all I can say, after reading wwh's post, is O Crap! Poor Horses!

That being said....I thought "gingerly" implied tentativeness. My Cdn Oxford says this:

adv. in a careful or cautious manner; adj. showing great care or caution; gingerliness, n. [perhaps from Old French gensor delicate, comparative of gent graceful from Latin genitus (well-)born]

So how did we get from inserting ginger in a horse's arse to make it step lively, to doing things carefully?

Aha....perhaps you very gingerly ginger a horse, because they doesn't like it and are apt to give you a swift kick....?!

Let us go in peace to love and serve the board.