The origins of this saying date back to the 1600s, when horses were an integral part of people’s lives. An example would be “This chore really is a horse of a different color!” People use this horse idiom when referring to a different outcome or circumstance than what they expected. While we can’t be certain about who popularized the phrase, it’s most likely related to horse riding or driving. In truth, there are several theories about how the saying came to be. It first appeared in Book 23 Homer’s “Iliad” in the sentence “ Antilochus-you drive like a maniac! Hold your horses!”However, in the original translation from 1598, the phrase sounds like “Contain thy horses!” This horse idiom likely originates from 800 BC.

It often refers to situations when someone is about to make a rash decision or do something irresponsible. It means wait, hang on, don’t go ahead just yet. Hold your horses!Īnother common horse idiom is “Hold your horses”, also used as “Hold the horses”. In many cases, a horse’s age determines its value, which is why it’s rude to look a gift horse in the mouth. The younger the horse is, the more accurate the estimate can be. It is a well-known fact in the horse world that you can estimate a horse’s age by looking at its teeth. Jerome: “Equi donati dentes non inspicuintur.” It even appears in the introduction of the New Testament, translated by St. Appreciate when someone hands you a gift or does you a favor instead of looking for imperfections.Īccording to some sources, this saying originated around 380 BC. This horse idiom has made its way into many languages and has one simple meaning: don’t be ungrateful. There’s little doubt that most people have heard of this phrase before. Here are the origins and meanings of twenty horse idioms.

You’ll be surprised that some of them have very elaborate backstories! Join us on our journey through the ages as we explore the most common horse idioms in detail. You can probably recall a few of them right now, but have you ever wondered where they came from? While it’s hard to verify the sources, most of these sayings have links to a particular era or activity. It’s not surprising therefore that our ancestors came up with several horse-related idioms to better express themselves. Without them, we wouldn’t be where we are today. Horses have been part of our culture for thousands of years.

Lame horse meaning