The gee-gees: Horses in phrases and sayings

It's only in the last 70 years or so that the horse hasn't been the principal form of locomotion, both for human transport and the movement of goods. So it's not surprising that horses feature prominently in the language.

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Q. How

A. In proverbs mainly, but also to describe physical and behavioural characteristics.

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Q. What about pub names

A. Names such as the Horseshoe, the White Horse, the Black Horse and the Nag's Head are popular in England. The White Horse was the standard of the Saxons and is also the ensign of the county of Kent. Consequently the device was used on bags of hops - grown mostly in Kent - and so became associated with the brewing industry.

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Q. So, some horses in proverbs

A.

A dark horse: someone whose qualities are kept under wraps

To back the wrong horse: to make an error of judgement

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth: an allusion to the fact that you can tell a horse's age by looking at its teeth; so if someone gives you something, don't inspect it too closely

Flogging a dead horse: keeping on about something long after it has ceased to be relevant

To get on your high horse: to give yourself airs and graces

To get on your hobby horse: to get on your soapbox about something

To set the cart before the horse: to do things in the wrong order

No use locking the stable door after the horse has bolted: pretty obvious this one, really

Hold your horses: slow down or calm down

Horses for courses: to initiate a course of action to allow for altered circumstances

Horse trading: hard bargaining

You can take a horse to water but you can't make him drink: you can only push a stubborn or determined person so far

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Q. And characteristics

A.

Horse faced: having a long, coarse face

Horse laugh: a whinnying laugh

Horse play: rough play

Horse sense: plain common sense; this is an allusion to the horse trader, who is reputed to be shrewd, rather than the horse

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Q. What about horse power

A. Horse power is a measure of force, most often used today in describing the power of the internal combustion engine. James Watt - who first used the system to describe the power of his steam engine - estimated the 'force' of a London dray-horse, working eight hours a day, at 33,000 foot-pounds per minute.

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Q. Why are horseshoes lucky

A. Because they were believed to be a protection against witches. For this reason it was common to nail a horseshoe above a front door.

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Q. What does the horse symbolise in art

A. In European art horses are associated with courage and generosity. These same qualities are also attributed to Saints Martin, Maurice, George and Victor, and in Christian art these saints are generally represented on horseback.

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Q. And a few famous horses from history and literature

A.

Black Bess: the mare ridden by the highwayman Dick Turpin, which, tradition says, carried him from London to York in a single night

Incitatus: the horse of the Roman Emperor Caligula, who was made a priest and consul; the horse had an ivory manger and drank wine out of a golden pail; the name means 'spurred on'

Marengo: the white stallion which Napoleon rode at Waterloo, whose remains are now in the Museum of the United Services, London

Pegasus: the winged horse of Apollo and the Muses, which Perseus rode when he rescued Andromeda

Rosinante: Don Quixote's horse, all skin and bone; the name means 'formerly a nag'

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For more on Phrases & Sayings click here

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By Simon Smith