STABLE TALK

Evening Star, Issue 20052, 18 December 1928, Page 1

STABLE TALK

HORSE SENSE AND SAYINGS CLASSICAL AND COMMON PHRASES The horse has been the means of crystallising much of tho wisdom of the world in aphoristic form. The very name for such snappily-expressod truths is indeed derived from the species, toi the term “ horse sense ” has come to be synonymous, with tho power of clear vision and sane judgment ■ Nowheic tan such horse sense bo better found than in—- “ Happy Britain: Highly favoured isle! And Heaven’s peculiar care! io thee 'tis niven , „ . To train the sprightly steed, more fleet than those. . Begot boro the groat Bolides tlnougn tho press , .. Of heroes armed, and broke tuen crowded ranks,” as Somerville wrote. Yet it has been said England is | a paradise lor women and Jicli ioi horses,” from which all must dissent, and wo would reverse the order! Ihere are horses in England almost celestial, and there are also horses in heaven, as th Apocalypse proves; and Britain is surely the horse’s paradise on earth. “They say princes learn no art truly but the art of horsemanship. the reason is the brave beast is no flatterer —ho will throw a prince as soon as Ins groom,” as Ben Jenson’s Discourses. Italians have a proverb that Jn buying a horse and taking a wile yon shut your eyes and commend you i sell to God,” A man may love his wiio Something better than his dog, A little dearer than his horse, as Tennyson has it in Locksley Hall, and perhaps “ the grey mare may prove the better horse,” and money make the mare to go.” But, eavemt cinptoi, Fitzherbert said away back in fore- “ Thou mayst fortunate to be of niyno opvnion and condition to love horses; then take hedo that thou be not betrvled as I have been an hundred tymes and more.” So let it be recognised that it is always “ the eye of tho master that fattens tho hoisc. “ While the grass grows tho horse starveth”; “Feed tho horse at home, the dog abroad”; “Live horse ami eat grass”; “The tired marc goes willingly to grass.”; ‘ You cannot teach a horso to eat shavings for grass by putting goggles on his eyes —these are packed with horse sense. .The •spirited horse which will strive of itself to win in the race will run still more swiftly if encouraged,” but “do not spur a free horse,” fob “ a horse when bridled listens through his ears. M hen yon have once cut your horse s mouth cut his throat.” “ He that hires his horse must ride before” il he can, while “Ho who will travel' iar spares hi* steed,” and the advice that

When the whipstock’s made of lovan You may ride your nag through any town. As Bramhall observed in 1645, it’s “ the last straw that breaks the lior.se s ba “lt is not wise to harness the horse behind the cart ” or “to l’ ut 1110 cart before the lic-vy thoug:»zmany, argue in that way. Abraham learned tho homely proverb that ft is no ' time to swap horses crossing uic stream.” And there is much ni.suum in tho proverb: “Set a beggar on horseback and he’ll ride to tmo dei>. “ Every man has his hobby, but jiobby horses may. bo dearer than Arabians. “Ah, child—many a good horse dies of the fashions ”—a peculiar disease in horses that is mentioned in ‘ Iho laming of the Shrew.’ With many c;her afflictions, if afflicted with the fashions, otherwise described as a kind ol leprosy , one would bo regarded in a very bad way indeed. Lawrence declared that “ Blood is blood, but form is superiority.” He believed that horses always go with their shoulders; and doubtless that Foot, fetlock, and feather— Top may come, but bottom neici, as is an English shire sentiment. “ Tlio racer and tho jade may trace to.one sire,” may be true; and one needs not to write V.S. after his name to know that “ the galled horse will soonest wince/ 5 e’en though its uitheis nro not unstrung. Much horso sense has produced much common sense, and as “ the eyes of the leal arc in the ends of the earth,” man may strain his eyes for mental vision lor guidance from Ids favourite animal. So for a horse with wings.” 'COMMON SAYINGS. Innumerable are the sayings that are tho common heritage ol the language that are derived from tho horse. Someone may have made a compendium of such as the following; To take the bit in one’s mouth ; to drop the reins; to give rein ' to, or a loose rein; to gallop through; to rido to death; to come a cropper; to go ' the pace; to’ keep pace with; to set ! the pace; to pull up or pull in; to prick one’s ears; to get on one’s high horse; jto get on one’s hind legs; to put ; through his paces; to give a leg'up, to eat one’s head oil ; to turn out to grass; to Hog a dead horse; to give him Ids head; to look a gift horse in tho mouth; to lock the stable door after the horse is stolen. Another .series is; At the end of one’s teeth; in tlio saddle; to spur on; to trot out; on the spur of the moment; to give ono tho horso laugh; out of hand; with a heavy load; heavy in hand; without timing a hair; by an eyelash, or a hairs breadth; a mare’s nest; you can take a horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink; one man may steal a horse, hut another must look on; neck' and crop; hairy about the heels; to carry on; to curry favour; in at the death; to a finish; come to grief; gone to the boneyard; to put tho saddle on the wrong horso. Racing phrases include such as: To make the miming; runner-up; to back tire wrong horse; to have a run for one’s money; in the running; in tho money; left at the post; a dead heat; to carry weight; to ride for a fall; to curl up; to give a straight tip; to jockey out of; to suit one’s hook; to win in a canter; to win hands down; from start to finish; a dark horse; a walk over; tho rest no.vhcrc; also ran; neck and neck. And these; To kick over tho traces; to put on the brakes; to die in harness; to put 'our shoulder to tho wheel; to take tho rough with the smooth; a slow coach; to drive a coach and pair through a six-barred fence or other obstacle; to win one’s spurs.