Rabbits and hares were seen to be lucky creatures since they were associated with the arrival of spring and the blooming of flowers and other vegetation. Spring was also a period of fertility, so seeing rabbits running through the fields was considered lucky. A rabbit trotting through your yard suggested it was an excellent year to start a family or that your garden will be particularly bountiful this year.
The way rabbits run has given rise to a folklore about rabbit’s feet. Their peculiar stride causes their rear feet to touch the ground before their front feet, therefore the back feet were thought to be particularly lucky.