What are the elements that make the Mexican horse skull rider a scary character in the story?

In Mexico, there was an old tale about a Mexican horse skull rider. The story goes that long ago, a cruel horseman died in a tragic accident. His spirit was so full of malice that it couldn't pass on. Instead, it haunted the land on a horse whose head had been reduced to a skull. The rider would appear to those who wandered alone at night. People who saw it said they could feel a cold chill run down their spines as the rider approached, and its eyes seemed to burn with an otherworldly fire. This made everyone avoid the areas where it was said to roam, especially at night.

The use of local folklore and superstitions. For example, the idea of vengeful spirits like La Llorona is deeply rooted in Mexican culture. People are already familiar with these concepts, so when they are used in a story, it adds an extra layer of fear because it feels real and close to home.

The cultural and historical context. Many Mexican scary stories are based on ancient Aztec or Mayan beliefs. These cultures had a deep connection with the spiritual world, and some of their more fearsome deities or spirits find their way into the stories. For instance, the Aztec god of death, Mictlantecuhtli, is often associated with dark and spooky tales. His appearance is often described as terrifying, with a skull face and a body covered in bones, and his domain is the underworld, which adds a lot of horror to the stories.

Well, the unexpected actions of the skull can be really funny. For example, if a skull suddenly starts doing acrobatics. Also, when the skull interacts with other objects or characters in a comical way, like a skull trying to wear a hat that is way too big for it.

A typical element is the presence of a tragic backstory. Just like with La Llorona who had a very sad and disturbing past that led to her becoming a vengeful spirit. Also, many Mexican scary stories involve the dark side of nature. For instance, the El Chupacabra is associated with the idea of a predator in the natural world gone horribly wrong. It preys on livestock in a very unnatural way, which adds to the scariness.

The appearance can be a factor. For example, if the horse has glowing eyes like in some horror stories, it immediately gives off a spooky vibe. Horses are large animals, and when they act in an unpredictable way, like suddenly charging or rearing up for no obvious reason, it can be very frightening.

Ghosts are a common element. Like in 'La Llorona', the spirit of a wronged woman haunts. Another is strange creatures such as 'El Chupacabra'. It represents the unknown and the fear of the wild. Supernatural powers also play a role, like the cursing abilities of 'La Bruja'.

The idea of punishment for misdeeds. With El Cucuy, it's about kids being punished for being naughty. It creates a fear in children that something bad will happen if they don't follow the rules, and the unknown nature of this bogeyman - like figure makes it scarier.

One common element is the appearance of the goat being strange. For example, it might have glowing eyes or an unusual color like all black. Another element is that the goat often makes scary sounds, like a blood - curdling scream or a strange mix of noises. Also, there is usually a sense of mystery or bad omen associated with the goat, such as misfortune following those who encounter it.

A sense of impending doom is a great element too. If the characters in the story keep getting signs that something bad is going to happen, like in a story where a family keeps finding dead birds on their doorstep before a series of strange events start to occur. This makes the readers or listeners feel on edge and scared.