Origins of Horse Phrases
“Iron Horse”
A horse-drawn tram operated by Swansea and Mumbles Railway, 1870. Originating during Victorian times in Britain, Iron [...]
“Feeling Your Oats”
Feeling one’s oats describes someone who is energized, enthusiastic even assertive. The phrase was originally used to describe a horse’s [...]
“One Horse Town”
The original 18th century standard English use of one-horse meant 'drawn or worked, by a single horse'. By the mid-19th [...]
“HAYDAY”
HAYDAY has nothing to do with the dried grass our horses love to eat. In fact, HAYDAY is a misspelling [...]
“Extreme Vetting”
The noun “vet” originated became an abbreviation for “veterinarian”. By 1850 in Great Britain and Ireland, horse doctors were commonly [...]
“Dead Ringer”
Over the centuries, the sport of kings has spawned its share of horse slang including DEAD RINGER. The phrase originated [...]
“Hold Your Horses”
The phrase is American first appearing in print in 1844. “Oh, hold your hosses, Squire. There’s no use getting’ riled, [...]