no se guarda in bocca. Di' grazie e basta.
You don't like it? Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Say thank you and that's it.
An employee receiving a pay rise smaller than expected
Potevi non darmi niente. A caval donaa no se guarda in bocca — accetta e ringrazia.
You could have given me nothing. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth — accept and be grateful.
A guest complaining about free accommodation
La camera è piccola? A caval donaa no se guarda in bocca. Ti offrono casa gratis.
The room is small? Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. They're offering you a house for free.
Receiving old furniture from a relative
È usato, ma funziona. A caval donaa no se guarda in bocca — meglio di niente.
It's used, but it works. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth — better than nothing.