For example, I expect you have often heard something being referred to as ‘a right mare’! If you actually own or ride a mare I expect you smile at that point!
So how many sayings originate from the horse world? These are the ones which have occurred to me. If you know of any more please email them to me at webmaster@limebrook.com and I will add them to the list.
· Shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted
· Get back into the saddle
· Get on/off your high horse
· Taking back/handing over the reins
· Being a ‘dark horse’ (Horses that regularly won races were darkened to conceal their identity and increase the betting odds)
· Don’t change horses in mid stream
· Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth
· Horse and cart - cockney rhyming slang (if you can't guess email me for the answer!)
· You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink
· A nods as good as a wink to a blind horse
· On the hoof
· Someone’s got the bit between their teeth
· Being a right mare
Horses in our Language
Horses in our Language!
The horse was first domesticated some 6000 years ago. When you see a horse well rugged up in winter, or covered in fly sheets in summer, or having sun cream applied to those sensitive parts it makes you think that perhaps this shows a certain degree of intelligence on the part of the horse!
The horse has been part of our lives for a very long time. Much of the language we use every day revolves around this relationship - much of which we use without thinking.
During our relationship with horses, they have crept their way not only into our hearts and lifestyles, but also into our everyday speech. Many non-horsey people use terms without any idea where they originated from!
The horse was first domesticated some 6000 years ago. When you see a horse well rugged up in winter, or covered in fly sheets in summer, or having sun cream applied to those sensitive parts it makes you think that perhaps this shows a certain degree of intelligence on the part of the horse!
The horse has been part of our lives for a very long time. Much of the language we use every day revolves around this relationship - much of which we use without thinking.
During our relationship with horses, they have crept their way not only into our hearts and lifestyles, but also into our everyday speech. Many non-horsey people use terms without any idea where they originated from!
· Mare’s nest (interesting origin, originally supposed to be something elusive which didn’t exist, and somehow evolved into something which was a right mess)
· Straight from the horse’s mouth (the way of telling a horse’s age is to look at this teeth - hence getting the truth from the source!)
·'Hobsons Choice'. meaning having no choice at all! This originates from Tobias Hobson who rented out horses to customers but giving no choice as to which mount they had - it would simply be the one nearest to the stable door. This does NOT happen at Limebrook Farm Riding School!
Many thanks to Vicky for this one!
And do you know why taxis have Hackney carriage licence plates? Because the Hackney horse, originally from the village of Hackney in London, was a particular good high stepping equine for pulling carriages, and then the original taxis! To my knowledge there are no longer any horses in Hackney, though the breed still continues.
· Straight from the horse’s mouth (the way of telling a horse’s age is to look at this teeth - hence getting the truth from the source!)
·'Hobsons Choice'. meaning having no choice at all! This originates from Tobias Hobson who rented out horses to customers but giving no choice as to which mount they had - it would simply be the one nearest to the stable door. This does NOT happen at Limebrook Farm Riding School!
Many thanks to Vicky for this one!
And do you know why taxis have Hackney carriage licence plates? Because the Hackney horse, originally from the village of Hackney in London, was a particular good high stepping equine for pulling carriages, and then the original taxis! To my knowledge there are no longer any horses in Hackney, though the breed still continues.
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Emily G. gave us these facts: Thanks Emily!
Did you know: it is VERY rare for a horse to be pure white? because they have black skin
AND Did you know: Camargue horses are completely white when they're adults, but their foals are born pure black!
Did you know: Horses can not breathe through their mouths.
Did you know: it is VERY rare for a horse to be pure white? because they have black skin
AND Did you know: Camargue horses are completely white when they're adults, but their foals are born pure black!
Did you know: Horses can not breathe through their mouths.